Jesus Royal Lineage

Matthew asserts that Jesus is the Supreme Ruler (Jesus is the Sovereign King), with his lineage tracing back to King David (1:1) and fulfilling the role of the Messiah, who was prophesied to come from the lineage of Abraham (1:1). Matthew methodically details Jesus’ legal lineage from Abraham, emphasizing that he is not just descended from Adam, but specifically from the line of Israelite kings. This confirms Jesus as the promised King. He establishes Jesus’ royal lineage as coming from King David and Abraham, fulfilling the prophecy of the Messiah – He is the promised King!. The one who will bring the blessing of Abraham to the entire world. He is the long-awaited royal son of David, the fulfillment of the prophets’ and psalmists’ writings.

Why 14 generations?

Matthew has deliberately structured Jesus’ genealogy into groups of 14, as he explains in 1:17: “So all the generations from Abraham to David were 14 generations; and from David until the exile to Babylon, 14 generations; and from the exile to Babylon until the Messiah, 14 generations.” This arrangement has a purpose that is rooted in the Hebrew name for King David.

Matthew chose to structure his genealogy around the number 14 because the Hebrew letters(gematria) in King David’s name (דוד) add up to 14 (ד [dalet] + ו [vav] + ד [dalet] = 4 + 6 + 4 = 14), and David is the fourteenth name listed in the genealogy. This emphasis on David is intentional, as Matthew uses the number 14 to highlight Jesus’ connection to King David and present his genealogy in a distinctly Jewish manner.

3 sets of 14 Generations:

In Matthew’s genealogy, David’s name appears as the fourteenth on the list. David is the first person mentioned and his lineage is promised to establish a kingdom for all eternity by God (2 Samuel 7). Abraham, listed first in the genealogy, is the one through whom God promised to bless the whole world (Genesis 12:1-3; 15:1-6). The first set of fourteen generations in Matthew’s genealogy leads up to King David, and there are two more sets of fourteen generations following.

The second set of fourteen generations in Matthew’s genealogy includes some kings who honored the Lord, but most of them were wicked and led the people of God into sin and idolatry. This resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile to Babylon, as prophesied by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 52).

The third set of fourteen generations in Matthew’s genealogy, as described in verses 12-16, documents the lineage of Jesus from the Babylonian exile until his birth.

Jesus – He is the Savior

Matthew highlights that Jesus is not only a King but also the Savior. The name “Jesus” comes from the Greek version of the Hebrew name “Yeshua” or “Joshua,” which means “Yahweh saves” or “The Lord is salvation.” The angel who appeared to Joseph later in the chapter also affirmed this, instructing him to name Mary’s son “Jesus” because He would save His people from their sins.

In the Old Testament, Joshua was the leader appointed by God to lead the Israelites into the promised land. Similarly, Jesus is the leader appointed by God to guide sinners into eternal life. Just as Joshua was faithful in fulfilling God’s plan for Israel, Jesus is faithful in fulfilling God’s plan for humanity by providing salvation through His death and resurrection.

Jesus – He is the Messiah

Indeed, the title “Christ” or “Messiah” is a significant one in the Jewish context, as it carries the weight of the long-awaited promise of a powerful deliverer who would save God’s people. By referring to Jesus as “Christ,” Matthew is declaring that Jesus is the fulfillment of this promise and the long-awaited Messiah. The title “Christ” (or “Messiah” in Hebrew) was a highly significant and long-awaited title in Jewish culture and religion. The Old Testament prophesied about the coming of a Messiah who would be a great king and deliverer for the people of Israel. By applying this title to Jesus, Matthew is making a bold statement that Jesus is the fulfillment of these ancient prophecies and that He is the long-awaited Messiah that the Jewish people had been anticipating for generations.

Jesus – He is the son of David

God promised David that his descendant would sit on the throne and rule over Israel forever. This promise was fulfilled in Jesus, who is called the Son of David throughout the New Testament. In fact, when Jesus entered Jerusalem on what we now celebrate as Palm Sunday, the crowds shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Matt 21:9) They recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah, the one who would restore the kingdom to Israel and reign on the throne forever.

• “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” (Matthew 1:1)
• “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David.” (Luke 1:31-32)
• “Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” (John 7:42)
• “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel.” (2 Timothy 2:8)

The concept of a messianic figure descending from the lineage of David was established in the Old Testament (2 Samuel 7:12-16, Isaiah 11:1-10, Jeremiah 23:5-6), and it was an important expectation among the Jewish people. The title “Son of David” became a shorthand for the promised Messiah who would restore Israel to its former glory. By calling Jesus the “Son of David,” the New Testament writers are clearly indicating that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah.

Furthermore, Jesus himself is addressed as the “Son of David” in various instances in the gospels, such as when he heals the blind man in Mark 10:46-52 and when he enters Jerusalem in triumph in Matthew 21:9.

Ezekiel 37:24-25:

My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow My ordinances, and keep My statutes and obey them. They will live in the land that I gave to My servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They will live in it forever with their children and grandchildren, and My servant David will be their prince forever.

Isaiah 11:1-3a,10:

Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him— a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. His delight will be in the fear of the LORD

a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. His delight will be in the fear of the LORD

On that day the root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will seek Him, and His resting place will be glorious.

Jeremiah 23:5-6:

“The days are coming”—this is the LORD‘s declaration— “when I will raise up a Righteous Branch of David.

Isaiah 9:6-7:

For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.