Matthew 1
Matthew 1 shows the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Matthew traced the genealogy back to Abraham (Matthew 1:1-16), while Luke traced it back to Adam (Luke 3:23-38).
Usually, people don’t really pay attention to genealogy when they read the Bible, but this genealogy is very important for us. Matthew 1:1 explains that Jesus Christ was a descendant of David and Abraham. Jesus’s genealogy proves the promise of God and He was a historical figure.
Some people think that Jesus Christ is a fictitious character that doesn’t have genealogy. But Jesus’s genealogy is real and even the Pharisees who opposed Jesus the most (Matthew 22:42) and the blind man (Luke 18:38-43), could not deny that Jesus was the son of David.
And some people believe that Jesus was a real historical figure, but they deny that Jesus is God who comes in flesh. Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist (1 John 4:1-3).
There are many names recorded in Matthew 1. Jewish genealogies rarely mentioned women. Yet Matthew records five women (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, wife of Uriah – Bathsheba, and Mary). At least two of them were not Israelites by birth and four of them had reputations that could have made them should not even be mentioned in the line of Messiah. But God sent His Son as Savior of all people, Jews, and Gentiles.
Let’s now talk about Joseph and Mary. Mary was betrothed to Joseph before they came together, and she was found with child (Matthew 1:18). Joseph faced a difficult choice after discovering that Mary was pregnant. He knew that the child was not his. According to Jews’ law, Joseph had a right to divorce Mary and the Jewish authorities could have her stoned to death (Deuteronomy 22:23-24). But Joseph intended to do with justice and love and planned to put Mary away secretly (Matthew 1:19).
Then God sent a messenger to Joseph, explained the details, and opened another way of obedience for Joseph to take Mary as his wife. Joseph obeyed God, married Mary and honored her virginity until the baby was born (Matthew 1:24-25).
God often shows us a better way than what we can think of although we seem to be doing the right thing. Let us always seek God’s wisdom and then be willing to follow through no matter how difficult it may be. May God’s will be done. Amen.
