1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; 3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; 4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; 5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; 6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; 7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; 8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;
9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; 10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; 11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: 12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; 13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; 14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; 15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; 16 And Jacob begat 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; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. (Matthew 1:1-17 KJV)
Thomas Haweis
Verses 1-17: As the Old Testament opened with the generation of the heaven and the earth, the New begins with the generation of Him who, in the fullness of time, became incarnate for man’s redemption from the curse he had brought upon himself, and under which the whole creation groaned. We have here his genealogy from authentic records, to prove the accomplishment of the prophecies which went before concerning him, as sprung, according to the flesh, from David and Abraham, Ge 13:3; 2Sa 7:12 for which purpose these genealogical tables are produced, abundantly sufficient for the conviction of those in that day, that Jesus was descended from these patriarchs, whatever objections have since been raised, or difficulties started against them.
In this genealogy we may observe, (1.) That the line of descent is not always through the first-born, but in many, as Abraham, Jacob, Judah, David, &c. from the younger sons. (2.) That of the four women mentioned, we have two Gentiles, and two adulteresses, who would seem to add no honour to their descendants: but herein we have an intimation, that Christ’s salvation was not designed to be confined to the Jewish people, but to be extended to the Gentiles also; and that the most guilty need not despair, when they see that our Lord, in taking the likeness of sinful flesh, humbles himself to derive his descent from such as these. (3.) In the genealogy there are several persons passed over; for what reason it is difficult, and of little import to resolve; and the lineal descendant, though at the distance of three generations, is said to be the son of his remote ancestor, as in the case of Ozias, Mt 1:8 and some suppose of Jesse also. (4.) The generations are divided into three fourteens; not that there were not more persons really in the descent, but that the Evangelist thought fit to mention no more. In the first, we see the family of David rising to the throne; in the second, a race of kings descended from him; in the last, the royal family declines even to a poor carpenter; so fading is this world’s greatness. Yet then, when to human view all prospect of the kingdom’s being restored to David’s house seemed desperate, Jesus arose to sit on his Father’s throne, Lu 1:32; when God promises we never need despair. (5.) Jesus is called Christ, Mt 1:16 or Messiah, the Anointed One, uniting in this person the threefold offices, to which men were anointed under the law, of prophet, priest, and king; and all his followers are called Christians; an honourable title, and most applicable to those who have indeed received an unction from the Holy One, and are consecrated to God as kings and priests, to reign at last with their exalted Head.