2025.01.05.Sermon Notes. Matthew 1. The Genealogy and Birth of JESUS CHRIST
William Akehurst, HSWC
SCRIPTURES: Romans 1:16, Matthew 1:1-25, Genesis 12:1-3, Genesis 12:3, Genesis 22:18, Galatians 3:16, 1 Samuel 16:7, 1 Samuel 16:13, 2 Samuel 7:12-16, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ezekiel 36:24-31, Isaiah 7:14, Luke 3:23-38
BIG IDEA: Matthew presents the Genealogy of JESUS CHRIST and brings forward the prophecies of the Hebrew Scriptures into fulfillment by JESUS CHRIST, our Immanuel, our GOD WITH US. So begins the journey through Matthew’s account for Christ.
Last year! we finished the 1st book of the Bible, the book of Genesis.
This year, today, we will begin the 1st book of the New Testament, the Book of Matthew.
Just as Genesis is part of a larger grouping of books known as the Torah or Pentateuch, Matthew is also a part of a larger grouping of books known as the Gospels, which are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
When Matthew became a disciple of Jesus, he was on the outs with his people.
He was a tax collector or a publican. So he was considered a betrayer of his people, because his wealth came from his community as he served and supported the Roman government, the oppressor of the people.
So when Matthew came to know and follow Jesus, he literally left everything.
He left his prosperous former life and everything with it. He had to.
As a former tax collector (also called “Levi”), Matthew was qualified to write an account of Jesus’ life and teachings. A tax collector of that day must know Greek and be a literate, well-organized man.
Some think that Matthew was the “recorder” among the disciples and took notes of Jesus’ teaching.
We might say that when Matthew followed Jesus, he left everything behind – except his pen and paper.
And even though Matthew appears first in the New Testament, it's likely the second gospel based on the time it was written, with Mark being the first, which we’ll talk about another time.
Matthew was written in Greek, but was intended for a Hebrew or Jewish audience.
We know this because it quotes from the Hebrew scriptures, the Old Testament, more than all the other gospels.
Matthew very clearly reveals Jesus as the Hebrew Messiah by demonstrating the ways that Jesus fulfills Hebrew Messianic prophecies.
And if you pay close attention, you'll notice that in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus is fulfilling prophecy all the time.
So Matthew is a Jew who wrote this gospel to the Jews - his countrymen, about a Jew – JESUS CHRIST.
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King of the Jews, the long-awaited Messiah.
Matthew documents Jesus Christ’s claim to be the Messiah.
Matthew documents this genealogy of JESUS, as well as JESUS’ baptism, teachings, and miracles all pointing to the same conclusion: JESUS the CHRIST is KING.
And even in JESUS’s death on the cross, death is turned to victory by the Resurrection.
Matthew’s GOOD NEWS message continues today.
This “KING of the Jews” has risen. HE is Alive.
Now, while Matthew declares the genealogy of JESUS, Luke also documents the genealogy of CHRIST.
Matthew’s genealogy shows the LEGAL ancestry line from Abraham to Jesus “born of Mary, Joseph’s espoused wife.”
Luke’s genealogy shows the broader BIOLOGICAL ancestry line from Adam to JESUS.
Therefore, we see in the order of the presentation of the GOSPELS, that Matthew’s audience is to the JEWS, while Luke’s audience is to the Greek or Gentiles.
Which gives us an understanding of Paul’s perspective in…
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
SO LET’S BEGIN.
Matthew 1:1-25 The Genealogy of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 1:1 “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:”
Matthew presents his theme in the first verse:
Jesus as the fulfillment of prophecy and of Israel’s expectation.
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ:
Matthew begins his account of the life of Jesus Christ.
Ancestry was critically important to the Jews.
When GOD gave the people the land of Israel, GOD allotted the land by each tribe of Israel. Therefore, knowing who you are and where you came from, told you what belonged to you, and what your inheritance was.
POINT: If you want to know your inheritance, then you need to know who you are - in CHRIST JESUS - to know what you HAVE IN HIM.
Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name YESHUA.
The English transliteration of the name YESHUA would be Joshua.
It means The LORD Saves, or Salvation.
Many families named their kids Joshua after the Joshua who delivered the Israelites to the Promised Land.
Jesus the CHRIST. Christ meaning Messiah. The one promised.
The Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
Both need to be true for JESUS to be the Messiah.
Remember GOD’s covenantal promise with Abraham to bless him with a Land, a People or Nation, and through his seed, all the nations of the world would be blessed.
Genesis 12:1-3
1 Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.
2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
CONNECTED WITH ABRAHAM.
Genesis 22:18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed…
Galatians 3:16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.
MATTHEW CONNECTS JESUS TO DAVID, THE ROYAL LINE.
BUT ALSO CONNECTS JESUS TO ABRAHAM. JESUS IS THE SEED OF ABRAHAM IN WHOM ALL NATIONS WOULD BE BLESSED.
SON OF ABRAHAM
Matthew not only connected Jesus to David, but back yet further to Abraham.
Jesus is the Seed of Abraham in whom all nations would be blessed
CONNECTED WITH DAVID.
2 Samuel 7:12-13
12 “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
Matthew starts Genealogy with Abraham showing Jesus as the Messiah. (to the Jews)
Luke’s genealogy starts with Adam showing JESUS as the SON of man. (to the Gentiles)
In this overview of explaining the lineage of Jesus, Matthew clearly and strongly connects him to some of the greatest men in the history of the Old Testament. Matthew begins his account of the life of Jesus Christ with the record of the lineage of Jesus from the patriarch Abraham.
SON OF DAVID:
Presents Jesus as the fulfillment of the OT prophecy of the kingly Messiah promised from David’s royal line.
VS 2-16 JESUS’ GENEALOGY THROUGH JOSEPH.
Matthew 1:2-17 (NKJV)
2 Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. 3 Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. 4 Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. 5 Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, 6 and Jesse begot David the king.
David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah. 7 Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. 8 Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. 9 Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. 10 Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah. 11 Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon.
12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. 13 Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. 14 Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. 15 Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. 16 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.
Abraham son of an idol worshiper. Called by GOD’s Grace. Left everything to follow the LORD by faith. Gets to Land where there’s a famine. And goes south to Egypt. Enough faith to go, but not enough faith to stay. As he is going south, he looks at his wife, and devises a plan to save himself and tell others Sarai is his sister. Then when they were having trouble having a child, Sarai gives Abraham her concubine Hagar.
Abraham wasn’t perfect. He was flawed. But GOD saw his faith and was counted righteous by his faith.
Called by GOD’s Grace, responded by Faith.
Abraham begot Isaac, a miracle. Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 when Isaac was born. A supernatural birth to those beyond childbearing age.
A supernatural birth of a promised son!
Abraham called by GOD’s Grace and followed by faith, then the supernatural birth of a promised son - Isaac
But that promised son, Isaac wasn’t perfect, he was a liar just like his father. The sins of the father passed down through the generations.
Genesis 17:19 (NKJV)
19 Then God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.
Isaac begot Jacob,
Jacob was a wrestler who wrestled with GOD for most of his life.
When GOD directed him, Isaac wrestled with GOD, struggled with GOD, fought against GOD most of his life.
Jacob wasn’t perfect. He was a liar and deceived his father. He was a liar just as his father. He had children from 4 different women. He failed at being a father, he failed at disciplining his children and raising his kids as he should.
It wasn’t until he surrendered that he finally became ISRAEL or “governed by GOD”.
and then Jacob begot Judah and his brothers.
These guys were not perfect either. It’s a sad story of unfaithfulness, incest, lying and deceiving and envy. Due to envy they conspired against Joseph who was the love of their father. They conspired against Joseph because of envy and sold him into slavery and told the father that he was dead. They clearly rejected Joseph, but the end of the story is, that as they went through a trial, they finally came to recognize…him, Joseph as the beloved son.
Vs 3. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram.
Judah had twin boys by Tamar. Tamar the first woman named in this genealogy of CHRIST.
This is not normal for a woman to be named in genealogy, so seeing her name here in those days would capture one’s attention.
Her story is in Genesis 38 was a family scandal.
Judah’s son Er was married to Tamar. Er was wicked and GOD killed him.
In that day, when a man died, his younger brother would take the widow and father children for his deceased brother to preserve the name and lineage.
When Er died, Judah gave his son Onan to Tamar. Onan had relations with Tamar, but avoided fathering a son. And the LORD killed Onan.
Having lost 2 sons, Judah concerned of his sons deaths, kept his 3rd son from Tamar as too young and for her to wait until he was older. Time passed, Judah’s wife died. But Judah didn’t keep his promise.
Judah went to Timnah to shear sheep. A party, celebration. Tamar knew Judah would go, and dressed as a harlot and offered her services to Judah there in Timnah. Judah paid for her services, he impregnated her, and Tamar bore twins.
Vs. 4 Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab,
Rahab, the 2nd woman in the genealogy. Rahab the harlot. Her profession.
In Joshua Chapter 2. Rahab hides 2 spies in Jericho and because of that act of faith, Rahab and her family were saved when Jericho fell.
Boaz begot Obed by Ruth,
Ruth, the 3rd woman in the genealogy. Ruth has a whole book about her. Ruth was a Moabite, a gentile (outside of the covenant community of Israel) who came to faith. Ruth was saved by her Kinsman Redeemer. Ruth’s great grandson is David the king.
Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king.
David, Jesse’s youngest son, was the least likely of all his brothers to be chosen as king.
Jesse brought his sons from oldest to youngest before Samuel to choose a king to lead the nation. Jesse started with the oldest, and Samuel thought this was the one. But GOD had other plans.
1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
Then Samuel asks if there are any other sons and Jesse replies that the youngest was keeping the sheep. David, the youngest.
David the Shepherd King.
Samuel tells Jesse to bring this son to him, and the LORD tells Samuel to “Arise, anoint him, for this is the one”. (1 Samuel 16:12)
1 Samuel 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward.
David was a great man. David and Goliath. But he also had his failures as well.
Vs. 6 David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.
The story is found in 2 Samuel 11
Uriah was out fighting. David was home and saw Bathsheba and he wanted her and took her. She becomes pregnant. So David has Uriah come home from the battle, hoping Uriah would sleep with his wife to cover David’s sin. But Uriah responds to David, How could I sleep with my wife while the rest of the men are out in the battle. David got Uriah drunk, but Uriah wouldn’t go to his wife. So David gave Uriah a note to present to the General Joab telling the general to take Uriah to the front of the battle and withdraw from him, so that Uriah would die.
David, the Shepherd King, but an Adulterer, and a Murderer.
And then there’s Solomon, who started well…
The LORD came to Solomon and asked him what he wanted as the LORD would grant that request. Solomon asked for wisdom to rule the kingdom. Solomon didn’t ask for money, or power, or military victory over his enemies. He asked for Wisdom. And GOD gave him wisdom, wealth and power and victory over his enemies. The LORD gave him everything. The LORD blessed Solomon who was the most wealthy and successful king of that time.
1 Kings 12 tells us that Solomon loved many foreign women. 700 wives and 300 concubines. And they turned his heart away…from GOD. And Solomon became an idolator.
And from Solomon, Vs. 7 begins with kings who ruled over Judah.
Vs. 7 Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah.
Each of these kings ruled for a time and were replaced. 2/3rds of these kings were bad.
A few were good. None were perfect. They were all sinners.
Vs. 11 Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon.
This brings us to the time of the Babylonian captivity.
Jeconiah was so bad that the LORD spoke to him through Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 22:30 Thus says the LORD: ‘Write this man down as childless, A man who shall not prosper in his days; For none of his descendants shall prosper, Sitting on the throne of David, And ruling anymore in Judah.’
None of Jeconiah’s seed would prosper sitting on the throne of David.
Had our LORD been the natural son of Joseph, who was a descendant of Jeconiah, HE could never reign in power and righteousness because of the curse. But Christ came through Mary’s line, not Joseph’s. As Luke presents the genealogy of Adam to Mary.
Vs. 12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob.
Vs. 16 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.
Matthew wanted to make it clear that Joseph was not the father of Jesus; rather he was the husband of Mary.
Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary of whom was born JESUS.
The Changed Expression is important. No longer “who begot” but “the husband of Mary of whom was born JESUS.” Jesus was not begotten of natural generation. But of GOD.
Who is called Christ.
Greek Christos means anointed and the Greek form of the Hebrew Messiah.
JESUS CHRIST. Jesus is the human name, and the title CHRIST connects HIM with the entire OT prophetic view as Prophet, Priest, King, anointed with oil. Anointed with HOLY SPIRIT becoming officially identified as THE CHRIST.
PROPHET Deuteronomy 18:15-18 (NKJV)
15 “The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear, 16 according to all you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.’
17 “And the LORD said to me: What they have spoken is good. 18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.
PRIEST
Psalms 110:1-4 The LORD has sworn and will not relent, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
KING
2 Samuel 7:12-13 “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
ANOINTED
John 1:29-34 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”
32 And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”
Matthew 3:16 (NKJV)
16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
Abraham… Joseph: This genealogy establishes Jesus’ claim to the throne of David through his adoptive father Joseph. Joseph naming Jesus gives legal right.
This is not the blood lineage of Jesus through Mary, but the legal lineage of Jesus through Joseph. The Gospel of Luke provides Jesus’ blood lineage through Mary.
Matthew’s Organization of the Genealogy.
Vs. 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.
Vs 17. Generations 14+14+14 from Abraham to David to Jesus.
GODS GRACE. Using all types of people to fulfill his promise.
No merit in lineage. Just evidence of grace
The Birth of Jesus Christ.
Vs. 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows:
Matthew doesn’t really tell us about the birth of Jesus; Luke does that. Matthew instead tells us where Jesus came from, and it tells the story through the eyes of Joseph.
After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph:
There were essentially three steps to marriage in the Jewish world of Jesus’ time.
ENGAGEMENT: This could happen when the bride and groom-to-be were quite young, and was often arranged by the parents.
BETROTHAL: This made the previous engagement official and binding. During the time of betrothal the couple were known as husband and wife, and a betrothal could only be broken by divorce. Betrothal typically lasted a year.
MARRIAGE: This took place after the wedding, after the year of betrothal.
Mary, while betrothed to Joseph, is found to be with child as a result of a miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit.
Matthew plainly (without the greater detail found in the Gospel of Luke) presents the virginal conception and subsequent birth of Jesus. However, the virgin birth was difficult for people to believe back then, even as it is also doubted now by some.
(19) Joseph seeks a quiet divorce.
Vs. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
FACTS
1. Betrothal. 1 year before marriage. Groom prepares a place for the bride.
2. Betrothed. Legally binding commitment. Considered husband and wife. Only divorce ends it.
3. With child. Joseph knew it wasn’t his.
4. From Holy Spirit. No precedence for this. That’s never happened before.
CHOICES
1. Could be brought to public shame and stone her.
2. Could have divorced her. Put her away.
3. Could simply marry her. But would risk rumor of fornication
JOSEPH DECIDES TO SEEK A QUIET DIVORCE.
Joseph delays. Waits. Thinks it over. Takes his time. Waits on the LORD.
AND THEN...
Vs 20-21 An angel speaks to Joseph in a dream, convincing him not to divorce Mary.
Matthew 1:20-21
20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Vs 20. Angel speaks. Fear not. Baby from Holy Spirit. Not from man.
Created without sin nature.
Vs 21. Told it would be a boy and Joseph responsible to name him.
Naming means taking legal responsibility.
His name Jesus. To take away sins of the world.
Psalms 130:7-8
7 O Israel, hope in the LORD;
For with the LORD there is mercy,
And with Him is abundant redemption.
8 And He shall redeem Israel
From all his iniquities.
No sin. Came to earth without help of man.
Jesus came To save people of their sins.
Man’s biggest need, to be saved from their sins.
Genealogy proves sin in world.
Paul... I am the biggest Sinner
1 Timothy 1:15
15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
Paul needed a savior. I need a savior. You need a savior.
Saved from their sins power and presence of sin.
We all need a savior to be saved from their sins power penalty, and the power and presence of sin.
That’s what Jesus came to do.
VS 22-23 THE VIRGIN BIRTH AS THE FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY.
Matthew 1:22-23 (NKJV)
22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
VS 22-23 IMMANUEL. GOD WITH US.
Isaiah 7:14 (NKJV)
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14. Fulfilled.
A virgin. Without man’s help. Only by Gods grace.
God with us.
VS 24-25 JOSEPH MARRIES MARY AFTER THE ANGELIC ANNOUNCEMENT.
Matthew 1:24-25
24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.
Did as the angel of the Lord commanded:
Joseph’s obedience is notable. He did not doubt nor waver; he instantly understood the truth and the importance of the angelic messenger that came to him in the dream.
Did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son:
The words did not know her till imply that Joseph and Mary had normal marital relations after Jesus’ birth.
Vs 24-25 Joseph took Mary as his wife. But didn’t have sex until after Jesus birth.
Mary then had 7 other children. She was not a perpetual virgin.
And he called His name JESUS: They did what God told them to do. Though it was a fairly common name, it had a genuinely great meaning and would come to be the greatest name, the name above all names.
Joseph named JESUS. This made Joseph the legal father to the CHRIST CHILD.
GOD kept the promise with Abraham and used the genealogy to bring Jesus to the world to bring blessing to all who would receive HIM.
Joseph wasn’t needed. He didn’t have to be involved.
BUT he had an opportunity by GOD’S GRACE, and he accepted it by faith to be used by GOD to care for HIS SON JESUS.
It’s a choice that we are given. You too don’t have to be involved, But you get to. If you’re willing by faith to follow him.
So the choice is yours and Matthew has begun to present his case for JESUS as THE CHRIST before you. As we continue this journey, my prayer is that your eyes will be opened to JESUS through the lessons of the Hebrew Scriptures, to seal GOD’s Promises in your heart.
FATHER, lead us into all TRUTH by the POWER of HOLY SPIRIT, in JESUS’ Name, Amen.
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Pastor Bill
