This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus ChristThe opening phrase establishes the purpose of the passage: to present the lineage of Jesus. Genealogies were crucial in Jewish culture for establishing identity, inheritance, and fulfilling prophecies. This genealogy connects Jesus to significant figures in Jewish history, affirming His rightful place in the line of David and Abraham. The term "record" indicates a written account, emphasizing the importance of documenting Jesus' heritage.
Jesus Christ
The name "Jesus" is derived from the Hebrew "Yeshua," meaning "Yahweh is salvation." "Christ" is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew "Messiah," meaning "Anointed One." This title affirms Jesus as the promised deliverer and king, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies about the coming Messiah. The use of both names together underscores His role as Savior and King.
The son of David
This phrase highlights Jesus' royal lineage. David was Israel's greatest king, and God promised him that his throne would be established forever (2 Samuel 7:12-16). By identifying Jesus as the "son of David," the text asserts His legal right to the throne of Israel and His fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant. This connection is crucial for Jewish readers who anticipated a Messiah from David's line.
The son of Abraham
Abraham is the patriarch of the Jewish people, and God's covenant with him included the promise that all nations would be blessed through his offspring (Genesis 12:3). By tracing Jesus' lineage to Abraham, the text emphasizes that Jesus is the fulfillment of this promise, bringing blessings to all nations. This connection also underscores Jesus' role in God's redemptive plan, which began with Abraham and culminates in Christ.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
Jesus ChristCentral figure of the New Testament, believed by Christians to be the Messiah and the Son of God. The name "Jesus" is derived from the Hebrew name "Yeshua," meaning "Yahweh is salvation." "Christ" is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew "Messiah," meaning "Anointed One."
2.
DavidThe second king of Israel, a man after God's own heart, and a significant figure in Jewish history. He is often seen as a type of Christ, with his lineage being crucial to the messianic prophecy.
3.
AbrahamThe patriarch of the Israelites, whose faith and covenant with God are foundational to Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. His name means "father of many," and he is a key figure in the genealogy of Jesus, representing the promise of blessing to all nations.
Teaching Points
The Fulfillment of ProphecyMatthew 1:1 highlights the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah's lineage. This underscores the reliability and divine inspiration of Scripture.
The Importance of GenealogyThe genealogy of Jesus connects Him to significant figures in Jewish history, affirming His rightful place as the Messiah. It reminds us of God's faithfulness across generations.
Faith and PromiseThe mention of Abraham and David emphasizes the importance of faith and God's promises. Believers are encouraged to trust in God's promises, knowing they are fulfilled in Christ.
Identity in ChristUnderstanding Jesus' lineage helps believers grasp their identity in Christ, as heirs to the promises made to Abraham and David.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Matthew 1:1?
2.How does Matthew 1:1 affirm Jesus' lineage as "son of David, son of Abraham"?
3.Why is Jesus' genealogy important for understanding His role as the Messiah?
4.How does Matthew 1:1 connect to Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah?
5.What significance does Jesus' lineage have for our faith and daily life?
6.How can acknowledging Jesus' fulfillment of prophecy strengthen our trust in Scripture?
7.Why does Matthew 1:1 emphasize Jesus' genealogy as the son of David and Abraham?
8.How does Matthew 1:1 establish Jesus' legitimacy as the Messiah?
9.What is the significance of the genealogy in Matthew 1:1 for Jewish audiences?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Matthew 1?
11.How does Jesus exemplify human qualities and experiences?
12.Matthew 1:1 – If Jesus is the Messiah from David’s line, how is this claim verified when Joseph is not his biological father?
13.How do we reconcile different genealogies of Jesus in Matthew and Luke?
14.What are the main themes in the Book of Matthew?What Does Matthew 1:1 Mean
This is the record- Matthew opens with confident, eyewitness certainty. The phrase signals a historical document, not folklore (cf.Luke 1:3–4: “to write you an orderly account… so that you may know the certainty”).
- It invites readers to lean in: God has acted in real time, through real people.
- The word “record” also echoes1 John 1:1–3, where the apostles declare what they have “heard,” “seen,” and “touched.” Scripture anchors faith in verifiable events.
of the genealogy- Genealogies in Scripture trace God’s faithfulness across generations (Genesis 5:1; 10:1;1 Chronicles 1–9).
- For Israel, lineage preserved tribal inheritance and priestly legitimacy (Numbers 1:18;Ezra 2:62).
- Matthew’s genealogy proves Jesus fits every covenant requirement. It links:
• Creation to Abraham (promise)
• Abraham to David (kingdom)
• David to the exile (discipline)
• Exile to Christ (deliverance)
- By starting with a genealogy, Matthew shows that God’s long-range plan culminates in Jesus.
of Jesus Christ- “Jesus” means “The LORD saves” (Matthew 1:21); “Christ” is the title “Messiah,” God’s anointed King.
- The verse identifies the central figure: not another prophet, but the promised Savior (John 20:31: “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God”).
-Acts 2:36 declares, “God has made this Jesus… both Lord and Christ.” Matthew will unfold how His words, works, death, and resurrection validate that claim.
the son of David- God swore an everlasting throne to David’s line (2 Samuel 7:12-16;Psalm 89:3-4).
- Prophets amplified that hope: “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end… on David’s throne” (Isaiah 9:6-7).
- By calling Jesus “Son of David,” Matthew affirms:
• He is rightful heir to Israel’s throne (Matthew 21:9; 22:42-45).
• He fulfills messianic expectations of a righteous, victorious King (Jeremiah 23:5-6).
• He will reign eternally, not temporarily.
the son of Abraham- God’s covenant with Abraham promised a land, a nation, and global blessing (Genesis 12:1-3; 22:18).
- “Son of Abraham” spotlights Jesus as:
• The seed through whom “all nations will be blessed” (Galatians 3:8, 16).
• The embodiment of faith and obedience, succeeding where Israel faltered (Matthew 4:1-11 parallels Israel’s wilderness test).
- Matthew thus signals that Jesus’ mission includes Gentiles from the outset (Matthew 8:11; 28:19).
summaryMatthew 1:1 serves as a headline for the whole Gospel. It testifies that the life of Jesus is a historically grounded record, the culmination of God’s covenant story. He is the promised Christ, heir to David’s throne, and the long-awaited descendant of Abraham who brings salvation to Israel and blessing to the world.
(1)
The book of the generation.--The opening words of the Gospel show that it is written by a Jew for Jewish readers. They are an essentially Hebrew formula (as in
Genesis 5:1), and were applied chiefly though not exclusively (
Genesis 37:2) to genealogies such as that which follows here.
Jesus Christ.--The collocation of names was not so much a thing of course when St. Matthew wrote as it now seems to us. There were many who bore the name of Jesus--e.g., Jesus the son or Sirach, Jesus surnamed Justus (Colossians 4:11), possibly even Jesus Bar-abbas (Matthew 27:17). It was necessary to state that the genealogy that followed was that of Jesus the Messiah, the true "anointed" of the Lord.
The son of David.--This, of course, was added as the most popular of all the names of the expected Christ, owned alike by scribes and Rabbis (Matthew 22:42), by children (Matthew 21:9), and by the poor (Matthew 15:22;Matthew 20:30). . . .
Verse 1. -
The book of the generation. As St. Matthew was writing only for Jews, and they, by reason of their Old Testament prophecies, looked for the Messiah to be born of a certain family, he begins his Gospel with a pedigree of Jesus. In this he mentions, by way of introduction, the two points to which his countrymen would have special regard - the descent of Jesus from David, the founder of the royal line, him in whose descendants the Ruler of Israel must necessarily (
2 Samuel 7:13-16) be looked for; and also from Abraham, who was the head of the covenant nation, and to whom the promise had been given that in his seed all the nations of the earth should bless themselves (
Genesis 22:18;
Genesis 12:3). After this he proceeds to fill up the intervening steps in the genealogy. The spelling of the names in the Authorized Version accords with the Greek, and so varies from the Old Testament orthography; but for the sake of the English reader it is certainly advisable to do what has been done in the Revised Version, viz. to conform the spelling to that of the Old Testament, and, where the Greek varies much, to put that form in the margin. It is better to write
Rahab than
Raehab, and
Shealtiel than
Salathiel. Those who read the Greek Gospels when these were first written read also the Old Testament in Greek, and so were in no confusion. The first verse of the Gospel is doubtless intended as a preface to what is contained in vers. 2-17. It is, indeed, true that the phrase, "the book of the generation" (
βίβλοςγενέσεως, equivalent to
sepher toledoth,
Genesis 5.1), might
in itself point rather to events and works connected with the active life of him whose name it precedes (cf. the use of
toledoth in
Genesis 5:1;
Genesis 6:9;
Genesis 10:1; even Genesis 2:4,
et al.) ,
and thus might refer to the whole of ch. 1. (Kubel), or even the whole of the First Gospel (Keil); yet the addition of
theSon of David, the Son of Abraham, by summarizing the genealogy, limits the reference of ver. 1 to this alone. Observe
(1) that the same word (γένεσις) recurs in ver. 18; but being withoutβίβλος, has a slightly different meaning;
(2) that the word translated" generation" in ver. 17 isγενέα, and means a single stratum of human life. The evangelist uses the name Jesus Christ here as a proper name, customary in later Christian circles (cf.John 1:17, and especially the traces of development from1 Corinthians 12:3 andRomans 10:9 toPhilippians 2:11). "Christ" is not used in its signification of "Messiah," or "Anointed," till ver. 17, where it would be better rendered "the Christ."
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
[This is the] recordΒίβλος(Biblos)Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 976:Properly, the inner bark of the papyrus plant, i.e. a sheet or scroll of writing.of [the] genealogyγενέσεως(geneseōs)Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1078:Birth, lineage, descent. From the same as genea; nativity; figuratively, nature.of JesusἸησοῦ(Iēsou)Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424:Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.Christ,Χριστοῦ(Christou)Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547:Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.[the] sonυἱοῦ(huiou)Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 5207:A son, descendent. Apparently a primary word; a 'son', used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship.of David,Δαυὶδ(Dauid)Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 1138:David, King of Israel. Of Hebrew origin; Dabid, the Israelite king.[the] sonυἱοῦ(huiou)Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 5207:A son, descendent. Apparently a primary word; a 'son', used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship.of Abraham:Ἀβραάμ(Abraam)Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 11:Abraham, progenitor of the Hebrew race. Of Hebrew origin; Abraham, the Hebrew patriarch.
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NT Gospels: Matthew 1:1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus (Matt. Mat Mt) 
