Articles
Lessons from a Genealogy (1)
The New Testament opens with a list of names, a genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:1-17). When we come across such lists in our Bible reading we may be tempted to give them the “passover” treatment: after all, there is little action, many of the characters are obscure, and besides that, most of us struggle to even pronounce their names!
Why does the Bible include such lists? The answer varies, but in each case there is a purpose. What can we learn from this one that introduces Jesus to us? First of all, God knows us all.
This list identifies just over forty men. We know a good bit about some of these from the accounts of their lives in the Old Testament. On the other hand, we know nothing about others of them; a few are not even mentioned anywhere else in Scripture (Luke’s genealogy is not identical). Nevertheless, God knew them all!
Matthew’s list has several omissions. For example, Matthew lists twelve generations from Zerubbabel to Jesus, whereas Luke has twenty-one. And Matthew omits several kings in v. 8: Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah reigned between Joram and Uzziah. These omissions were evidently to condense the genealogy to three equal lists of fourteen (note v. 17). But why three lists of fourteen? Several theories exist, among them: 1) It was simply to aid in memorization: it divides the list into three distinct historical periods. 2) It was a play on the perfect number seven: three lists of two times seven. 3) The answer may be in the significance of 42. In prophecy it is a time of suffering (1260 days, 42 months, 3½ years—“time, times, and half a time”). This would emphasize that the era of suffering during the pre-Messianic period was now ending.
Regardless of the reason for Matthew’s arrangement, these omissions in no way negate the point. God knows all people, prominent or obscure.
Few of us will make much of a mark in history. No one will build monuments to us or record our names in history books. In fact, in fewer generations than we imagine, our own families will not even know our names. Just remember, however, God always knows us. He knows all about every one of us. He knows our strengths and weakness, our opportunities, our challenges, and our efforts or lack of them. He even knows our hearts. Is this first lesson from Matthew’s genealogy a consoling one or a frightening one to you?
