Thursday 17 December 2009
- Bible Book:
- Matthew
"An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham." (v.1)
Background
"Prove it" we say when someone asks us to believe somethingincredible. This is what Matthew is doing in much of his book;supplying the proof that Jesus is the Messiah or 'anointed one' forwhom the Jewish people had been waiting. They believed this Messiahwould be sent by God to rescue them (at this time from Romanoccupation) and to establish God's eternal rule throughout theearth. He would be a descendent of David, Israel's most belovedking.
Jewish and Roman historians writing at a similar time to Matthewtell us of other messiah figures - individuals who claimed theywere the Messiah or had that title thrust upon them. Matthew wantsto make it clear that Jesus is the genuine article.
Matthew sets about proving that Jesus is the Messiah by pointing tohis family tree. As a Jewish-Christian writing for otherJewish-Christians, Matthew knew the importance of ancestry. Jewsbelieved God had made promises to Abraham and his descendentsforever; promises of land and privilege and prosperity (
Matthew puts Abraham at the top of Jesus' family tree, arguing thatJesus was a true Jew. But being Jewish wasn't enough. The Messiahalso had to be descended from King David and Matthew claims Jesuswas. He believed Jesus was both descended from David and conceivedby the Holy Spirit. So he says that Joseph, who married Mary, wasthe "son of David" and that Jesus was conceived before they cametogether. Jesus is the one God promised long ago, the one theprophets spoke about, the one for whom the people have been hoping.With Jesus' arrival, the long period of waiting is over.
To Ponder
To what extent do you think faith can be'proved'?
The Jewish people longed for a messiah who wouldrescue them. What do you long for?
Ancestry was very important to Matthew and otherJews as it gave them an identity. Where does your identity comefrom?