Matthew - Week 1

Descendant of David 

READ 

Matthew 1:1 

1 This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham.  

As the New Testament begins it gives the genealogy, or human ancestry, of Jesus the Messiah. The words “Messiah” and “Christ” are interchangeable. He was the “anointed one,” which is what the word “Christ” means. Jesus was God, the second person of the Trinity. But God could not die for sinful mankind so Jesus took upon Himself the limitations of a human body and Matthew 1 traces the line of His human ancestry. Two key human ancestors are mentioned in verse 1: David and Abraham. In history Abraham came first but Jesus is often linked to David. If Jesus were not the legal descendant of David, He would not be qualified to be the king of Israel. 

REFLECT 

Have you been impressed with the fact that Jesus was both fully God and fully man? Understanding that will help you better understand the New Testament Scriptures about Him. 

RESPOND 

With a Christian friend, read Genesis 12:1-3, a passage that tells about Abraham. Read also Luke 18:37-39 to see Jesus was known as the “son of David.” In the Bible a “son” refers to a descendant and “father” refers to an ancestor. Only the context reveals how close or distant the “son” or “father” is.  

Father Abraham 

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Matthew 1:2 

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers. 

This one verse quickly moves through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then it singles out one of Jacob’s twelve sons, Judah. It would be through the line of Judah that Jesus would come, not from the line of one of Jacob’s other sons. A priest would have to come in the line of Levi, but that is not what Jesus chose to do. This would also mean that Jesus was restricted from the duties of a priest during His lifetime on earth. 

REFLECT 

Think about how the Bible quickly moves through the line of the ancestors to bring you to Judah through whose family line Jesus came.  

RESPOND 

Although Jesus was not born in the priestly line, He was called by the Lord, “a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:4).  Read also Hebrews 7:1-17 and Genesis 14:17-24.  

Family of Judah 

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Matthew 1:3-4 

3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar). Perez was the father of Hezron. Hezron was the father of Ram. 4 Ram was the father of Amminadab. Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon. 

This passage lists the first of four women named in Matthew's genealogy of the Messiah. The inclusion of women's names was unusual in genealogies of this period. Tamar was one who prostituted herself. Including her in the genealogy of Jesus reveals the grace of God. The name “Ram” is also spelled “Aram.” “Salmon” brings us close to the story of Ruth, another woman in the genealogy. 

REFLECT 

Do you wonder why there are so many genealogies in the Bible? What if you were left a million dollars if you were in the right line, would you not search your ancestry? Much in the Old Testament depended on one’s ancestry.  

RESPOND 

With a friend, talk about what to do when reading the Bible and coming to a genealogy with names difficult to pronounce. It can be difficult to work your way through the list, but at least you can scan the list and look for familiar names. Sometimes there is a comment made about some person although no comments are made about others. For instance, glance through 1 Chronicles 4:1-10 to see what it says about Jabez. 

Salmon to Solomon 

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Matthew 1:5-6 

5 Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab). Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth). Obed was the father of Jesse. 6 Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah). 

Matthew 1:1-6 records the human line of Christ from Abraham to David. Boaz’s mother, Rahab, was a prostitute who hid Israelite spies (see Joshua 2 and Hebrews 11:31). Ruth was a Moabite and her story can be read in the Old Testament book named after her, Ruth. God had excluded the Moabites from “the assembly of the LORD” (see Deuteronomy 23:2-4), but some exceptions were made. The male line included Salmon, Boaz, Obed, Jesse and David, and then Solomon. This brings one to the mention of Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, who committed adultery with David. God’s grace can be seen even in genealogies. 

REFLECT 

Have you come from a long line of unbelievers in the Lord Jesus? This does not prevent you from turning to Jesus for salvation. Read John 6:37 in this regard. 

RESPOND 

One of the spiritual giants of the Bible is Abraham, yet he came from a family of unbelievers. Read Joshua 24:2-3.  

The Time of Kings 

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Matthew 1:7-8 

7 Solomon was the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam was the father of Abijah. Abijah was the father of Asa. 8 Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehoram. Jehoram was the father of Uzziah. 

Even though “father” really only means “ancestor,” Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, as the word is commonly thought of. It was under Rehoboam that the 12 tribes of Israel divided into two kingdoms: one in the south under Rehoboam with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and the other ten tribes in the north under Jeroboam. The divided kingdom is told about in 2 Kings 9:11-25:30. 

REFLECT 

Consider reading the Old Testament if you have never done so. While you will find things you will not understand, it will help you to know the history of Israel. Think of it in this way: 1 Samuel tells primarily about the first king, Saul; 2 Samuel tells primarily about the second king, David; 1 Kings tells primarily about the third king, Solomon; 2 Kings primarily tells of the divided kingdom that began in Rehoboam’s time.  

RESPOND 

Many know about Isaiah 6 that records the vision Isaiah had when King Uzziah died. Few seem to know what brought about Uzziah’s death. For this background read 2 Chronicles 26:16-23.