Advent: 21 Days to Go
In this installment of our Christmas adventure, we focus on facts that are somewhat less exciting but nevertheless vital to God’s plan. As they say in legal circles, all things must be done in order. And far be it from God to overlook His own laws. The Apostle Matthew now recounts for us the legal lineage of Jesus, the Christ...
1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;
5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;
8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;
9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;
10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;
11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:
12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;
13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;
14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;
15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;
16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
--Matthew 1:1-17 KJV Bible
The name “Jesus” is the Greek and Latin form of the Hebrew “Jeshua,” or Joshua. The name means “Yahweh saves,” or “the Lord is salvation.” The term “Christ” is the Greek form of the Hebrew “Meshiah,” or Messiah. The term means “anointed one.” The phrase “Son of David” was a highly popular Messianic title at the time of Jesus earthly ministry. Matthew uses all of these labels to refer to the “logos”--the Word of God; the revelation of God to mankind.
This genealogy is traced through Joseph, Jesus’ legal (though not natural) father. Using the Hebrew custom of determining lineage through the father, this genealogy establishes Jesus’ legal claim and right to the throne of David. A very similar genealogy is given in Luke chapter 3 and many accept this as the lineage of Mary, though with a few explanations it could also apply to Joseph.
The lineage through Joseph is a Biblical Who’s Who of both good and bad individuals. In some respects it is a very good thing that this genealogy does not actually belong to Jesus. For example, in verse 11, Matthew notes “Jeconiah,” or Jehoiachin, king of Judah, who was taken into captivity by Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar in 597 BC. In his writings, the prophet Jeremiah contracted “Jeconiah” to “Coniah” (Jeremiah 22:24, 28; 37:1) and pronounced a curse upon him and his line. None of his descendants would prosper sitting on the throne of David. If this genealogy had actually belonged to Jesus, He would not have been successful. But since Jesus came through Mary’s lineage, He avoided the curse of Jeremiah.
Next time, the angel Gabriel makes another special announcement about God’s plan. This time, it is to a young girl from Nazareth named Mary...
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1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;
5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;
8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;
9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;
10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;
11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:
12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;
13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;
14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;
15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;
16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
--Matthew 1:1-17 KJV Bible
The name “Jesus” is the Greek and Latin form of the Hebrew “Jeshua,” or Joshua. The name means “Yahweh saves,” or “the Lord is salvation.” The term “Christ” is the Greek form of the Hebrew “Meshiah,” or Messiah. The term means “anointed one.” The phrase “Son of David” was a highly popular Messianic title at the time of Jesus earthly ministry. Matthew uses all of these labels to refer to the “logos”--the Word of God; the revelation of God to mankind.
This genealogy is traced through Joseph, Jesus’ legal (though not natural) father. Using the Hebrew custom of determining lineage through the father, this genealogy establishes Jesus’ legal claim and right to the throne of David. A very similar genealogy is given in Luke chapter 3 and many accept this as the lineage of Mary, though with a few explanations it could also apply to Joseph.
The lineage through Joseph is a Biblical Who’s Who of both good and bad individuals. In some respects it is a very good thing that this genealogy does not actually belong to Jesus. For example, in verse 11, Matthew notes “Jeconiah,” or Jehoiachin, king of Judah, who was taken into captivity by Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar in 597 BC. In his writings, the prophet Jeremiah contracted “Jeconiah” to “Coniah” (Jeremiah 22:24, 28; 37:1) and pronounced a curse upon him and his line. None of his descendants would prosper sitting on the throne of David. If this genealogy had actually belonged to Jesus, He would not have been successful. But since Jesus came through Mary’s lineage, He avoided the curse of Jeremiah.
Next time, the angel Gabriel makes another special announcement about God’s plan. This time, it is to a young girl from Nazareth named Mary...
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