Matthew 1:1-3

The book of the generation. [The Human Ancestry of Jesus, Matt. 1:1-17 = Luke 3:23b-38. Major comment: Matthew and Luke.] This is Matthew’s title for the family record of Jesus appearing in vs. 1-17, and has been rendered variously as “genealogy,” “book of the genealogy,” “book of the nativity,” “ancestry,” or “birth roll.” The opening words of ch. 2:1 favor the view that Matthew may also have intended this title to cover his narrative of the circumstances leading up to the birth of Jesus (ch. 1:18-25).

In composing an account of the life of Jesus designed primarily for readers of Jewish birth (see p. 273), Matthew begins in typical Jewish style by giving Jesus’ family pedigree. Because the coming of Messiah is a matter of prophecy, he shows that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the One to whom Moses and the prophets bore witness. Inasmuch as Messiah was to be the seed of Abraham (Gen. 22:18; Gal. 3:16), the father of the Jewish nation, and of David, founder of the royal line (Isa. 9:6, 7; 11:1; Acts 2:29, 30), Matthew presents evidence that Jesus qualifies as a descendant of these two illustrious men.

Without such evidence, His claim to Messiahship would be held invalid, and additional proofs could be dismissed without further examination of His claim (cf. Ezra 2:62; Neh. 7:64).

At the time Matthew wrote, it was probably possible to verify his genealogy of Jesus by comparing it with accessible public records. A large part of it (vs. 2-12) could be checked against OT lists (1 Chron. 1:34; 2:1-15; 3:5, 10-19). The fact that, so far as we know, no contemporaries of Matthew, even the avowed enemies of the Christian faith, ever challenged the validity of this family pedigree is excellent testimony favoring the genuineness of the genealogical list.

Jesus. Gr. Iesous, equivalent to the Heb. Yehoshua‘, “Joshua” (see Acts 7:45 and Heb. 4:8, where Luke and Paul refer to Joshua as “Jesus”). The name has generally been taken to mean “Jehovah is salvation” (see Matt. 1:21). Some scholars suggest the translation, “Jehovah is generosity.” Joshua’s original name (see Vol. II, p. 169), Oshea, was changed to Jehoshua (see on Num. 13:16). Joshua is an abbreviation of Jehoshua. When Aramaic replaced Hebrew as the common language of the Jews, after the Babylonian captivity, the name became Yeshua‘, the form transliterated into Greek as Iesous. Yeshua‘ was a common name given Jewish boys in NT times (see Acts 13:6; Col. 4:11), in harmony with the Hebrew custom of selecting names having religious connotations (see also on Matt. 1:21).

Today, names are but little more than identification tags. But in Bible times a name was chosen with the greatest of care because it signified the faith and hope of the parents (see PK 481), the circumstances of the child’s birth, his own personal characteristics, or was related to his life mission — particularly when the name was divinely appointed.

The name Jesus is fraught with historic and prophetic memories. As Joshua led Israel to victory in the earthly promised land, so Jesus, the Captain of our salvation, came to open for us the gates of the heavenly Canaan. But not only is Jesus the Captain of our salvation (Heb. 2:10), He is also “the Apostle and High Priest of our profession” (Heb. 3:1). The high priest, upon the return from Babylonian captivity (see on Ezra 2:2), bore the name Joshua (Zech. 3:8; 6:11-15). As Hosea (the name is identical in the Hebrew with the Oshea of Num. 13:16) loved an undeserving wife, sought in vain, for a time, to win her affections, and finally bought her back at the slave market (Hosea 1:2; 3:1,2), so Jesus came to set the human race free from the slavery of sin (Luke 4:18; John 8:36).

Christ. Gr. Christos, a translation of the Heb. Mashiach (see on Ps. 2:2), “Messiah,” meaning “Anointed,” or “Anointed One.” Before the resurrection, and commonly so in the four Gospels, Jesus is generally referred to as the Christ, making the term a title rather than a personal name. After the resurrection the definite article was generally dropped from common usage and “Christ” became a name as well as a title.

In OT times the high priest (Ex. 30:30), the king (2 Sam. 5:3; cf. 1 Sam. 24:6), and sometimes prophets (1 Kings 19:16) were “anointed” upon consecration to holy service, and were therefore mashiach, “anointed” (Lev. 4:3; 1 Sam. 24:6; 1 Chron. 16:21, 22). In Messianic prophecy the term came to be applied specifically to the Messiah, who, as Prophet (Deut. 18:15), Priest (Zech. 6:11—14), and King (Isa. 9:6, 7), was the One ordained to be our Redeemer (Isa. 61:1; Dan. 9:25, 26). As Prophet He came to represent the Father before men, as Priest He ascended to represent men before the Father, and as King He liberates those who believe in Him, not only from the power of sin in this life, but also from the kingdom of sin — and reigns over them in the kingdom of glory.

Christos is from chrio, a verb which means, “to rub,” “to massage,” “to anoint.” In the NT, Christ is said to be “anointed” (Luke 4:18; Acts 4:27; 10:38; Heb. 1:9).

Used together, as in Matt. 1:18; 16:20; Mark 1:1; etc., the two names “Jesus” and “Christ” constitute a confession of faith in the union of the divine and human natures in one Person, of belief that Jesus of Nazareth, Son of Mary, Son of man, is indeed the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God (see Acts 2:38; etc.). See Additional Note on John 1; see on Matt. 1:23; John 1:1-3, 14; Phil. 2:6-8; Col. 2:9.

Son of David. This was the popular designation by which rulers (Matt. 22:42; Mark 12:35; Luke 20:41) and common people (Matt. 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30, 31; 21:9; Mark 10:47, 48; Luke 18:38, 39; cf. John 7:42) alike referred to the expected Messiah. Its use as a Messianic title points to an understanding of the prophecies predicting the Davidic descent of the Messiah. To a people weary of the Roman yoke it implied also the restoration of their kingdom to the independence and prosperity of David’s illustrious reign. David himself had understood that the promise of a son to sit upon his throne (2 Sam. 7:12, 13; Ps. 132:11) would be fulfilled by the one who was to redeem Israel (Acts 2:29, 30; see on Deut. 18:15). Again and again the prophets of old spoke thus of the Messiah (Isa. 9:6, 7; 11:1; Jer. 23:5, 6; etc.). NT writers repeatedly apply the title “seed of David” to Christ (Rom. 1:3; 2 Tim. 2:8; etc.). As the Son of David, Jesus became heir both to David’s throne and to the Messianic promises given to David.

Son of Abraham. Among the heroes of faith, Abraham had the distinction of being called the “Friend” of God (James 2:23; cf. 2 Chron. 20:7; Isa. 41:8). Because of his faithfulness (see Gal. 3:7, 9) Abraham was selected to become the father of God’s chosen people. The promise that in his seed all nations of the earth should be blessed was, according to Paul, a definite Messianic prediction (Gen. 22:18; cf. Gal. 3:16). In harmony with his endeavor to convince the Jews of the Messiahship of Jesus, Matthew appropriately and purposefully carries Christ’s genealogy back to Abraham, whereas Luke, writing for Gentile Christians, considered it essential to trace Christ’s ancestral record back to the father of our race. To show that Jesus descended from Abraham, and was thus eligible for consideration as heir to the promises made to him, was sufficient for Matthew’s purpose. See on John 8:35, 39.

For a discussion of differences between the lists of Matthew and Luke see on Luke 3:23.