Summary of my sermon, based on Matthew 1:1-17. Preached at Greenhills Christian Fellowship Toronto on December 1, 2024.
If you’ve never heard the song “Matthew’s Begats” by Andrew Peterson, I highly recommend checking it out. It’s a fun and catchy way to hear the genealogy of Jesus from Matthew 1. I first learned it as a teenager when my youth group performed it in a Christmas cantata, so hearing it now brings back some great memories.
Now, if you compare the song lyrics to the text in Matthew 1:1-17, you might notice a few name variations. For example:
- Aram (KJV, Greek) = Ram (ESV, NIV, NKJV)
- Asa (KJV, NKJV, NIV) = Asaph (ESV, Greek)
- Amon (KJV, NKJV, NIV) = Amos (ESV, Greek)
- Jehoiachin = Jeconiah (all versions)
These aren’t contradictions, just alternate spellings. But one interesting change in the song is how it refers to Josiah “grandfathering” Jehoiachin, whereas Matthew 1:11 states Josiah was Jehoiachin’s father. The Old Testament timeline confirms that Jehoiachin was actually the son of Jehoiakim (2 Kings 24:6), meaning Matthew skips a generation. This isn’t a mistake—Matthew arranges the genealogy in a structured way, emphasizing Jesus’ place in Jewish history.
Matthew 1:17 explains this:
“So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.” (ESV)
Matthew isn’t giving a complete genealogy; he’s structuring it to highlight the significance of Jesus’ birth. That’s why many scholars call Matthew “the Gospel for the Jews.”
Each Gospel emphasizes a different aspect of Jesus:
- Matthew: The Son of David
- Mark: The Son of Man
- Luke: The Son of Adam
- John: The Son of God
Matthew was writing to a Jewish audience, familiar with the Old Testament. He quotes it 54 times—more than any other Gospel. He references Jewish customs without explanation, assuming his readers understand things like fasting, ritual washing, and temple tax. More than any other Gospel, Matthew presents Jesus as the Messiah who fulfills Old Testament prophecies. That’s why he records Jesus saying:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17, ESV)
But here’s the amazing thing—the genealogy of Jesus isn’t just about Jewish history. It also highlights God’s plan to save the whole world.
Consider the five women mentioned: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba (Uriah’s wife), and Mary. Two of them—Rahab and Ruth—were Gentiles. Bathsheba was married to a Hittite, and all five of these women were associated with scandal in some way.
- Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute and tricked her father-in-law into sleeping with her (Genesis 38).
- Rahab was a Canaanite prostitute who helped Israel’s spies in Jericho (Joshua 2).
- Ruth approached Boaz in a way that, while culturally acceptable, could be seen as scandalous (Ruth 3).
- Bathsheba committed adultery with King David, leading to devastating consequences (2 Samuel 11).
- Mary was pregnant before her marriage to Joseph, which would have been scandalous to those who didn’t understand her divine calling (Matthew 1:18-19).
And it’s not just these women—many of the men in Jesus’ lineage were deeply flawed. King David was a man after God’s own heart, but he was also guilty of adultery and murder. Ahaz sacrificed his own son to idols (2 Kings 16:3). Manasseh led Israel into idolatry and child sacrifice (2 Kings 21:6).
Why does this matter? Because Jesus didn’t come from a perfect lineage—He came to save sinners. Paul writes:
“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” (1 Timothy 1:15, ESV)
We aren’t saved by our own goodness but by grace:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV)
And just as Jesus came to save the lost, we are called to share this message with the world:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20, ESV)
Jesus’ genealogy is more than a list of names. It’s a testament to God’s grace. No matter our past, Jesus welcomes us into His family.
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