Matthew 1:1-21

Read Matthew 1:1-21

Helpful Background Information: 

• Matthew’s main purpose in writing his gospel was to paint Jesus as the Jewish King. That He was more important than Moses and a legal descent from Abraham and David. So, with that in mind, the genealogy of Jesus starts with Abraham- this first person God made his unconditional covenant with and goes down the line until we get to Mary and Joseph. Other commentators mention that there are some generations that are skipped but this is a comprehensive list of Jesus’ family. (The other place we see Jesus’ genealogy is in Luke 3:23-38. This genealogy works backwards and goes clear back to Adam)

• Each person (man and female) listed in this genealogy shows us how God views the outcasts and sinners. But let’s look at the women Matthew chooses to highlight. Ruth is one of 5 women mentioned in this genealogy. Each of these ladies has their own story to tell of their importance in scripture.

  • Tamar’s husband was wicked and she only bore a son after tricking her father-in-law, Judah, to sleep with her (The Tribe of Judah was the promised tribe Jesus would be a descendant of) (Gen 38:6-30). 

  • Rahab was a prostitute who hid men from Israel on her roof so they would not get caught (Joshua 2). 

  • Ruth was a Moabite who followed her mother-in-law back to Judah with no husband or prospects. (Ruth)

  • Bathsheba’s husband was killed on the front lines after David ordered it. Before that, David slept with her after his sin took over and they had a son together. The son then dies because of David’s sin. (2 Samuel 11-12:23)

  • Mary was an unwed Israelite that became pregnant and not from her fiance (Matthew 1:26-38). 

• This genealogy is patterned to show us and the people of the early churches God’s “covenantal faithfulness despite the chaos of historical events”. God doesn’t pick who we think should be in Jesus’ genealogy, he picks those who point the readers back to God himself as the Creator and sustainer of all things.

Reflection Questions: 

• When you look at your genealogy, is it easy for you to see God’s faithfulness despite your family's history, or do you struggle to understand why God gave you the family He has? Why or why not.

• What hope do you have for 10 generations beyond you and what kind of faith foundation are you leaving behind?

• Write down a list of times God has been faithful to you despite yourself and share one thing with someone this week.