Boseph's Blog

1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Matthew begins his Gospel with a tolodot. A toledot is a Hebrew term and framework concept for the accounts of something or generations of. The same concept is used in the Book of Genesis or Book of Genealogies. Many think that only John starts his Gospel by reaching back to Genesis, but Matthew does it right here in a rather hidden Jewish way. The purpose of a toledot is like a camera zoom on a main character of a movie, starting from the wide focus into the narrow. Here Matthew illustrates the framing of Jesus and is focusing in from the wider frame of David and Abraham.

Matthew says “the genealogy of Jesus Christ.” Jesus being the first name and Christ or Christos being the Greek term for “Anointed One”. He is establishing Jesus of Nazareth as the Anointed One, the Messiah who is to come. He then relates Jesus as the Son of David and Son of Abraham. He is obviously not the son of two men separated by history but he is a son of their lineage and more specifically the “son” of the promises made to them. The figures of David and Abraham are the two titanic prophets of the Hebrews because of the covenants made to them by God.

Abraham in Genesis 15:5 is promised by God that his descendants will be like the stars, he will also promise that he will be blessed and his descendants will bless the whole world. The covenant with Abraham is made “physical” through that of circumcision which will endure through Judaism even till today. David in 2 Samuel 7:12-16 is promised by God that a descendant of his will rule on his throne and kingdom forever. Matthew is saying Jesus is the fulfilment of these patriarchal promises. It is to these promises that the Hebrews are waiting on being fulfilled.

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

Matthew begins the historical genealogy with Abraham, through whom the covenant was begun. Abraham is the first person to enter into a covenant with God after God disinherits the nations at Babel. He is the beginning in this sense of historical salvation history. Abraham will father Isaac, Isaac will father Jacob. Jacob will become Israel and father the twelve Patriarchs. Matthew chooses to highlight only Judah by name, as this is the line from which Jesus will come and also that this is the prophetic line of leadership, as made clear in Genesis 49:9-10 when Israel blesses Judah:

“Judah is a lion’s cub… The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.”

3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,

Judah will father Perez and Zerah by Tamar, this is the first woman mentioned in Jesus’ genealogy. Tamar is most likely a gentile and deceived her father in law Judah into thinking she was a prostitute and bore him children through this deception, scandalous in many ways. A curious individual for Matthew to highlight but this is not the first time he does this. Perez fathers Hezron and Hezron, Ram.

4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon,

Ram is listed as an ancestor of David in the genealogies. For example, in 1 Chronicles 2:9-10, Ram is the son of Hezron and the father of Amminadab. Amminadab is mentioned in Exodus 6:23 as the father of Elisheba, who marries Aaron, Moses’ brother. He is also noted in Numbers 1:7 as an ancestor of Nahshon. Nahshon, son of Amminadab, is prominent in the Exodus narrative. He is identified as a leader of the tribe of Judah in Numbers 2:3 and Numbers 7:12. Jewish tradition often highlights Nahshon as the first to step into the Red Sea before it parted. Salmon is mentioned in genealogies, such as Ruth 4:20-21 and 1 Chronicles 2:11, as the father of Boaz, making him an ancestor of David. According to tradition (though not explicitly stated in the Old Testament), Salmon married Rahab, the Canaanite woman from Jericho who aided the Israelite spies (Joshua 2).

5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse,

The second woman mentioned by Matthew is named, Rahab. Another curious choice to highlight as Rahab was a gentile and prostitute that helps the Israelites hide from their enemies. Rahab is the mother of Boaz and Boaz will marry Ruth. Ruth is also a gentile, she and Boaz will beget Obed who is the father of Jesse.

6 and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah,

Jesse is the father of King David, David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah. Matthew does not include Bathsheba by name but everyone knows who she is. Bathsheba’s name can actually imply gentile origin. Bath meaning daughter and Sheba, although a Hebrew term for Oath, could be referring to the place Sheba, which was a land of gentiles, descendants of Ham. Curiously another name for Bathsheba is Bathshua which has similar connotations, since “Shua” is the name of the Canaanite man whose daughter marries Judah in the book of Genesis.

7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa,

Solomon was the son of King David and Bathsheba and the third king of Israel. He is renowned for his wisdom, wealth, and the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem. His reign is detailed in 1 Kings 1–11 and 2 Chronicles 1–9. He is the author of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs and the Book of Wisdom. Key events include his request for wisdom from God (1 Kings 3), the construction of the Temple (1 Kings 6), and his later apostasy due to foreign wives and idolatry (1 Kings 11).

Rehoboam was Solomon’s son and successor. His reign marked the division of the united kingdom of Israel into the northern kingdom (Israel) and the southern kingdom (Judah). His story is told in 1 Kings 12–14 and 2 Chronicles 10–12. Rehoboam’s harsh policies led to the rebellion of the northern tribes, resulting in Jeroboam becoming the king of Israel, while Rehoboam retained Judah.

Abijah, the son of Rehoboam, became the king of Judah after his father’s death. He reigned for three years. His reign is described in 1 Kings 15:1–8 and 2 Chronicles 13. In 2 Chronicles 13, Abijah gives a significant speech emphasizing the legitimacy of David’s dynasty and Judah’s faithfulness to God compared to the idolatry in the northern kingdom.

Asa, the son of Abijah, was one of Judah’s righteous kings who reigned for 41 years. His reign is detailed in 1 Kings 15:9–24 and 2 Chronicles 14–16. Asa is commended for his reforms, including removing idols and renewing the covenant with God (2 Chronicles 15). However, later in his reign, he relied on foreign alliances instead of trusting God, leading to criticism from the prophet Hanani (2 Chronicles 16).

8 and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah,

Jehoshaphat was the fourth king of Judah, succeeding his father Asa. He reigned for 25 years (around 873–849 BC). His reign is detailed in 1 Kings 22:41-50 and 2 Chronicles 17–20. Jehoshaphat is remembered as a righteous king who followed God’s ways. He instituted religious reforms, sent officials to teach the Law of God throughout Judah (2 Chronicles 17:7-9), and strengthened Judah’s defenses.

Joram, son of Jehoshaphat, became king of Judah and reigned for 8 years (around 849–841 BC). His reign is covered in 2 Kings 8:16-24 and 2 Chronicles 21. Joram married Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, which led to the introduction of Baal worship in Judah. Joram’s reign saw calamities, including a rebellion by Edom and Libnah and an invasion by the Philistines and Arabs. He received a prophetic rebuke from Elijah and suffered a painful death as judgment for his wickedness (2 Chronicles 21:12-19).

Uzziah was the tenth king of Judah and reigned for 52 years (around 791–739 BC), though part of his reign included co-regency with his son Jotham. His reign is recounted in 2 Kings 15:1-7 and 2 Chronicles 26. Uzziah is remembered for strengthening Judah militarily and economically. He expanded Judah’s territories, fortified cities, and built up the army. He was faithful to God in the early years of his reign, leading to his prosperity (2 Chronicles 26:4-5). Later in life, Uzziah grew prideful and unlawfully entered the Temple to burn incense, a duty reserved for priests. As a result, God struck him with leprosy, and he lived in isolation until his death (2 Chronicles 26:16-21).

9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

Jotham was the son of Uzziah (Azariah) and reigned as king of Judah for 16 years (around 750–735 BC). During part of his reign, he ruled as a co-regent with his father, Uzziah, due to the latter’s leprosy. His reign is described in 2 Kings 15:32-38 and 2 Chronicles 27. Jotham is described as a good king who “did what was right in the sight of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 27:2), following in the godly ways of his father, though he avoided entering the Temple as Uzziah had.
He fortified Judah by building the upper gate of the Temple and strengthening city walls and fortresses (2 Chronicles 27:3-4).

Ahaz, the son of Jotham, reigned for 16 years (around 735–715 BC). His reign is marked by significant unfaithfulness to God. His story is told in 2 Kings 16, 2 Chronicles 28, and mentioned in Isaiah 7–8. Ahaz is remembered as one of the most wicked kings of Judah. He introduced idolatry, even sacrificing one of his sons in the fire to pagan gods (2 Kings 16:3; 2 Chronicles 28:3). During his reign, Judah was attacked by Israel and Aram (Syria) in what is known as the Syro-Ephraimite War. Instead of trusting God, Ahaz sought help from the Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III, offering treasures from the Temple as payment (2 Kings 16:7-9). Ahaz’s rejection of God is addressed in Isaiah 7, where the prophet Isaiah gives the famous Immanuel prophecy, a sign of God’s ultimate faithfulness despite Ahaz’s failure.

Hezekiah, son of Ahaz, reigned for 29 years (around 715–686 BC) and is considered one of the greatest and most faithful kings of Judah. His reign is detailed in 2 Kings 18–20, 2 Chronicles 29–32, and parts of Isaiah 36–39. Hezekiah led significant religious reforms, removing high places, destroying idols (including the bronze serpent made by Moses), and restoring proper Temple worship (2 Chronicles 29).

10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah,

Manasseh was the son of Hezekiah and reigned for 55 years (around 697–642 BC), the longest reign of any king of Judah. His reign is described in 2 Kings 21:1-18 and 2 Chronicles 33:1-20. Manasseh is remembered as one of the most wicked kings of Judah. He rebuilt pagan high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed, worshiped idols, practiced sorcery, and even sacrificed his son in the fire (2 Kings 21:1-9). His actions are said to have led Judah into greater sin than the nations God had driven out before Israel.

Amon, the son of Manasseh, reigned for only two years (around 642–640 BC). His reign is described in 2 Kings 21:19-26 and 2 Chronicles 33:21-25. Amon followed in the sinful ways of his father Manasseh before his repentance. He worshiped idols and did not humble himself before God (2 Chronicles 33:22-23).

Josiah, the son of Amon, reigned for 31 years (around 640–609 BC) and was one of the most faithful and righteous kings of Judah. His reign is described in 2 Kings 22–23 and 2 Chronicles 34–35. Josiah renewed the covenant with God and led the people in a nationwide commitment to follow God’s laws (2 Kings 23:1-3). He also reinstitutes the Passover celebration.

11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

The Kings: The list includes a mix of faithful (e.g., Hezekiah, Josiah) and unfaithful kings (e.g., Manasseh, who led Judah into idolatry). Their stories reflect the fluctuating spiritual condition of Israel. This concludes the kingdom (both united and divided) period. It marks a turning point in Israel’s history, emphasizing the consequences of unfaithfulness to God. This event serves as a symbol of exile and restoration, themes fulfilled in Jesus.

12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of She-alti-el, and She-alti-el the father of Zerubbabel,

Jechoniah’s presence is notable because Jeremiah 22:30 appears to curse his descendants, saying none would sit on David’s throne. Jesus circumvents this curse as He is born of Mary, not Joseph, preserving His legal claim to the throne through Joseph without biological descent. She-alti-el fathers Zerubbabel who was a governor during the return from exile, connected to the Davidic line and the rebuilding of the Temple (Haggai 2:23).

Zerubbabel is a significant figure in the post-exilic period of Judah. He was a descendant of King David through the line of Jehoiachin (Jeconiah) and served as the governor of Judah after the Babylonian exile.

13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor,

14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud,

15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob,

Abiud to Jacob, listed in Matthew 1:13-15, are largely unknown figures in recorded history because the Davidic kingship was dissolved after the Babylonian exile. When the monarchy ended, genealogical records for royal descendants were no longer officially maintained. This obscurity was further compounded by the turbulent period of foreign rule (Babylonian, Persian, Greek, and Roman) during the intertestamental period.

Despite the lack of centralized records, Jewish families preserved their genealogies through oral tradition and private documentation. Knowing one’s tribal and familial heritage was important, especially for descendants of the Davidic line, who carried the hope of the promised Messiah.

This preserved knowledge ensured that by the time of Jesus’ birth, the Davidic lineage was still recognized, allowing Matthew and Luke to document His genealogy as fulfillment of the messianic promises.

16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

Joseph is presented as “the husband of Mary,” not the biological father of Jesus, this Matthew uses to clearly state the virgin birth. Referring back to the start of the toledot, Matthew reaffirms Jesus’ identity as “Christ”, the Anointed one. So this narrative goes from Jesus is the Messiah, zooms out, zooms in and states that first statement again. The structure is very reminiscent of a proto-creedal statement, the Hebrews focus on lineage gives a flavour of inheritance instead of doctrine but the format is the same in the sense of its catechetical nature.

17 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.

Structure of 14 Generations: Matthew uses this numerical symmetry (14 = 2 x 7) as a literary device: It highlights Jesus as the culmination of history, the “seventh seven,” symbolizing divine completeness and rest or sabbath day. In Hebrew, the name “David” (דוד) has a numerical value of 14, reinforcing Jesus’ Davidic identity. The numerical symmetry is not just literary device, Matthew did not come up with this on his own. The Holy Spirit through the author is announcing that patterns that God has worked in. Many see the genealogy as a boring list of names but if you have ever heard the concept of “God draws straight paths with crooked lines”, nothing really summarises that as efficiently as Matthews very own introduction to his written witness of Jesus of Nazareth.