(Mat 1:1 NASB) The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Mat 1:1: The book of Matthew starts out with the family record of descent of Yeshua Messiah. It says this is “the book (scroll) of the genealogy of Yeshua Messiah. The scroll of genealogies was kept on all Israelites in the Temple. This was a matter of record.
Matthew calls Him “Messiah,” and then gives the two genealogical references that show His qualifications.
“The son of David ….” Yeshua is a descendant of David which qualifies Him the One who is to be King (1 Chron. 17:11-15).
“The son of Abraham ….” this fact qualified Him as the one through whom all nations would be blessed (Gen 22:18).
These two references point to the fact that Yeshua is Messiah. That is the point of giving this long genealogy in this first chapter. Matthew is identifying and a required and very important qualification for a man to be “The Anointed One or Messiah.
(Mat 1:2 NASB) To Abraham was born Isaac; and to Isaac, Jacob; and to Jacob, Judah and his brothers;
(Mat 1:3 NASB) and to Judah were born Perez and Zerah by Tamar; and to Perez was born Hezron; and to Hezron, Ram;
(Mat 1:4 NASB) and to Ram was born Amminadab; and to Amminadab, Nahshon; and to Nahshon, Salmon;
(Mat 1:5 NASB) and to Salmon was born Boaz by Rahab; and to Boaz was born Obed by Ruth; and to Obed, Jesse;
(Mat 1:6 NASB) and to Jesse was born David the king. And to David was born Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah;
Mat 1:6: The fact that Jesse, the father of David is mentioned is very important. It is from the root of Jesse that the Messiah will appear (Isa. 11:1-5).
(Mat 1:7 NASB) and to Solomon was born Rehoboam; and to Rehoboam, Abijah; and to Abijah, Asa;
(Mat 1:8 NASB) and to Asa was born Jehoshaphat; and to Jehoshaphat, Joram; and to Joram, Uzziah;
(Mat 1:9 NASB) and to Uzziah was born Jotham; and to Jotham, Ahaz; and to Ahaz, Hezekiah;
(Mat 1:10 NASB) and to Hezekiah was born Manasseh; and to Manasseh, Amon; and to Amon, Josiah;
(Mat 1:11 NASB) and to Josiah were born Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
Mat 1:11: Jeconiah is an interesting story. He was cursed and was told that none of his descendants would be king over Israel (Jer. 22:24-30).
Jehoiachin was only childless in the sense that none of his sons reigned as king, because he had sons. Joseph, the father of Yeshua, was descended from Jehoiachin. But no true son of Joseph ever reigned. Mary descended from David from a different line than Jeconiah and was therefore still in the kingly line. The physical descent from David to Yeshua came through His mother, who conceived Him through the Father, without the curse of Jeconiah. This is recorded in the genealogy of Mary in the book of Luke.
An interesting sideline in this chapter is the sin of the King in the first place. It is said that he was mistreating and doing violence against the stranger, widow, and orphan (Jer. 22:1-3). The penalty for this sin is specifically spelled out in Torah as being one for which Elohim will kill with the sword and their wives will be widows and they will be childless (Ex. 22:21-24). That is exactly what happened in this case.
Another interesting point concerns those who claim Yeshua is Messiah, but deny His deity. These same folk deny the virgin birth and that He was conceived by the Spirit of the Father. They claim Yeshua was just a sinless man conceived from Joseph. If that is the case, then Yeshua is not the Messiah because of this Jeconiah curse.
Therefore, denying the deity of Yeshua is denying that He is the Messiah.
(Mat 1:12 NASB) And after the deportation to Babylon, to Jeconiah was born Shealtiel; and to Shealtiel, Zerubbabel;
(Mat 1:13 NASB) and to Zerubbabel was born Abihud; and to Abihud, Eliakim; and to Eliakim, Azor;
(Mat 1:14 NASB) and to Azor was born Zadok; and to Zadok, Achim; and to Achim, Eliud;
(Mat 1:15 NASB) and to Eliud was born Eleazar; and to Eleazar, Matthan; and to Matthan, Jacob;
Mat 1:15: The term “was born” is used in each case. However, that does not mean that they were directly born to that person. The term can also mean that they are a direct descendant. Some of these are grandchildren or great grandchildren of the previous one mentioned.
(Mat 1:16 NASB) and to Jacob was born Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
Mat 1:16: Notice that the text does not say “to Joseph was born Yeshua.” It says Yeshua was born of Mary, who is called the Messiah. It is the only way He could be called the Messiah.
(Mat 1:17 NASB) Therefore all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the time of Christ fourteen generations.
Mat 1:17: This does not mean that there were exactly 42 generations from Abraham to Yeshua. Notice that the mention of Jeconiah again by the term “from David to the deportation to Babylon.” Matthew was careful in his wording and knew the significance of Jeconiah and the importance his curse would have on Yeshua as Messiah.
Why did Matthew state that Yeshua was the last in the third round of 14 generations? (14, being a multiple of seven was another indication that Yeshua was the completeness, or fulfillment of prophecy.)
(Mat 1:18 NASB) Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.
Mat 1:18: Both Matthew and Luke affirm the virgin conception (Luke 1:26).
(Mat 1:19 NASB) And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her, desired to put her away secretly.
Mat 1:19: It was important to do this quietly because Mary would have been stoned for fornication (Deut. 22:20-21)
(Mat 1:20 NASB) But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
(Mat 1:21 NASB) “And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.”
Mat 1:21: The full Hebrew name for Yeshua is Yehoshua, which means “Yahweh is salvation.” Yeshua is the Hebrew word for salvation.
(Mat 1:22 NASB) Now all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying,
(Mat 1:23 NASB) “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD, AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.”
Mat 1:23: Prophecy fulfilled as in Isa. 7:14. This is the first of 47 prophecies fulfilled by Yeshua that Matthew writes about.
Isaiah later sees Him as one who is born (Isaiah 9:6-7). Isaiah then sees the Messiah as the King who reigns on earth (Isaiah 11:1-10).
The things Isaiah saw are miraculous and wonderful and signs for the whole house of David pointed out by Matthew.
(Mat 1:24 NASB) And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took her as his wife,
(Mat 1:25 NASB) and kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.
Mat 1:25: Mary remained a virgin until after the birth of Yeshua.
Patrick McGuire
Copyright 2014 Patrick McGuire and Beit Yeshua Torah Assembly All rights reserved, no portion of this Lesson may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations in articles and reviews. Beit Yeshua Torah Assembly Fort Smith, Arkansas