Matthew 1:1-5

 

Introduction

The book of Matthew is attributed to the Apostle Matthew. It has been dated about 50 A.D. Matthew’s Hebrew name was “Levi” and he was a tax collector. The early church had unanimously ascribed this Gospel to Matthew. Internal evidence also authenticates this Gospel. It was written to the Jews and rooted in Old Testament prophecy relating to the fact that Jesus is the Messiah. It includes a lineage of the Lord Jesus Christ all the way back to Abraham. This was to show that Jesus was in the line of Abraham and a true Hebrew. Matthew wrote this Gospel under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to encourage and confirm the new converts to Christianity. The theme of Matthew is the Savior-King Jesus and His Kingdom. As with all my commentaries, when I state “Matthew Says” or “Matthew States” it is for brevity and not attributing the words to Matthew as author but as an amanuensis for the Holy Spirit, who inspired Matthew to pen the words as He gave them.

 

Mat 1:1 (KJB)

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

 

Generation - Comes from the word genesis which means lineage, descent, origin

 

The book of Matthew begins with the genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ. This shows that Jesus was a full Hebrew with visible lineage. At the time Christ was on earth, there was already denigrating talk that He was born as a bastard because Mary was raped by a Roman soldier. (John 8:41 KJV) Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. This is why the Pharisees told Jesus that they were not born of fornication because that gossip was already being spread. Matthew puts that rumor to death by bringing forth a lineage. First Jesus is stated as being a descendant of David placing Him in the royal Davidic line. (Acts 28:20 KJV) For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain. Paul called Him the Hope of Israel because it was from the line of David that the Messiah would come. (2 Sam 7:16 KJV) And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. The Messiah would bring in an everlasting Kingdom which we know as the Gospel.

 

Then Jesus is called the Son of Abraham which means that He will be the Savior for all the nations around the world. (Gen 12:2-3 KJV) And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: {3} And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. When the Lord Jesus Christ would come and die for His people, those people would be all over the world. The Kingdom of Christ would go worldwide as the true Gospel is preached and people become saved all over the world. The promise to the believers is that those who curse them, God will curse. (2 Th 1:7-9 KJV) And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, {8} In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: {9} Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; The promise of divine retribution is for the body of believers all over the world and not for the political nation of Israel. It is for the believers within the nations of the world. People are saved by grace and not by race.

 

Mat 1:2 (KJB)

Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;

 

Verses 2 to 6 list the royal lineage to the time of David. Abraham begat Isaac and this is an important fact since Abraham had Ishmael 13 years before he fathered Isaac. (Gen 17:19 KJV) And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. The covenant was to be carried through the lineage of Isaac and not Ishmael. Then Isaac begat Jacob whose name was changed to Israel. (Gen 32:28 KJV) And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. The name “Israel” means “Prince of God” or “prevailing with God.” Then Israel begat twelve sons and the one listed here is “Judas.” This is speaking of the tribe of Judah. It was through the tribe of Judah that the Lord Jesus Christ came. (Heb 7:14 KJV) For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. Since Moses had not mentioned anything about a priest coming from the tribe of Judah, it caused the Pharisees to believe that He was a fraud and gave them another reason to oppose Him.

 

Mat 1:3 (KJB)

And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;

 

Phares was the eldest son of Judah. (Gen 38:29-30 KJV) And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez. {30} And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah. Zarah had come out of the womb second. The line then continues through Pharez. (Gen 46:12 KJV) And the sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zarah: but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul. Esrom is Hezron. Hezron then begat Aram.

 

Mat 1:4 (KJB)

And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;

 

(Ruth 4:19 KJV) And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, (Ruth 4:20 KJV) And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, Salmon was the father of Boaz.

 

Mat 1:5 (KJB)

And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;

 

Salmon was Ruth’s husband, a man of Judah and the father of Boaz. (Ruth 4:21 KJV) And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, Obed was son of Boaz and Ruth and the grandfather of David. Ruth the Moabitess means that another Gentile had been introduced into the lineage of David and Jesus.

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