Jesus, Son of David, Son of Abraham

Matthew 1:1-17

Immanuel – 10/22/23

Eleven months ago we set out on a covenantal odyssey and followed Abraham’s journey from pagan Ur to Yahweh’s land of promise. God was planning to use this one man – this one family – to undo the curse of Adam. God promised that through the innumerable descendants of Abraham would every family on earth be blessed; and these great promises would come to Abraham through obedient faith.

Such were the terms of the Abrahamic Covenant: God would provide curse undoing, abounding blessing; Abraham would believe.

Then in May we transition from Abraham’s journey to David’s rise from shepherd boy to king of Israel. It was a rise entirely orchestrated by God. As I said last week, God gave David the throne, and allowed him to keep it, in spite of David. And wasn’t it painful to see the many failings and flaws of David? Yet God was faithful. Again, not because of David, but because of the promise that God made to David.

We find these promises in 2 Samuel 7, in what we call the Davidic Covenant.

“I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom… I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son… And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.”

-2 Samuel 7:12,13-14,15

If you have not realized it yet, as we followed the journey of Abraham and the rise of David, and the covenants that God made with them, it has all been to land us at Matthew 1:1.

Read vs 1

We saw it again and again, both Abraham and David pointed us towards Jesus. But those were shadows and types, like when the sun shoots rays through a grey cloud sky. Now as we open Matthew, like the dawning sun on a cloudless morning, we cannot help but see the unfiltered Risen Son, the King of kings, our Immanuel.

But before we dive into the greatness of this dawning sun, I must spend a little time talking about Matthew as a whole: its context, themes, and noteworthy structures. It’s important to understand the context of the book before we try to understand what it says.

Purpose

1. Introduce the Gospel of Matthew.

2. Introduce Jesus, according to Matthew.

3. Show the glory and grace woven into this genealogy.

Context of Matthew

First let’s talk about who wrote the Gospel of Matthew. Though there is scholarly debate out there, the church has always widely agreed that Matthew, one of Jesus’ 12 Apostles, wrote this gospel.

Matthew penned this gospel sometime in the late 50’s or early 60’s from the region of Palestine or Syria. There are even a number of scholars who are convinced that Matthew wrote this gospel from Antioch in Syria, the location of Paul’s home church. It can’t be proven, but I certainly like the idea.

Like all the other disciples, Jesus called Matthew out of an old life. In his old life he was known as Levi, and he was a tax collector. In time we will explore more what that means, but for now we need to understand that being a tax collector meant that Matthew was educated in some manner. And as we look at his writing, we can see that he was a very intelligent man and deeply knowledgeable about the Jewish faith and the Jewish Scriptures.

In fact, that’s who Matthew wrote this gospel for: primarily Jewish believers. The copious references, quotations, and allusions to the Old Testament assume that the reader would have strong knowledge of the Scriptures – even if they didn’t pick up everything Matthew was putting down. Thus, Matthew’s main audience was Jewish.

It will be important, then, for us to remember that though Matthew was written for us, it was not written to us. So, we need to continue to transport ourselves back to those original readers and consider how they understood it. We have a bad habit of taking parts of the Bible – especially some of the later parts of Matthew – and placing them in the 21st century. That’s bad exegesis, a bad way to study the word. Again, Matthew was written for us, it was not written to us.

With that in mind – with the first century Jewish reader in mind – let’s consider some of the themes woven into the Gospel of Matthew. Of the four gospels, Matthew pays particular attention to how Old Testament promises and prophecies are fulfilled in Jesus. Again and again, Matthew is going to do this: point to the fulfilment of Scripture in Christ. Foremost in Matthew’s mind is that Jesus is the prophesied, long await, Messiah – but more on that later.

Matthew also wants the reader to know that the Messianic blessing of God the Jews longed for, but had not recognized, had now passed on to the followers of Jesus. This is another theme of the gospel: Christianity – or the church – is the true continuation of the Old Testament covenants. You see it even in the first sentence of Matthew: Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Matthew wants his readers to know Christianity is the true Judaism.

Though Matthew is deeply interested in all things Jewish, and is himself a Jew, he wants us to see that Jesus is the hope of the nations – that Jew and Gentile are united in Christ. The church, Jew and Gentile, is the body and bride of Christ. There is no plan of salvation outside of the church. Additionally, Matthew is the only gospel writer to use the word church (16:18, 18:17).

There are a couple of structures that I think it is important to consider before we dive into the book. Most significantly, Matthew arranges the gospel as a “travel narrative,” beginning in Galilee, journeying towards Judea, ending in Jerusalem.

In this gospel, Jesus first arrives in Jerusalem in chapter 21. Everything before that is the journey to get there. But, from both hints inside Matthew, and the testimony of the other three gospels, we know Jesus was in Jerusalem much earlier in His life. So, we need to remember that Matthew is not necessarily arranged chronologically, but thematically and theologically – especially according to this “travel narrative.”

In addition to this, I have broken the Gospel of Matthew down into five thematic shifts:

1. Chapters 1-7 are the revealing of the Messiah and the nature of His kingdom.

2. Chapters 8 to 16:20 are demonstrations of the Messiah’s power, both in miracles and teachings.

3. From chapter 16:21 to 21:11 is when Jesus sets His face like flint towards Jerusalem.

4. Then from 21:12 to the end of 25 Jesus and the Jewish religious system collide.

5. The rest of the book, from 26 to the end, deals with the crucifixion and resurrection.

As we come into a new section of Matthew, you will see a theme change around the church.

Let me also point out that there are 5 major discourses in Matthew.

1. Sermon on the Mount (5-7)

2. Mission Discourse (10)

3. Parable Discourse (13)

4. Discourse on Relationships (18)

5. Olivet Discourse (24-25)

OK, enough with context. We are now ready to plunge ourselves into this great gospel.

Read vs 1

Creation Through Covenant

If we were to translate the first two words of Matthew’s gospel literally, it would read, “Book of genesis.” It’s much like how John begins his gospel, “In the beginning was the word.” Immediately picking up on that, the Jewish reader would be transported to the book of Genesis, to the beginning, to creation.

Matthew is doing something significant here, much greater than telling us about Jesus’ genealogy. He is pointing us towards creation. And with this genealogy he points us to creation for two reasons.

First, Matthew wants us to see that Jesus is the climax of all creation.

Second, Matthew wants us to see that a new creation has begun in Jesus.

As we progress, I think you’ll see what I mean.

Jesus is the son of Abraham. It should be obvious, but son used in this context means descendant. God’s plan for renewing what was fallen, the promises of salvation, were given to Abraham; for through Abraham were all the families of the earth to be blessed; meaning that through Abraham’s seed, the curse of the fall will be undone.

Jesus, the son of Abraham, is that seed. Salvation promised to Abraham is realized in Jesus. The peoples of the earth will be blessed through Him. This is how the gospel of Matthew begins, and this is how it ends as Christ commissions His disciples to go to the nations. People from every tribe, tongue, and nation will be gathered to Christ.

Jesus is the son of David. More than any other gospel writer, Mattew uses the name David (17 times). He calls Jesus the son of David nine times – again, more than the other gospels. In the Davidic Covenant, God promised David that one of his descendants would reign forever, and that His kingdom would be eternal. God promised a Messiah, an everlasting King of kings; the one who will crush the head of the serpent and restore Eden.

Jesus, the son of David, is that Messiah. This is the most prominent theme in Matthew. The kingdom of God has come in Christ, and Jesus is King! When you hear “Jesus, the son of David,” that messianic message should ring in your ears.

In fact, that is exactly what Jesus declares at the beginning of His ministry.

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” -Matthew 4:17

Then, when Jesus’ ministry on earth concludes, He delivers a powerful kingly command.

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” -Matthew 28:18-19

Matthew is making it crystal clear: Jesus is the prophesied Messiah, the King that has brought heaven’s kingdom. We must worship and obey!

As you can see, that first sentence of the gospel of Matthew carries incredible covenantal gravity and transformational power.

The Genealogy

And then we get into the genealogy. I’m not going to read through it, but I want you to understand one thing that makes it so significant. The ancient Jewish world was deeply interested in genealogies. Who you descended from was so important.

In the Jewish mind, an authentic genealogy proved that Jesus was a real person. This is not a story of myth or fable, but of a real person descended through real people. The genealogy grounds Jesus in actual history.

Matthew’s genealogy is concerned with the royal line. After David, the names listed were legal heirs to Israel’s throne. This is not Jesus’ biological line; for that you need to go to Luke 3 and see what many scholars consider the lineage of Mary.

In the same way that Matthew structures his gospel thematically and theologically, so is this genealogy structured. That’s why we see a numerical symmetry in the genealogy. As verse 17 says:

Read vs 17

If we insist upon reading the Bible literally, while ignoring a symbolic understanding, then the genealogy of Jesus poses a serious problem because there are not literally three sets of 14 generations. In fact, as you can easily verify in the Old Testament, the names of three kings (or three generations) are missing in verse 8, between Joram and Uzziah.

It works, because just as Matthew can write that Jesus is the son of David, so he can write that Joram fathered Uzziah, despite the fact that Uzziah was Joram’s great-great-grandson. It’s still about descent.

Other gaps exist too. For example, there are about 900-1000 years between Abraham and David; far too many years for 14 generations. Especially when you consider the time between David and the exile to be 400 years, already having acknowledged that names were left out of that set.

Matthew did not write a precise, historically accurate genealogy because that was not his goal. Rather, by arranging Jesus’ lineage into three sets of 14, he is communicating something far greater.

To understand that we again need to transport ourselves into the ancient Jewish mind where numbers hold symbolic value. Seven symbolizes the holiest things, that which is complete or full. For all those math wizards out there, 14 is 2x7, or twice seven.

Once again, Matthew is communicating – this time symbolically through numbers – that Jesus is the fullness, the fulfillment of Israel’s history and He who completes all human history. For the promised restoration and blessing made to Abraham, and the everlasting kingdom promised to David, have reached their climax in Christ. He is the fulness.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent. -Colossians 1:15-18

There are more clues embedded within the genealogy that point to Jesus as the fulfillment of human history. Notice, apart from Mary, there are four women named in the genealogy: Tamar, Ruth, Rahab, and the wife of Uriah – also known as Bathsheba. Matthew didn’t merely insert these women to be inclusive. They are lightning bolts illuminating God’s salvific plan.

Each one of these women is very likely a Gentile: Tamar and Rahab were Canaanites, Ruth a Moabite, and Bathsheba was probably a Hittite.

Not only are they Gentiles, but three of the four women have some dubious relationship to this messianic lineage. Tamar tricked her father-in-law, Judah, into sleeping with her to get her pregnant. Rahab was a prostitute. And, of course, we know what happened with Bathsheba, just having studied the life of David. She and David committed adultery.

Four women are named in this genealogy, four Gentiles, three of which had problematic reputations. But by naming these women, do you see what Matthew is showing us? In Jesus, Jews and Gentiles are united. No matter how dirty the sinner, Jesus cleanses all their unrighteousness. What a grace that God used prostitutes and adulterers and liars and whole string of awful kings to birth the King of kings!

For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

-Galatians 3:26-29

Our mess, and all of our failings, do not frighten God, nor does it thwart His plan. He uses the very worst of sinners to create glory. The story of grace is woven even into Jesus’ genealogy. Every fiber of Christ’s being bursts with grace.

There’s one more detail I want to point out from this genealogy. Look at verse 16. Joseph is not called the father of Jesus; he is called the husband of Mary. That is because Jospeh did not father Jesus. Jesus was born of a virgin, conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. The very next section of chapter 1 will explain this.

Thus, Jesus was not the son of Joseph, He was the Son of God. And yet, Joseph adopted Jesus as his own son. Just consider the gospel glories in that: Jesus was an adopted son. God was adopted by man so that man could be adopted by God! What a resounding mixture of humility and glory!

When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So, you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. -Galatians 4:4-7

The gospel is a message of adoption!

When a new believer, on fire for the Lord, excitedly cracks open the Bible intending to read the New Testament, it might be rather discouraging to be met with a long list of strange names. I would confidently guess the majority skip the genealogy. But that is immaturity. Today, I hope your understanding has matured.

I hope you never look at this genealogy the same way. Far from boring, this list of names burst with gospel glory and powerful grace. The fulness of time has come because Jesus, the son of David, the son of Abraham, has entered history.

The kingdom of heaven has dawned upon this earth. And now wretched sinners far from the promises of God, whether Jew or Gentile, Christ brings us near that we could be adopted into the family of God; no longer strangers and slaves, but sons and daughters. The curse is being undone. All things are being made new. For our eyes have seen the King, and the whole earth is full of His glory!