Matthew 1:1-17 The Genealogy of Christ

Genealogies served three purposes among the Jews; two of them practical, and one of them vain. First, it documented the descendants who could claim legal ownership of property by virtue of family heritage. Secondly, it documented the descendants who were affected by prophecies spoken as a blessing or a curse against them. Unfortunately, genealogies were also used to brag about the pedigree of a person. The Pharisees were very proud of the fact that they were children of Abraham.

Matthew's genealogy proves that Jesus is the legal son of Joseph, the biological son of Mary, and the rightful heir to David's throne - a requirement in the identification of the Christ. You would think that a genealogy presented to identify the Christ would be a compelling lineage of power and distinction. Not so with this genealogy.

Women were normally left out of genealogies, but Matthew includes five women. On top of the unusual mention of women, he chose the ones that have no respectful distinction at all. Tamar disguised herself as a harlot to seduce her father in law, Judah, and conceived Perez. Rahab was a prostitute in the days of Joshua who later married Salmon and conceived Boaz. Ruth was a foreigner from Moab who married Boaz and conceived Obed, grandfather of King David. Bathsheba became the wife of King David after adultery and murder and conceived King Solomon. Mary was an unknown teenager who became pregnant out of wedlock and gave birth to our Lord Jesus Christ. The list doesn't only include women of bad reputation, but plenty of men also (Judah, David, Solomon, etc.)

Providence trumps pedigree. The kingdom of God is not about the qualities of my lineage, but about the quality of his character and care for me. Many times I have been bogged down by the thought that I am of a cultural background that is less than distinguished with very humble origins in the countryside of a small and poor village. My parents and my accomplishments have nothing of the extraordinary and yet God has chosen me to lead his people as a minister.

It is not a matter of pedigree. It is a matter of providence. God's character and care takes me as I am and shapes me to become what he wants me to be. The thought of my origins and upbringing must be beaten down with the thought of a God who loves me and is using every single experience in my life, good and bad, to shape me for his honor and glory. God is most glorified when there is no pedigree to point at to explain the life I enjoy in him.