The Genealogy Of Christ
Matthew 1:1-17
The New Testament begins with the history
of the earthly life, death, resurrection, and ascension of the Lord Jesus
Christ. It is given four times, by four different men (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and
John), from four points of view. Yet, in these four narratives there is one
complete story, without a single contradiction. Four distinct gospel narratives
tell the blessed story of Christ's doing and dying as the sinners' Substitute.
Four times we read of his precious words, works, and worth as our God-man
Mediator. How thankful we ought to be for the four gospels! Each one
compliments and reenforces the others. "To know Christ is life eternal. To
believe Christ is to have peace with God. To follow Christ is to be a true
Christian. To be with Christ is heaven itself. We can never hear too much about
the Lord Jesus Christ" (J.C. Ryle). Frequently, when reading the
genealogical records of Scripture, there is a tendency to neglect them because
many fail to see any meaning or value in them. That should never be the case.
Clearly, there are five lessons to be learned from these seventeen verses.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE GENEALOGY ITSELF - Matthew was directed by the Holy
Spirit to begin his Gospel with a long list of names. Sixteen verses are taken
up with tracing out the family tree of the Lord Jesus Christ as a man, from
Abraham to David, from David to Jechonias, and from Jechonias to Joseph. The
seventeenth verse divides the genealogy into three groups of fourteen generations.
Do not foolishly imagine that these verses are useless. Nothing in God's
creation is useless; and nothing in God's Word is useless. These lines were not
written by a man alone, but by a man who wrote as he was inspired by God the
Holy Spirit. They are to be read with serious thought. We have before us a very
important document, a record of monumental significance.
This genealogical record is important because it is an irrefutable proof
that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the Christ of God, the Son of David, the promised Seed of Abraham. The Jews, from the very
beginning of their history, kept precise genealogical records. The Scribes and
Pharisees studied those records with great care. They constantly raised
questions about "endless genealogies" (I Tim. 1:4). If they could
have disproved his genealogy, that alone would have
been sufficient ground for their rejection of Jesus as the Christ; but they
could not do it. Though the Jews argued about many things and constantly
accused the Lord Jesus of horribly evil deeds, they never once brought up his
ancestry. In fact, to this day, though religious heretics abound who try to
undermine our faith in Christ, I know of none who have ever attempted to
discredit his genealogy. The reason should be obvious to anyone. It is
flawless! Though Luke's record of the genealogy gives additional details and
omits others, there is not a single point of disagreement between the two.
GOD'S FAITHFULNESS TO HIS WORD - In this long list of names we are made
to see that God is faithful to his Word. He always keeps his Word. He promised
long ago that all the nations of the earth would be blessed in the Seed of
Abraham (Gen. 12:3); and Jesus Christ is Abraham's Seed in whom all nations are
blessed (v. 1; Gal.
THE SINFULNESS AND CORRUPTION OF MAN - Our Savior's genealogy is one of
many almost incidental revelations of the universal depravity of our race. It
is humbling, but instructive for us to observe how many in this list of names
were godly parents who had wicked and ungodly sons. Roboam, Joram, Amon, and
Jechonias were all terribly wicked men, though they had believing, godly
fathers. Two lessons are obvious.
1. Grace does not run in blood lines (John
2. Fathers are responsible to train their children in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord; but they are not responsible for the salvation of their
children or even for their behavior beyond childhood. David was a good father.
He loved his children and trained them in the fear of God. However, for the
most part, his children did not heed his instruction. David was not required
for that reason to relinquish his calling either as the king of
The simple fact is it takes more than a good example, good instruction,
and faithful training to save our sons and daughters. It takes the grace of God
(Eph. 2:8-9). It takes the Father's sovereign election (II Thess.
THE GREAT MERCY, GRACE, COMPASSION, AND CONDESCENSION OF OUR LORD JESUS
CHRIST - This is the genealogy of the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ, of the
people from whom our Lord descended according to the flesh. Wonder of wonders,
the eternal Son of God, the infinite, the almighty, the incomprehensible God
assumed our nature! God took humanity into union with himself and identified
himself with the people he came to save - sinners! Some of the names in this
genealogy remind us of some of the saddest, most shameful events in history.
Some of those here named are mentioned nowhere else in the Bible. But the last
name in the list is the name of our Savior, Christ. So that he might save
fallen men, the Son of God became a man (Phil. 2:6-8; II Cor. 8:9).
"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable
gift!"
It is worthy of observation that in the genealogy of Christ four of the
five women mentioned were women with a reputation or a blemish that most would
like to hide from their family tree. Our Savior chose to be numbered with
transgressors even in his genealogy. Tamar was guilty of incest. Rahab was a
harlot. Ruth was a Moabitess, a child of a cursed race. And Bathsheba was the
adulteress wife of Uriah. Truly, he of whom this genealogy speaks is the Friend
of sinners! He came into the world to save sinners!
THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD'S SAVING GRACE - No
one can read this genealogical record and fail to see God's sovereignty, unless
he just does not want to see it. Most families and nations were passed over;
but Abraham was chosen. Isaac was chosen, but not Abraham's other son, Ishmael.
Jacob was chosen, but not Esau. Among all the families of
Don Fortner