Matthew begins his testimony of Lord Jesus with a genealogy. Since Matthew had the Jews as his target audience, he emphasized how Jesus is a descendant of Abraham, the father of faith, and of David, the greatest king who led the people of Israel according to the will of God.

The genealogy includes several names of Gentiles, such as Rahab, Tamar, Ruth, and Uriah’s wife. Some good kings, who struggled yet repented of their sins, led the nation to follow God’s will. Names of evil kings, who gave themselves over to human pride and idolatry and led the people away from the Lord, are also included.

Although Matthew does not mention much history, he groups the generations into three parts by significance. He shows how God raised Abraham’s descendants into a great nation. Then, they turned away from God’s blessing. Finally, they became exiles in a foreign land, yet God mercifully restored them to the Promised Land.

This genealogy belonged to Jesus’ adoptive father Joseph. As his rightful heir, Jesus was the son of David promised to the Jews for generations.
Application: Father, thank you for showing us that your plan has been at work for many generations. Your will is just, and your plans are perfect. Help me to fully trust you and witness your work today.
One Word: Jesus is the promised Messiah