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Matthew 1 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
The Gospels do not record a single word spoken by this man. Yet, the Gospel account written by Matthew is a bridge to the past. If a person had just read the Old Testament and started with Romans or Acts, they would be completely lost. The book of Matthew builds a strong link to the prophetic utterances of the Old Testament while also introducing the new covenant through Jesus Christ.
The Jews reading Matthew would have been concerned about God’s Kingdom. The Kingdom of Heaven occurs 33 times in this book. The genealogy listed here would tie into that promised kingdom by tracing roots back to David and Abraham – two men who were critical to kingdom prophecies.
Matthew also uses the word “righteous” more than all of the other Gospels combined. This would be due to the fact that first-century Jews put a heavy emphasis on being righteous before God. An important task that Matthew seeks to accomplish is convincing the Jews that Jesus is their Messiah. This would prove to be difficult, but it wasn’t due to a lack of factual information. It was the result of calloused hearts.
Matthew paints a paradoxical picture with his genealogy account. On one hand, Jesus was an ordinary man with a messy family tree. On the other hand, He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He was born into a simple family in the most humble of circumstances, yet, came to save all of humanity – past, present, and future. Jesus identified with sinners from the beginning.
Another fascinating snippet from Matthew’s genealogy account is the inclusion of women. This was rare, but it speaks to the counter-cultural message that Jesus and His followers enthusiastically embraced. In Jesus’ Kingdom, there are no pre-existing conditions. Men, women, children, Jews, Gentiles, tax collectors, prostitutes, and Pharisees are all welcome at the King’s table.
“In this list of names the patriarchs, Gentiles, women of doubtful character, good men and bad men, the wise, the illustrious, the unknown-all supply important links. It is as though to teach us that in the Son of man there is a blending of all classes, that He might be the representative and helper of all. Each of us may find some point of contact in this genealogy. Jesus Christ belongs to our race. He knew what was in man by that subtle and intimate knowledge which comes of kinship. In Him, therefore, is neither Jew nor Greek exclusively, but all are one in Him.”
F.B. Meyer