Jesus Family Tree

XII. The rustle of whispers seemed to follow her everywhere. Tamar is a black-widow. She is devoid of life, no children escape her womb, no man survives her company. With only one son left Judah makes a promise he has no intention of honoring.

XIII. “Wait until my youngest son grows up,” he lies, “then I will give you to him. For now, live as a widow in your fathers home.”

XIV. Weeks turn to months, months to years, Tamar has long since passed the mourning period for her husbands. Now she mourns for herself. She is a forsaken woman, living out loneliness one aching day at a time.

XV. One by one the young women are married to young men. Babies become children, children teenagers. Sorrow turns to anger and anger to bitterness. Tamar’s biological clock is ticking… ticking… ticking… and almost stopped.

XVI. Then word comes that Judah’s wife is dead. He has mourned for her and now is headed to the sheep shearing. Tamar, the forsaken woman, has been forgotten. No wedding is coming, no feast, no groom, no wedding night, no children; Tamar is to be left alone.

XVII. Is it lust that drives Tamar to disguise herself as a prostitute and wait on the road for her father-in-law; no, not lust. Is it anger? No, anger requires passion, Tamar is too bitter for passion. It is emptiness, loneliness and desperation. How can he leave her alone? She has waited half her life.

XVIII. When the act is done Tamar is pregnant by her father-in-law. He is unaware of who the prostitute was that took his seal and staff as a deposit for payment. But when she can’t be found he decides to let these things go rather than risk playing the fool.

XIX. When the news breaks of her pregnancy Judah is outwardly furious, and inwardly delighted. Finally he will be rid of this black widow that has taken two of his sons and returned no heirs. Perhaps now his final son will have a chance of producing offspring. It is as a betrothed women, not a widow that Judah judges her. It is Judah that sets the penalty; and the penalty will be death by fire.

XX. As the flames crackle in the background, the family is assembled to witness the grizzly execution. Tamar, the three month pregnant betrothed widow stands with a smugness about her. In the final second she draws from her robes the seal and the staff, pronouncing, “These belong to the father of my child, perhaps you will ensure they are returned to the rightful owner.”

XXI. Judah’s statement is both a pardon and a confession. “She is more righteous than I.” Judah sees the line of sin. Because of sin Tamar is forgotten and forsaken. Because of sin she is widowed twice. Because of sin she seduces Judah. Because of sin SHE is judged and HE is found guilty. And as a result of sin she gives birth to twin sons, Perez and Zerah.

XXII. Matthew would remind us that among the branches of Jesus family tree is the branch of Tamar, a forsaken woman. In Jesus none will be forsaken. Ephesians 1:6 tells us that we have been accepted in the beloved. To a world that is starving for love and acceptance, the message of Christmas calls the lonely to come to the one who knows them best.