Matthew 1:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

NIV: and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

NASB: Josiah fathered Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

CSB: and Josiah fathered Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

NLT: Josiah was the father of Jehoiachin and his brothers (born at the time of the exile to Babylon).

KJV: And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:

NKJV: Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon.

Matthew's telling of the line of Jesus, which began with Abraham and continued through David, now comes to a dramatic moment in Israel's history. God had promised King David that his descendants would rule Israel forever (2 Samuel 7:16). They did exactly that, from Solomon all the way through Jechoniah, also known as Jehoiachin. Jechoniah's reign on Israel's throne ended abruptly after only three months when Jerusalem was conquered by Babylon and many of its people carried off into captivity (2 Kings 24:8–17). His brother Zedekiah became a caretaker king over Jerusalem, but he is not in the line of Jesus. Zedekiah's reign ended in 587 BC when Jerusalem was fully and finally destroyed by Babylon after one last rebellion (2 Kings 25).

The era of the Babylonian captivity had begun and the era of the reign of David's descendants seemingly ended. It did not end for good, however. Matthew's point in making this genealogy is to show that Jesus, of David's line, will rule and reign over Israel forever, just as God promised.

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 5/5/2024 7:31:25 PM