Matthew 1:1 Note

The Gospel of Matthew (see chart below).

"The book of the genealogy" means the family record of descent. The phrase reflects the influence of Genesis (cf. Gen. 5:1). In Matthew the phrase serves as the heading for only the genealogy (vv. 1-17). Verse 18 formally introduces "the birth of Jesus Christ." Both "genealogy" (v. 1) and "birth" (v. 18) translate the Greek word genesis, which is also the title given the first book of the Pentateuch in the LXX (Greek O.T.). A new creation begins with Jesus Christ, the second Adam, just as the beginning of creation is recorded in the Genesis of the O.T., including the book of the genealogy of the first Adam (Gen. 5:1). Though it does not present the theme, the phrase "the book of the genealogy" is suggestive of Matthew's line of thought throughout his Gospel, and binds the gospel narrative which follows to the O.T. by a presentation of O.T. and N.T. fulfillment. "Jesus" is the Latin rendering of the Greek Iesous, which in turn is a rendering of the late Hebrew and Aramaic Yeshua, meaning "Yahweh will save," or "the salvation of the Lord." Verse 21 interprets the name and presents a play on words possible only in the Hebrew: "you shall call His name Jesus [Yeshua], for He will save [yoshia] His people from their sins." In the LXX the title of the Book of Joshua (Yehoshua, Heb.) is Iesous (cf. Acts 7:45; Heb. 4:8). As Joshua led Israel across the Jordan and into the Promised Land, so Jesus brings the new people of God into their heavenly inheritance. "Christ" (Christos, Gk.) renders the Hebrew Messiah, meaning "Anointed One" (cf. John 4:25, note). It is used in the sense of a proper name only three other times in the Gospels (Mark 1:1; Luke 2:11; John 1:17). Judaism expected a kingly son of David to bring political deliverance and to establish the earthly kingdom. This popular messianic hope is alluded to in the genealogy, which points to God's covenant promise to Abraham (v. 2; cf. Gen. 12:3) and to David (v. 6; 2 Sam. 7:12-29). The use of "Son of David" implies the supernatural essence and sonship of Jesus. Through Abraham, son of Terah and descendant of Shem (cf. Gen. 9:26, 27), all the families of the earth were to be blessed by the Messiah (Gen. 12:2, 3; 18:18; 22:18; cf. John 8:56; Heb. 11:13, 17-19). This idea is given expression in Luke 19:9 and is further developed by Paul (see Rom. 4-11; Gal. 3; 4). Matthew affirms Jesus to be the divinely anointed Messiah, the fulfillment of O.T. expectations, the true heir of David's throne, the genuine "Son of Abraham."