How far back can you trace your family? In many cultures, knowing where you have come from is vital. So Matthew begins by establishing Jesus’ identity. If Jesus really was the Messiah (v 1), he had to be descended from Abraham and David. Matthew sets out to prove that he was. Three groups of 14 names make the point (vs 2–6a; 6b–11; 12–16).

Two things about the genealogy stand out. First, the four women: Tamar (v 3), Rahab (v 5), Ruth (v 5) and Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba (v 6). Jewish genealogies rarely included women, but Matthew went further. Instead of choosing respected matriarchs such as Sarah or Rachel, he chooses women who were outsiders. Three were Gentiles: Tamar, Rahab and Ruth. Bathsheba may also have been a Gentile and even if not, she had been married to one. God’s promise to bless all peoples through Abram (Genesis 12:3) was being fulfilled.

Second, they had complicated stories. Tamar was an adulteress, Rahab a prostitute, Ruth was a Moabitess, a group who were not allowed to enter the assembly of the Lord. Finally, Bathsheba had been seduced by David. As David Turner wrote, ‘In saving his people from their sins, Jesus is not bound by race, gender, or even scandal.’* Jesus came for everyone!

*David L Turner, Tyndale Cornerstone Commentary: The Gospel of Matthew, Tyndale House Publishers, 2005, p38

It is a remarkable feature of the Christian faith that we are part of a global family. Rejoice that you are not alone in coming into the Lord’s presence today.

In many parts of the world people are interested in their roots. It is fundamental to their sense of identity. They might be keen, for example, to trace their family tree, motivated by TV programmes which track the heritage of a celebrity. Perhaps the opening verses of Matthew, with the long list of names across multiple generations, might be a surprise to some readers, but not for Jewish people. This was a significant element of their story. Matthew is very deliberate: the genealogy is an important strategy as he demonstrates that the carpenter who walked the shores of Galilee was in fact the fulfilment of God’s promises made over centuries, the focal point of God’s plans. Matthew is raising the most important question of all: who is he?

The list of names is significant at several levels. We notice that there are two giants of the faith: Abraham was the father of the race and David was the father of the royal family. But there is also a significant feature of the genealogy that says a great deal in a world of identity politics. There are five women named: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary. We know that this was highly unusual, since women would not normally feature in such an account. But more than this, look at the women whom Matthew lists: they have very unexpected moral histories and ethnic identities!

Whether Jew or Gentile, male or female, a pagan prostitute or a respectable Jew, they find themselves caught up in the story of the true deliverer, the Saviour of the world. They underline the truth that Paul was later to explain and which is so significant today: ‘There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’¹ 

In a world of division, how can your church more truly celebrate the rich diversity of God’s family?

¹ Gal 3:28, TNIV