If we believe in inspiration, we believe that God designed the reports about Jesus: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Two of these reports feature genealogies that serve as a bridge between the writings of the Old Testament and the New Testament. From its opening, Matthew sets the pattern.
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1).
The genealogy of Jesus, here and in Luke 3:23-38, lists fathers and sons, continuing the inspired tradition of Old Testament genealogies. Along with 42 fathers, Matthew lists 5 mothers, obviously chosen for their exceptional nature:
- Tamar (the wronged deceiver of Genesis 38)
- Rahab (the converted Canaanite prostitute of Joshua 2 and 6)
- Ruth (the converted foreign widow, heroine of the book of Ruth)
- “The wife of Uriah” (Bathsheba, famous for David’s sin of 2 Samuel 11)
- Mary (the godly virgin of Matthew 1)
Matthew’s style suggests that he is writing mainly to Jews. Perhaps God’s message is that He works providentially in expected and unexpected ways— through men and women, through Israelites and non-Israelites, through reputable and disreputable people—just as He wishes. This lesson opens minds to the wonderful ways God works as the Gospel unfolds.