Chapter 1
Genealogy 1:1-17
1. Jesus is truly a man, a son of Abraham and a true Hebrew. Jesus was fully man and fully God. He was not 50 percent man and 50 percent God, but 100 percent man and 100 percent God. This is a tough concept to wrap our brains around, so we simply affirm it in faith. Here we have the principle of “truthful opposites.” God is fully transcendent (unknowable), yet fully immanent (knowable). Again, we have what I like to call truthful opposites. It has been said that “a great truth is a truth whose opposite is also a great truth.” In my studies of the Scriptures, I have found this to be undeniable.
2. The genealogy attests to Yahweh’s faithfulness over the centuries, never forgetting or abandoning his covenantal promises to Abraham, but bringing them through the course of history to the time appointed for their fulfillment.
3. Four women are in the genealogy: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba. These women were all scandalous (as were many or all of the men).
4. God’s grace for sinners. God’s grace for Gentiles. Rahab was a Canaanite and Ruth was a Moabitess. Praise God that Christ came to save Jews and Gentiles.
5. There is an abrupt change in Matthew’s language at 1:16b. He had consistently used the formula “_____ begat ______” but instead he writes, “Joseph, the husband of Mary, OF WHOM WAS BORN, Jesus, who is called Christ.” The historical fact of the virginal conception forces this grammatical change upon the carefully structured Matthean genealogy. Why do we try to explain away miracles? God is either God or He isn’t. Miracles are very rare in the expanse of history and in the pages of Scripture. The few we have should be affirmed and believed by faith.
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