The Jesus Genealogy: What’s the point?
Five Devotionals by Bob Mendelsohn | October 2022
Devotional #1: The Root Supports You
The Jesus Genealogy: What’s the point?
We read in chapter 1 of Matthew: The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. 3 Judah was the father of…
Paul wrote the church of Rome, most of whom were non-Jews, about their condition before coming to Christ. They were the uncircumcised or Gentiles. Paul cautions them in chapter 11 of Romans that they should not boast towards the Jewish people, for “it is not you that supports the root, but the root supports you.”
As Matthew opens his Gospel narrative and biography, he wrote a genealogy. That’s not the way most writers today win their audience in the proverbial first 30 seconds. Why does Matthew start like this? There are many reasons. First, I believe he wanted God’s people in future generations to remember that Jesus came from this line: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, not from Ibrahim, Ishmael, Esau and Mt Seir. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happened in the anti-Semitic proclamations of the 2nd century all the way up to modern times. The dismissal by the churches of the roots of the faith has weakened the church in every place. Forgetting our heritage in things and people Jewish, we thought of ourselves as the new Israel and caused our people irreparable harm.
A second reason to start with this genealogy is to prove to his audience, principally in those first century days, to the Jewish people before the Temple was destroyed, that the Messiah had come and he is validated. The true Messiah was required to come through the tribe of Judah and more specifically from King David. Messianic hopeful claimants had to prove they were direct descendants. Matthew lets the record show this is visible in Jesus.
A third reason to include the genealogy was to highlight certain personages and their, dare we say this, less-than-holy life. We could say that bringing certain ignoble characters into the mix might make some people later to reconsider if Jesus could be pure and holy enough in himself. But Matthew seems to be saying this: if Jesus could come onto the scene through the likes of these wayward folks, then there is a great likelihood that he could continue to do so through you. No one is out of God’s capacity to forgive and through whom he can demonstrate his favour. No one. More on that in a later episode.
Devotional #2: The End of the Story
The Jesus Genealogy: What’s the point?
We read in chapter 1 of Matthew: The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham:
Abraham was the father of Isaac, … Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.
Titles matter whether you are in a book shop or in thae restaurant. We choose medications in the pharmacy by checking the label and making our decision. We pull up to the bowser and whether by colour or name, we fill our car’s tank. In all areas of life, we seem to use the labels both to warrant our continued approach and our acceptance of the matter.
In the Jewish religion the label, especially of a genealogy, is always front and centre. Even in the Bible, the records of the genealogy of famous people are listed as the progenitor. The main man is the first one listed. For instance, in Genesis 5, we read, “this is the book of the generations of Adam.” Then his genealogy follows. Similarly in Genesis 6, “These are the generations of Noah.”
When Paul wrote his letters, he didn’t wait to the end to sign them; he wrote his signature at the very top. That’s normal in Jewish custom.
But at the very beginning of the Newer Testament, we have an upside-down listing. Rather than it beginning with “This is the record of the generations of Abraham,” as would be ordinary, it’s the final entry who is the main character. Matthew teases us, like a news presenter with the next story after the commercial, and thus we suffer the listing of at least 42 labels of Jewish names. Instead of “the generations of Abraham,” it’s actually the naming of Jesus at the last that caused Matthew to write.
Many of my people today make the mistake dismissing the story simply because we think Jesus is Italian or Norwegian; we don’t know his blood relatives are from the entire Jewish line. By convention, Jesus has been peddled to us as a Gentile, that is, a non-Jew, and his followers are all the same. If we become interested in him for whatever reason, we are treated as traitors. But the reality is that Jesus is the consummate Jew, from the patriarchal heritage. He’s the upside-down star of the show, and the story is all about him.
Devotional #3: Just Another Nobody
The Jesus Genealogy: What’s the point?
We read in chapter 1 of Matthew: 7 Abijah the father of Asa. 8 Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah. 9 Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz.
Recently I was invited to speak at an international conference. It was an honour to receive the invitation and then the organizers sent me information about my hotel room and pick up at the airport and such. I felt really privileged. To be fair, I was coming from a long distance, but even so, when I looked at the promotional materials for the conference, I saw some big-name celebrities and said to myself, ‘you don’t belong on the same page with those people.’
It was not a false humility. They really are big names. I want to go hear them speak, and hopefully will have a chance to do so during all the frenzy of typical conferences.
Matthew begins his genealogy of Yeshua with some other big names. Big for all people of faith: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. Those are the patriarchs. They are mentioned daily in global Jewish prayers. You can’t get bigger names that those. Then there’s Judah and some other biggies are listed, too like David and Ruth, Solomon and Mary. These are serious celebrities.
But also there are dozens of lesser names, names like Joram and Jothan. Ahaz and Abihud. Unless you take some time away from the biggies, you might miss those men, and their participation in the heilsgeschichte (Holy history) of the Jewish people.
These people really had lives, lives of value and particular relationship with the Lord. Their lives counted and they are listed in the yichus, the genealogy, the heritage of the Messiah. That’s no little thing.
And neither is your life. You count for much in God’s kingdom. Luke’s story includes this line: “The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (1.35 KJV)
What will be born in us, what is coming from our relationship with the Lord will be called the Son of God. Isn’t that encouraging?
Devotional #4: 3 X 14 = 42
The Jesus Genealogy: What’s the point?
We read in chapter 1 of Matthew: 6 Jesse was the father of David the king. 11 Josiah became the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. 16 Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah. Matt. 1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.
I used to teach mathematics in the US in the 1970s. I still love puzzles and number quizzes I find online. When Matthew writes his genealogy, he breaks the history of Israel into three significant eras. From Abraham to David, then from David to the exile to Babylon and from that time to the time of Messiah. Each is listed as being 14 generations.
Unfortunately, the time of those eras are not even. It is approximately 1000 years from Abraham to David, then 400 from David to the exile from Judah, and finally 600 from that exile to the Messiah. But approximations work for me and for the biblical writers.
Even so, don’t be distracted by the unevenness of the eras. Matthew actually leaves out some people so as to make 3 equal lists of 14 folks, the ones who defined their generation. And the number 42 is used by John in the Revelation to define a maximum time for the difficulties of the people of God, which of course was also not exact, but simply spoke to the people of his day about the temporary nature of suffering. For John, suffering will end. Yeshua will come back, and victory will be permanent.
But what else do we learn from the 3 x 14? It’s a useful tool to define an era, and was a very common method in Jewish history. People are more memorable than dates anyway.
And 6 units of 7s which also equals 42 are harder to keep track of. 3 units of 14? Much easier. And those three represent the highs and lows of Jewish life, from Abraham and David, serious high points, to the Exile to Babylon in 586 BCE… one of the lowest moments in Jewish history.
But be assured, no matter the times in which you live, the good or the bad, the ups or the downs, for you or your family or your country… God is in control and at the end of the day, Messiah will rule. Suffering will end. Victory will be permanent.
Devotional #5: Women in a Genealogy? What!
The Jesus Genealogy: What’s the point?
We read in chapter 1 of Matthew: 3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, 5 Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah. 16 Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.
Jews didn’t list women in their genealogies. Men have children. But Matthew records 5 women in the full disclosure list of the heritage of Jesus. Why did he do that? And who were they anyway?
The first one listed is Tamar. She was Judah’s daughter-in-law and he had sex with her producing twins. The evil he represented in his actions and his lying is embarrassing at least and devilish at worst.
Woman #2 is Rahab, and all we know of her profession as inn-keeper is that she was a harlot. The Bible is raw and exposes the dark side of its own heroes. Woman #3 is Ruth who came from the Moabites whose history is at best checkered as well. She was to have been sent home across the Jordan, but Boaz married her, and she became the great-grandmother of Israel’s great King David.
And speaking of David, he also knew sexual impropriety with woman #4. Her name is Bathsheba, and she was married to a man named Uriah. David committed adultery with Bathsheba and basically had Uriah killed on the field of battle.
Woman #5 is Mary, and her story is landmark. She announced to everyone in her small village that she was pregnant and that she was still a virgin. You can imagine the whispers in town.
All five of these women had reason to be embarrassed at some impropriety and indignity in their lives. Why include them? Matthew alone includes them, perhaps to help us understand his own thankfulness.
Later in his biography he reports this, “Jesus said to the Pharisees (the religious leaders of the day), “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.” (21.31)
Matthew as a tax collector was despised by most Jews. Prostitutes were similarly discarded by society. Here Yeshua says that even for them, there is great hope. Why? They know their needs. They cry out to God for mercy and God will give it to them. No wonder Matthew equates his standing with that of the prostitutes. No wonder he includes those wayward women in his genealogy of Yeshua.
Grace abounds to those who desperately call on the Lord. If you want what Matthew found. If you want what I have found in the forgiveness and grace and mercy of the Lord, then call on him while he is near.
Yes, your background may be sketchy and daggy, but God can make his Messiah come to and through you. Don’t be afraid, it’s the Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.