“The Genealogy of our Lord”
Matthew 1:1-17
“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:” [Matthew 1:1]
Fully God and fully man: That is our Lord Jesus Christ. He has always existed and yet has a genealogy. In Revelation He is unveiled revealing His deity; in the Gospels He is veiled revealing His humanity.
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father…” [John 1:14]. “Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.” [Php 2:5-7]
There are Scriptures of His Deity as well. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” [John 1:1] “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” [Col 2:9] "But of the Son He says, "Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom." [Heb 1:8] This latter verse is a quote from Israel’s own songbook [Ps 45:6], a psalm of David.
This brings us to this first book in the New Testament, the Gospel of Matthew, oftentimes referred to as “the Gospel to the Jewish nation.” It begins with Jewish genealogy, from Abraham their Patriarch, through the line of Judah, to King David, and then “to Jesus who is called Christ.” [Matt 1:16]
“Christ” is Jesus’ title. “Jesus Christ” means Jesus Messiah [Anointed One]. The lineage, therefore, is a line to Messiah, a fundamental message of Matthew. It is the Gospel to the Jews; it is the good news that Messiah has come to Israel [and the world] in the person of Jesus.
But not only did Jesus claim to be Messiah; He claimed to be God, which ultimately took Him to the Cross. “Blasphemy” was the accusation by the high priest. “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.” [John 10:33]
The Gospel of Matthew is a powerful testimony to the Jew first, and the world, that the person of Jesus is Messiah and God.
We will see over the course of our study that this Gospel pivots around five major discourses, all pointing to the Kingdom of Heaven for Whom Jesus is King!
