Matthew 1:1-17

Caution:

Genealogical research can be difficult.

Genealogies can be boring.

A Genealogical search may expose more

than we want to know.

Is difficult.

Is by no means boring.

Is full of characters most of us wouldn’t brag

about.

Distinctions between Matthew’s and Luke’s

genealogies of Jesus:• Matthew starts with Abraham and moves forward

to Jesus

• Luke starts with Jesus and moves backwards to

Adam (son of God).

• There are people in each gen. that are not in the

other.

• Matthew traces Joseph’s genealogy.

• Luke appears to be tracing Mary’s genealogy.

Matthew 1:1 (NIV) A record of the genealogy

of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of

Abraham:

Literally: “This is the book of the Genesis of

Jesus Christ”

The expression, “the record of the

genealogy” in the Greek text reads,

somewhat literally, “the book of the genesis of

Jesus Christ.” It is nearly identical with the

Greek translations of Genesis 2:4 and 5:1:

Gen. 2:4 “This is the book of the genesis of the

heavens and the earth … .”

Gen. 5:1 “This is the book of the

genesis/generations of mankind/Adam … .”

Linked to creation even as John does.

Linked to the first man.

Everyone in Adam’s genealogy died.

Everyone in Jesus’ genealogy died.

But everyone in Jesus generation after him

lives. Jesus is the start of something new.

Everyone “in Adam” dies. Everyone “in

Christ” is given the gift of eternal life.

Matthew is careful to show that our Lord’s

lineage makes Him both a “son of

David,” and a “son of Abraham”:

Conclusions: Jesus is the fulfillment of both

the Abrahamic (see Galatians 3:15-16) and

the Davidic (see Matthew 22:42-46)

covenants. Jesus is the legitimate heir to

the throne of David; He is the king of

Israel.

Galatians 3:15-16 (NIV) 15 Brothers, let me take an example from

everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human

covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16 The

promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture

does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your

seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.

Matthew 22:42-46 (NIV) 42 “What do you think about the Christ?

Whose son is he?” “The son of David,” they replied. 43 He said to

them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him

‘Lord’? For he says, 44 “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right

hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ 45 If then David

calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 46 No one could say a

word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any

more questions.

Matthew 1:2-6 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezronthe father of Ram, 4 Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5

Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, 6

and Jesse the father of King David.

Many of the names in this genealogy from

Abraham to David are names that we

recognize. These are the names of real

people, people who lived many years ago,

but real people nevertheless.

Conclusion: Jesus was a human being (as

well as divine), a real person, born of a line

of real people.

1 John 4:1-2 (NIV)1 Dear friends, do not believe every

spirit, but test the spirits to see whether

they are from God, because many

false prophets have gone out into the

world. 2 This is how you can recognize

the Spirit of God: Every spirit that

acknowledges that Jesus Christ has

come in the flesh is from God,

All those listed in Matthew’s Gospel were

sinners, and some are really rotten!

Conclusion: The blessings of God on His

people had/has nothing to do with the

good works of men, but can only be

explained in terms of the mercy and grace

of God.

The Father of faith but

had a dysfunctional

family.On several occasions lied

that Sarah was his sister.

Listens to his wife and had

a child through Hagar,

Sarah’s handmaid.

Deceived his father and stole his brother’s birthright

Had competition between his wives

Had out of control children

Maybe the most dysfunctional family in the Bible

Peeping Tom

Adulterer

Murderer

Matthew includes four women in his

genealogy.Three were Gentile by birth and the fourth

(Bathsheba) was married to a Hittite (a Gentile).

Three of the women are not high in regards to noble

character.

Conclusion: God’s promise of salvation

through the Messiah was for unworthy

sinners, including Gentiles.

A Gentile

The daughter-n-in-law of

Judah

Played the role of a

prostitute in order to

have a child through

Judah.

A Gentile

A Prostitute

Moabite (Gentile)

The wife of Uriah

Adulterous

Matthew 1:6-11 David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, 7 Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, 8 Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, 9 Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

700 wives

300 concubines

Allowed pagan

practices and idolatry

through his wives.

Arrogance and lack of

wisdom divided the

Kingdom

These were pretty good kings, though each

had his weaknesses.

Ahaz is judged by the Hebrew historians as having committed such abominable Canaanite practices as sacrificing his son and worshiping at high places (2 Kings 16:1-4).

He comited Idolatrous abominations (2 Kin. 16:3, 4; 2 Chr. 28:2–4, 22–25).

Under his reign Judah was invaded by the kings of Syria and Samaria, 2 Kin. 16:5, 6; 2 Chr. 28:5–8.

He robed the temple to purchase aid from the king of Assyria, 2 Kin. 16:7–9, 17, 18; 2 Chr. 28:21.

He visited Damascus, obtained a novel pattern of an altar, which he substituted for the altar in the temple in Jerusalem, and otherwise perverted the forms of worship.

Because of his wickedness he was “not brought into the sepulchre of the kings.”

Matthew 1:12-16 12 After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtielthe father of Zerubbabel, 13 Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Eliud, 15 Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Second to last king of JudahRuled for 100 daysWas exiled to Babylon After an imprisonment of thirty-seven years

(Jer. 52:31, 33), he was liberated by Evil-merodach, and permitted to occupy a place in the king’s household and sit at his table, receiving “every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life” (52:32–34).

Matthew included names that seem

insignificant and unknown to us.

Conclusion: Even those not known to us are

significant to God.

Mathew took great care in the organization

of Jesus’ genealogy.

Matthew 1:17 (NIV) Thus there were

fourteen generations in all from Abraham

to David, fourteen from David to the exile

to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to

the Christ.

Everyone after Adam sinned and died. Everyone of Jesus’ descendents died. Death is common to all.

Jesus death gives the gift of eternal life.Jesus’ genealogy includes real people. Jesus,

though the Son of God was also a man.Jesus had dysfunctional people and

dysfunctional families in his genealogy. He died for dysfunctional people with dysfunctional genealogies.