Have you ever wondered why the New Testament starts with a long list of names that are hard to pronounce? It was not a lack of creativity, laziness, or poor writing skills that caused Matthew to start with a genealogy. It was intentional. And when we understand why, it is a gripping introduction to the greatest story ever.
Matthew starts with a bunch of names to demonstrate to his Jewish audience that Jesus was the one they were looking for!
My goal in exploring this list of names is that you might have fresh conviction that Jesus is the one you are looking for.
The Theme of Fulfillment
Consider this outlined version of the birth and childhood of Jesus to see how Matthew writes with the theme of fulfillment.
- Act 1: In Matthew 1:18-23 Jesus is born of a virgin! So, Matthew quotes the Messianic prophecy in Isaiah 7:14.
- Act 2: In Matthew 2:1-12 the wise men visit Jesus but first they tell Herod the child is to be born in Bethlehem. So, Matthew reminds us that this is another fulfilment by quoting Micah 5:2.
- Act 3: In Matthew 2:13-15 Joseph and Mary take the advice of an angel and flee to Egypt. So, Matthew features the fulfilment theme by quoting Hosea 11:1.
- Act 4: In Matthew 2:16-18, Herod has all the male children under 2 killed. Again, Matthew demonstrates fulfillment by quoting Jeremiah 31:15.
- Act 5: Matthew tells his version of the childhood of Jesus all the way through the death of Herod because that is when Joseph and Mary moved to Nazareth. Another fulfillment. Another quote.
This theme of fulfilment is what motivates Matthew to start with a list of names. With each fulfillment Matthew is declaring, Jesus is the one you are looking for.
Let’s explore the genealogy by following the outline given in verse 17… Abraham, David, Captivity, Christ.
Abraham
For Jesus to have the credentials of the Messiah, he had to be the Son of Abraham (See Galatians 3:16; Genesis 22:17-18; Numbers 24:17; Genesis 49:10). In the eyes of the Jews in Jesus times, being children of Abraham was the basis of all credibility, the guarantee of salvation.
Jesus fulfilled the prediction that the Messiah would be the son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1).
He also fulfilled the pattern of Abraham.
Jesus is the new Abraham! What Abraham was to Israel, Jesus is to all who follow him! As the Jews looked to Abraham for the identity, belonging, and assurance, we are to look to Jesus for our identity, belonging, and assurance. As their legitimacy as a Jew was rooted in their connection with Abraham, so our belonging in the family of God is rooted in our connection with Christ.
We are looking for a patriarch. Jesus is the one you are looking for.
David
For Jesus to have the credentials of the Messiah, he had to be the Son of David(See Isaiah 11:1; 2 Samuel 7:13; Isaiah 9:7; Jeremiah 23:5-6).
Jesus fulfilled the prediction that the Messiah would be the son of David (Matthew 1:1).
He also fulfilled the pattern of David.
Jesus is the new David! What David was to Israel, Jesus is to all who follow him!
As David was anointed to rule Israel so Jesus has the right to rule. As David displayed kingly power so Jesus defeats every enemy. Jesus fulfils the pattern of King David. Jesus has kingly power. Jesus has the right to rule. David was promised an eternal kingdom and Jesus is the one who makes that promise reality. As David defeated the giant who defied the living God so Jesus, the “Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:5)
We are all looking for a king. Jesus is the one you are looking for!
Captivity
The next set of 14 generations is from David to the Babylonian Captivity. This is different. Matthew chooses not to focus on a person but on a situation, captivity. These 14 generations go in the direction we all need to go, from captivity to Christ.
In the theme of deliverance from captivity we see another Old Testament figure whose pattern Jesus fulfills, Moses.
Consider the following parallels.
- Born under oppressive conditions.
- A king feels threatened by a rising power. So, he commands his people to kill all the male children.
- The parents of a chosen one hide their child from the King’s wrath.
- The child finds safety in Egypt.
- Then the child comes out of Egypt.
- Spent 40 years/day in the wilderness being tempted by Satan.
- The great mission of his life is to deliver God’s people from captivity and bring them to the promised land.
Jesus fulfills the pattern of Abraham, the father of Israel.
Jesus fulfills the pattern of David, the king of Israel.
Jesus fulfills the pattern of Moses, the deliverer of Israel.
The pattern shows us that we find righteousness in the covenant faithfulness of Jesus. We broke the covenant, so he came and kept our side of the covenant for us so we could be delivered from captivity.
Jesus is the new Moses! What Moses was to Israel, Jesus is to all who follow him!
We are looking for a savior. Jesus is the one you are looking for!
Christ
The genealogy ends with Christ, not only because it is his story but also because he completes our story. In verse 17, we find 3 sets of 14 generations, that is, 6 sets of seven. Consider one final pattern. We are familiar with a pattern of 7 in our weekly rhythm. We work 6 days and rest on the Sabbath.
In Leviticus, God set up another pattern of seven in Sabbatical years. Every seventh year the land was to rest (Leviticus 25:1-4). Then God gave an even larger set of sevens. After every seventh seventh, in the fiftieth year the nation was to observe the year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:8-12). In the year of Jubilee there was rest from labor, debts were repaid, captives were freed, and possessions were returned.
In Matthew 1:17 we find 6 sets of 7… then Jesus. Jesus is the beginning of the 7th set of seven. He is also the end of it. Jesus is the generation of Jubilee. He brings us rest from our labor and freedom from captivity. He erases our debts. He gives us back what we have lost. (Luke 4:18-19)
Jesus is the new Jubilee! What the year of Jubilee was to Israel, Jesus is to all who follow him!
We are all looking for a jubilee. Jesus is the one you are looking for!
Matthew wrote through the lens of fulfilment because his audience was skeptical that Jesus was the one they were looking for. If we are honest, there are times when we share their skepticism. There are times that we are not convinced that Jesus is the one who satisfies our desires, that Jesus is the who can make us clean, or that Jesus is the one we need most at this stage of life. Matthew writes to convince us that every good thing you have ever put your hope in finds fulfillment in Jesus. He is the one you are looking for!
Social Media Sharables
