Matthew 1

Summary. Chapter 1 features promises and fulfillment of prophecies that God has made with mankind regarding the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1) The Lord’s fulfillment of His promise to Abraham and David regarding blessing their seed through the birth of King Jesus. The Lord Jesus is a King, and many children are brought into the Kingdom of God through Him. 2) The genealogy of the Lord Jesus shows that Joseph cannot be the biological father of King Jesus since he descends from the cursed line of King Jechoniah. 3) The Lord Jesus is the Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit through the Virgin Mary, and He is the true blessing for the human race. 4) Mary is the most blessed woman, but she is not an angel, and after the birth of the Lord Jesus, she lived a regular life as the wife of Joseph.

[1] A book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, Son of David, Son of Abraham.

Comments Matthew 1:1 "Son of David." The Lord fulfilled His unconditional promise to David (See 2 Samuel 7:12-13, Psalm 89:35-36, Psalm 132:11).
"Son of Abraham." The Lord fulfilled His unconditional promise to Abraham (See Gen 22:5-18, Gen 17:19).

[2] Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judah and his brothers;

[3] and Judah begat Perez and Zerah of Tamar; and Perez begat Hezron; and Hezron begat Ram;

[4] and Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon; and Nahshon begat Salmon;

[5] and Salmon begat Boaz of Rahab; and Boaz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;

[6] and Jesse begat David the king.
And David begat Solomon of the wife of Uriah;

[7] and Solomon begat Rehoboam; and Rehoboam begat Abijah; and Abijah begat Asa;

Comments Matthew 1:7 Starting with Solomon, the kingship covenant becomes conditional (See Psalm 132:12, 1 Chronicles 22:6-13, 1 Kings 8:22-28, 1 Kings 2:1-4).

[8] and Asa begat Jehoshaphat; and Jehoshaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Uzziah;

[9] and Uzziah begat Jotham; and Jotham begat Ahaz; and Ahaz begat Hezekiah;

[10] and Hezekiah begat Manasseh; and Manasseh begat Amon; and Amon begat Josiah;

[11] and Josiah begat Jechoniah and his brothers, at the deportation to Babylon.

Comments Matthew 1:11 The Lord pronounces a curse on Jechoniah and his children (See Jeremiah 22:24-30).

[12] And after the deportation to Babylon, Jechoniah begat Shealtiel; and Shealtiel begat Zerubbabel;

[13] and Zerubbabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;

[14] and Azor begat Zadok; and Zadok 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.

Comments Matthew 1:16 This Jacob is believed to be the adoptive father of Joseph and also the uncle of Joseph.

[17] So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon unto the Christ fourteen generations.

Comments Matthew 1:17 Some generations were not counted here in the genealogy of the Lord Jesus because they disobeyed the commandments of the Lord.

[18] Now the birth of Jesus Christ was in this manner: His mother Mary having been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found in womb having a child of the Holy Spirit.

Comments Matthew 1:18 The Holy Spirit dwelled in the egg of Mary to make the egg conceive – God to be a Man.

[19] And Joseph, her husband, being righteous and not wishing to expose her publicly, was minded to send her away privately.

[20] But he, having pondered on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take to you Mary, your wife; for that having been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

Comments Matthew 1:20 As shown by the genealogy given here, Joseph was the caretaker of the Lord Jesus, and through him, it was fulfilled the unconditional prophecy given to King David.
“for that having been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” It is a wonderful experience for God to be a human and to make people see Him in the Lord Jesus. People cannot say anymore that God doesn’t know what it is to be a human.

[21] And she will bring forth a Son, and you must call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.

[22] Then all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,

[23] Behold, the virgin will conceive in womb, and will bring forth a Son,
And they will call His name Immanuel;
which is, being interpreted, God with us.

[24] Then Joseph arose from the sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and received his wife;

[25] and knew her not until she had brought forth a Son; and he called His name JESUS.

Comments Matthew 1:25 Mary is the most blessed woman. She is, however, not an angel, so she had a normal relationship with Joseph after the Lord Jesus was born.
"he called His name JESUS." The Lord Jesus is the true blessing for the human race.

Life and Faith Applications. 1) The Lord is a faithful God who always fulfills His promises to His children. 2) The virgin birth is a crucial foundation of our faith, and we must believe that the Holy Spirit is the physical Father of our Lord Jesus, and He was the One who made Virgin Mary pregnant with our Lord Jesus to bring to earth a miracle “God be a Man.”