Those who were used of God to group the books of the New Testament have done wisely in placing Matthew first of the four gospels. Matthew is more intimately connected with the Old Testament than any other. To him it was given to draw the portrait of Christ in the manner best suited to meet the difficulties of the Jewish Christians, and to show them that every prophecy of the Old Testament had its perfect fulfillment in Him. This is why the quotations from the other scriptures are far more numerous in this gospel than in any of the others.
In Matthew we get a far more detailed account of Christ's rejection by the Jews than in the remaining records. He is presented to them as their Messiah, rejected by them, and only then reveals God's counsels as to what should be the result of this rejection. This gospel presents Christ in three ways:
Chapters 1 to 3: The Bethlehemite of Micah 5
Chapters 4 to 20: The Light from Zebulon and Napthali as in Isa. 9
Chapters 21 to 24: The King of Zech. 9
Unlike Matthew, there is no genealogy in Mark or John. Mark omits it because he presents a divine servant doing God's will, so the introduction of a genealogy is unnecessary. John gives us Jesus as the Son of God. It is impossible to trace the descent of the
One who "was in the beginning with God" and who "was God.”
In Matthew and Luke the case is different. All the Old Testament scriptures had converged to prove that the Messiah should be "born of a woman," and that He should belong to the house of David as well as of the seed of Abraham. The promises were made to Abraham and to his seed. In David's seed was the royal line. We find, therefore, the genealogy most suitably traced up through David to Abraham. To go further was unnecessary where the thought in the mind of the Spirit was to present the Messiah.
In Luke, where He branches out into the wider glory of the Son of man, the genealogy naturally goes back till it comes to "Adam, which is the son of God.”
The Generation of Jesus Christ
Matthew, then, is "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham." To Abraham it had been promised, "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." Gen. 22:1818And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. (Genesis 22:18). This seed is Christ as Gal. 3:1616Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. (Galatians 3:16) tells us. Again to David the promise had been made, "I will raise up thy seed after thee... and I will establish his kingdom.... I will be his Father, and he shall be My son." 1 Chron. 17:11, 1311And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. (1 Chronicles 17:11)
13I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee: (1 Chronicles 17:13). This prophecy is applied to Christ (Heb. 1:55For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? (Hebrews 1:5)). The Spirit of God takes care to prove the Messiah's descent from those two heads of the Jewish race.
The introduction of the names of four of the mothers into this genealogy is remarkable. When we consider what Scripture reveals to us about them, surely we may say that we get an indication that it was only on the ground of grace that the Jews got any blessing. And more than this, the blessing was not about to be confined to them, but would flow out towards the Gentiles. Tamar and Bathsheba teach us the former lesson the latter we learn from Ruth and Rahab who were Gentiles.
The genealogy is divided into three sections:
1. From Abraham to royalty in David
2. From royalty to the captivity in Babylon
3. From the captivity to Christ
Here we may notice that between verses 8 and 9, three kings are omitted, not an uncommon thing in Jewish genealogies, to make the numbers even. This account differs from that of Luke. Luke consistent with his line of things, gives the mother's line, or human pedigree. Matthew gives the father's line, or legal pedigree. Mary was descended from Nathan, Joseph from Solomon.
In like manner Joseph is the prominent figure in Matthew and the one to whom all the directions are given. Mary is selected in Luke. Surely God's ways are wisdom itself, and all harmonize so completely one with another.
Titles of Jesus
The manner of the conception is recorded in Luke, the fact in Matthew. The angel of the Lord anticipates the action, the tender conscience of Joseph considered, addressing him as the "son of David." He thus reveals that Christ is David's Son, and not merely that, but as His name, Jesus, indicates, "Jehovah the Savior," whose office should be to save the Jewish people from their sins. But more than this, as if to complete the circle of Jewish glory, He should be, as duly written of Him, "Emmanuel, God with us." Thus this mysterious babe was everything that Jewish faith could desire: the Son of David, Jehovah the Savior, and God with His people.
The reception Jesus met with at the hands of the Jewish people, we learn from the next chapter. Let us admire the beautiful but simple faith of Joseph who, under trying circumstances, acted in simple obedience to the commandment given by the angel of the Lord.
Words of Truth