Search

1The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

2Abraham became the father of Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob. Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers. 3Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron. Hezron became the father of Ram. 4Ram became the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon. Nahshon became the father of Salmon. 5Salmon became the father of Boaz by Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse. 6Jesse became the father of King David. David the king became the father of Solomon by her who had been Uriah’s wife. 7Solomon became the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam became the father of Abijah. Abijah became the father of Asa. 8Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram. Joram became the father of Uzziah. 9Uzziah became the father of Jotham. Jotham became the father of Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah. 10Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh. Manasseh became the father of Amon. Amon became the father of Josiah. 11Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

12After the exile to Babylon, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel became the father of Zerubbabel. 13Zerubbabel became the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim. Eliakim became the father of Azor. 14Azor became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim. Achim became the father of Eliud. 15Eliud became the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan. Matthan became the father of Jacob. 16Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

17So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations.

18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly. 20But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21She shall give birth to a son. You shall name him Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”

22Now all this has happened that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,

23“Behold, the virgin shall be with child,

and shall give birth to a son.

They shall call his name Immanuel,”

which is, being interpreted, “God with us.”

24Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself; 25and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.

The Meaning of Book of the Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah

The Meaning of Book of the Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah

Note | Matt 1:1 | Hershel Wayne House

Matthew begins his gospel with the "book of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah." The heading is likely referring to the entire Gospel, even thought the genealogy is connected to it, and the word genealogy should be taken similar to the family histories (genealogy) given by Moses in the book of Genesis (Gen. 6:9; 10:1; 11:10, 27; 25:12, 19; 36:1, 9; 37:2). This is argued, rightly I believe, by W. Davies and Allison, as given by David Turner (BECNT Mt, 2008): 

W. Davies and Allison (1988: 150) argue from the LXX usage of the expression βίβλος γενέσεως (biblos geneseōs, Gen. 2:4; 5:1) that this is the title for Matthew’s entire book. They point out that the LXX most frequently uses a different formula, “these are the generations” (αὗται αἱ γενέσεις, hautai hai geneseis), to introduce genealogies (e.g., Gen. 6:9; 10:1; 11:10, 27; 25:12, 19; 36:1, 9; 37:2; Num. 3:1), and that the term βίβλος most naturally refers to a “book,” not merely a portion of it. (W. Davies and Allison 1988: 153; cf. Allison 2005b: 157–62).

Genealogies were important to the Jews because they connected them to their people and provided evidence of what tribe to which a person belonged. Matthew's genealogy traces Jesus to Abraham through Jacob, a physical connection that indicated he was a Jew, and through David, demonstrating he legally was an heir to the throne of David through Solomon (though see the study of the curse of Jeconiah below, Matt 1:11).