Bullet Point Bible

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

¹ This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.² Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,³ Judah the father of Perez and Zerah (by Tamar), Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,⁴ Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon,⁵ Salmon the father of Boaz (by Rahab), Boaz the father of Obed (by Ruth), Obed the father of Jesse,⁶ and Jesse the father of David the king.⁷ Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa,⁸ Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah,⁹ Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,¹⁰ Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah,¹¹ and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.¹² After the deportation to Babylon, Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,¹³ Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor,¹⁴ Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud,¹⁵ Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob,¹⁶ and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.¹⁷ So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to Christ, fourteen generations.

Matthew begins his Gospel by establishing Jesus' credentials as the promised Messiah through his lineage.
The titles "son of David" and "son of Abraham" (Matthew 1:1) immediately connect Jesus to God's covenant promises regarding kingship (2 Samuel 7:12-16) and blessing to all nations (Genesis 12:3, Genesis 22:18).
This genealogy is structured deliberately into three sets of fourteen generations (Matthew 1:17), possibly for memorization or symbolic significance (the numerical value of David's name in Hebrew is 14).
Unlike typical Jewish genealogies, Matthew includes four Old Testament women: Tamar (Matthew 1:3), Rahab (Matthew 1:5), Ruth (Matthew 1:5), and "the wife of Uriah" (Bathsheba, Matthew 1:6). Their inclusion is significant as they were either Gentiles or associated with scandal, hinting at God's grace working through unexpected means and foreshadowing the inclusion of Gentiles in God's plan.
The genealogy traces Jesus' legal lineage through Joseph, his adoptive father, thereby establishing his claim to the throne of David.
The list includes both righteous kings and wicked kings, demonstrating God's sovereign faithfulness in preserving the Messianic line despite human failings.
The mention of the Babylonian deportation (Matthew 1:11-12) marks a low point in Israel's history, highlighting the need for the Messiah to restore the nation and fulfill God's promises.
The careful phrasing "Joseph, the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born" (Matthew 1:16) points towards the virgin conception, indicating Joseph was the legal, but not biological, father.
For Matthew's primarily Jewish audience, this genealogy was crucial evidence supporting Jesus' identity as the long-awaited Messiah King.

Joseph Learns of Mary's Conception

¹⁸ Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way. While his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.¹⁹ Because Joseph, her husband to be, was a righteous man, and because he did not want to disgrace her, he intended to divorce her privately.²⁰ When he had contemplated this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.²¹ She will give birth to a son and you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

The narrative shifts from genealogy to the circumstances of Jesus' conception.
Mary and Joseph were "engaged" (betrothed), a legally binding status in Jewish culture, though they were not yet living together ("before they came together," Matthew 1:18). Pregnancy during this period carried severe social stigma and potential legal consequences (Deuteronomy 22:23-24).
Joseph's righteousness is highlighted (Matthew 1:19); he sought to obey the Law regarding suspected adultery but also showed compassion by planning a private divorce rather than public humiliation.
Divine intervention occurs through an angel appearing to Joseph in a dream, a recurring motif in Matthew's infancy narrative (Matthew 2:13, 19, 22).
The angel addresses Joseph as "son of David" (Matthew 1:20), reinforcing the genealogical link and Joseph's crucial role in Jesus' lineage.
The core message is reassurance and revelation: Mary's pregnancy is miraculous, "from the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 1:20), fulfilling God's plan.
Joseph is commanded to complete the marriage ("take Mary as your wife") and name the child "Jesus" (Matthew 1:21). The name Jesus (Hebrew: Yeshua) means "Yahweh saves."
The reason for the name explicitly states Jesus' mission: "{{he will save his people from their sins}}" (Matthew 1:21), defining salvation in spiritual terms, not just political or national deliverance.
This passage emphasizes the divine origin (virgin conception) and redemptive purpose of Jesus' birth.

Fulfillment of Isaiah's Prophecy

²² This all happened so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled:²³ " Look! The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will name him Emmanuel ," which means " God with us ."

Matthew explicitly connects the events surrounding Jesus' birth to Old Testament prophecy, a key theme throughout his Gospel.
The formula "to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet" (Matthew 1:22) underscores Matthew's argument that Jesus is the culmination of God's promises to Israel.
The prophecy cited is from Isaiah 7:14, spoken originally to King Ahaz during a time of national crisis.
Matthew applies this prophecy directly to the virgin conception of Jesus by the Holy Spirit. His use of the Greek term *parthenos* (virgin) from the Septuagint translation aligns with the miraculous nature of Jesus' birth.
The name "Emmanuel" (Matthew 1:23), meaning "God with us," is profoundly significant. It declares the central truth of the incarnation: in Jesus, God Himself has come to dwell among His people.
This theme of God's presence resonates throughout Matthew's Gospel, culminating in Jesus' final promise: "{{I am with you always}}" (Matthew 28:20).
The fulfillment of prophecy serves as divine validation of Jesus' identity and mission.

Joseph Obeys and Jesus is Born

²⁴ When Joseph awoke from sleep he did what the angel of the Lord told him. He took his wife,²⁵ but did not have marital relations with her until she gave birth to a son, whom he named Jesus.

Joseph's response to the divine revelation is immediate and complete obedience (Matthew 1:24), contrasting with the hesitation or disobedience of figures like King Ahaz in the Old Testament.
He fulfills the angel's commands: taking Mary as his wife despite the potential social repercussions and formally naming the child Jesus (Matthew 1:25).
By naming the child, Joseph legally accepts Jesus as his son, ensuring Jesus' place within the Davidic lineage as required for the Messiah.
The statement that Joseph "did not have marital relations with her until she gave birth to a son" (Matthew 1:25) safeguards the doctrine of the virgin conception. The Greek conjunction "until" (*heōs hou*) does not necessarily imply anything about their relationship after Jesus' birth, though many infer they subsequently had normal marital relations (cf. Matthew 13:55-56).
Joseph serves as a model of righteous faith, trust, and quiet obedience to God's will, playing a crucial role in God's plan of salvation.
This section concludes the birth announcement, confirming the miraculous conception and Jesus' identity as the Savior, Emmanuel.

The Bullet Point Bible

Matthew 1