Matthew 1:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob,

NIV: Elihud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob,

NASB: Eliud fathered Eleazar, Eleazar fathered Matthan, and Matthan fathered Jacob.

CSB: Eliud fathered Eleazar, Eleazar fathered Matthan, Matthan fathered Jacob,

NLT: Eliud was the father of Eleazar. Eleazar was the father of Matthan. Matthan was the father of Jacob.

KJV: And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;

NKJV: Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob.

Most of the names of Jesus' ancestors in this and the previous verses are not known elsewhere in Scripture. After Zerubbabel, the first to lead people back to Israel following the exile in Babylon, the nine descendants listed are found only in this passage. They conclude here with Eliud, the father of Eleazar, the father Matthan, the father of Jacob. It's possible that Matthew skipped some links in the generational chain in this section, as he likely did in the others. This was a common and accepted practice in the genealogies of the times.

The final name mentioned in this verse, however, is known to us. Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary and Jesus' earthly "adoptive father."

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 10:29:26 PM