Matthew....

[Baby Alice]

So how come Mathew 1 is just a long list of Jesus' family tree?

 

[HTacianas]

So how come Mathew 1 is just a long list of Jesus' family tree?

Back in those days it was important to be able to trace your lineage to establish credibility. A lot of the books of the old testament begin the same.

 

[Ken Rank]

So how come Mathew 1 is just a long list of Jesus' family tree?

Because the promised messiah would be from the line of Judah and Matthew was making the case to Judah (the Jews) that Yeshua was indeed the one prophesied to come.

 

[RaymondG]

Wasnt the line determined by the father's side? Are we saying that Jesus was in fact the son of Joseph?

 

[Halbhh]

So how come Mathew 1 is just a long list of Jesus' family tree?

The first 17 verses, yes. Because this lineage was very useful to Jewish listeners, to help show them how prophecy (in the Old Testament) was fulfilled in Christ, including in the lineage of His earthly parents, just as foretold in scripture.

It's perfectly ok for you to go right to verse 18, and begin there instead. Sometimes I even give people a link to chapter 3 as a starting point, but there is value in reading of the reality of Christ's holy conception, how He was born of the virgin, even if we already know. It's transforming (in a profound way we learn in the Gospel of John) to read scripture with an openness, to truly hear and learn, and let it hit us, the amazing events, and amazing Words of Christ.

 

[Dave-W]

Wasnt the line determined by the father's side? Are we saying that Jesus was in fact the son of Joseph?

Biology meant nothing. Even traditional rabbis understand that. Since Joseph raised Him as his own Child, the lineage went to Him.

 

[RaymondG]

Biology meant nothing. Even traditional rabbis understand that. Since Joseph raised Him as his own Child, the lineage went to Him.

Two posters stated that it was important to show lineage....to show that Jesus was from the bloodline of Judah. Are you saying that this is not the case. Anyone raised by someone in the bloodline can fulfill the prophesy?

 

[Dave-W]

Two posters stated that it was important to show lineage....to show that Jesus was from the bloodline of Judah. Are you saying that this is not the case. Anyone raised by someone in the bloodline can fulfill the prophesy?

I am not saying that at all. What I am saying is that biology did not determine lineage. If you were adopted, that changed your entire lineage. Your birth parents were no longer related to you at all.

 

[RaymondG]

I am not saying that at all. What I am saying is that biology did not determine lineage. If you were adopted, that changed your entire lineage. Your birth parents were no longer related to you at all.

Sounds good. Then the questions is a good one indeed. Why even go through the trouble to list a lineage, when one can change lineage with ease? The list could be blood, or if a name doesnt add up, or cant be traced through blood....we can just assume adoption and everything would still be A-ok.....making a list less relevant.

 

[Phil 1:21]

This...

Back in those days it was important to be able to trace your lineage to establish credibility. A lot of the books of the old testament begin the same.

...and this...

Because the promised messiah would be from the line of Judah and Matthew was making the case to Judah (the Jews) that Yeshua was indeed the one prophesied to come.

 

[icxn]

About ~1600 years ago, St. John Chrysostom wrote some wonderful sermons on Matthew, and what appears to be a trivial listing of names is indeed a source of great spiritual profit. You can access his homilies here*.

________
* I linked to the second homily, which deals with the genealogy in part. Homily iii completes the discourse.