Matthew 1:1 - Printer Friendly

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

NIV: This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:

NASB: The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham:

CSB: An account of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:

NLT: This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham :

KJV: The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

NKJV: The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:

As are the other Gospels in the New Testament, the Gospel of Matthew is about one person: Jesus. Matthew set out not only to tell Jesus' story, but also to establish that Jesus was in fact the long-promised Messiah the Jewish people had been expecting.

Matthew begins with a genealogy. His opening words, "the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ" are likely a subtitle referring to the first two chapters. Genealogies were extremely important to the Jewish people of the time, and Matthew will write this book with his fellow Jewish readers in mind. In order to back up his claim that Jesus is the Messiah, he will have to start by showing that Jesus is a legitimate descendant of Abraham and especially of David.

Matthew calls Him "Jesus Christ" from his opening verse. The name Jesus is derived from the Greek version of the name given by Joseph and Mary in obedience to the angel (Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:31), which is Iēsou. This, in turn, is from the Hebrew Yeho'sua, also translated as "Joshua," which means "Yahweh saves." The term Christ means "anointed," and Matthew's Jewish readers would have understood it to mean Messiah. Jesus was both the rightful descendant of King David with a legitimate claim to the throne of Israel and the long-expected Savior of Israel.

Matthew's mention of Abraham and David is significant for another reason. They represented God's two great covenants with the nation of Israel. God's covenant with Abraham (Genesis 12:1–3; 22:18) declared Israel to be His chosen people with a promise to bless them greatly. God also told Abraham the entire world would be blessed through his descendants. That promise is fulfilled in Christ.

God's covenant with the great King David, made through the prophecy of the prophet Nathan, was that David's line would rule over Israel forever: "Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever" (2 Samuel 7:16). Matthew will show that Jesus is the ultimate fulfilment of that covenant promise to David, as well.

Matthew 1:1–17 begins the apostle Matthew's long Gospel with a short genealogy of Jesus Christ, beginning with Abraham. Matthew does not include every generation, but instead creates three groups of fourteen names: Abraham to King David; David to Josiah; and Jechoniah to Jesus. Matthew shows that Jesus is the direct descendant of both Abraham and David, qualifying His legal right to sit on Israel's throne. Matthew would not need to have listed the women, blatant sinners, or evil kings that he does, but the point of his Gospel is that Jesus has come to save His people from their sins. As a former tax-collector, hated by fellow Jews, this idea would have resonated strongly with Matthew.

The apostle Matthew begins his telling of Jesus' life with a genealogy. This is meant to show that Jesus is directly descended from both Abraham and King David, making Him a legal heir to the throne of Israel. He then tells the story of Jesus' birth from the perspective of Joseph, Mary's husband. Joseph had planned to divorce the woman he was betrothed to marry, once he found out she was carrying a child that wasn't his. God interrupts this plan. An angel tells Joseph in a dream that the child is from the Holy Spirit and commands Joseph to name Him Jesus, since He will save His people from their sins. Joseph obeys.

One of the original twelve disciples, Matthew begins his telling of Jesus' life with a genealogy and Jesus' birth. The listing of Jesus' ancestors shows how Jesus is directly descended from both Abraham and King David, but it also includes then-unlikely inclusions, such as women, blatant sinners, and evil kings. Instead of divorcing Mary, Joseph obeys God and takes her home. Isaiah's prophecy of the virgin birth of Immanuel, a term meaning ''God with us,'' is fulfilled. This sets the stage for pivotal events in Jesus' infancy, such as the arrival of wise men and the family's escape into Egypt.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.