The Genealogy of Jesus

Today's Reflection

 

 

The Genealogy of Jesus

Mt 1:1-17

¹The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

²Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. ³Judah became the father of

Perez

and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. ... Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, ⁶Jesse the father of David the king.

David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. ⁷Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph. ... ¹⁰Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah. ¹¹Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile.

... Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, ¹⁵Eliud the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, ¹⁶Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah.

¹⁷Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Genealogies are important for the Israelites. Inheritance of the firstborn, legitimacy among the priestly class, positions of eldership in clans and tribes, and rightful claims to the throne of King David are established through genealogies.

Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus shows that Jesus comes from the lineage of David from whom the Messiah will come. But the list does not trace a pure Jewish bloodline: Abraham was from Chaldea (old name of Babylon), Tamar was a Canaanite, Rahab was from Jericho, and Ruth was a Moabite. Jesus’ family record also includes saints and sinners: Abraham, a man of faith, was a liar; Judah had a child with his daughter-in-law; David, the devout king, was an adulterer; and Solomon, in spite of his wisdom, was fooled to worship his wives’ gods.

What of your family history are you called

to finally embrace, accept, and forgive?

Invite Jesus to touch and heal your family tree.