Matthew 1:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah,

NIV: Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah,

NASB: Hezekiah fathered Manasseh, Manasseh fathered Amon, and Amon fathered Josiah.

CSB: Hezekiah fathered Manasseh, Manasseh fathered Amon, Amon fathered Josiah,

NLT: Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh. Manasseh was the father of Amon. Amon was the father of Josiah.

KJV: And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;

NKJV: Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah.

The line of Jesus, as curated by Matthew in this chapter, includes people from every walk of life. He begins with the patriarchs, but includes adulterers and prostitutes, heroes and victims, faithful Jews and surprising Gentiles, men and women, and the good and the bad kings from Israel's history. Matthew was not obligated to include many of the people who contributed to Jesus' humanity. Yet, in doing so, he showed that Jesus was fully human right down to the complicated family tree. Because Jesus was also fully God, He was able to give His life to pay for the sins of everyone who would believe.

This verse finds the history of Israel and Jesus' family line toward the end of the era of the kings. It mentions Hezekiah, a godly king who fathered Manasseh. Manasseh was a wicked king who later repented. Manasseh fathered Amos, who was also known as Amon. Amon fathered Josiah. Josiah became king at eight years old and later renewed Israel's covenant with the Lord (2 Kings 22—23).

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.

Accessed 5/4/2024 10:39:22 PM