Armenian Cross Matthew 1

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ
(1)The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
💬 Notes Verse 1:
1:1 Jesus means “O Lord, save,” referring to His role as Savior (v. 21). Christ means “Anointed One,” the
Messiah, the One who is filled with the Holy Spirit (see Jn 1:33). Though the Son alone became Man, God
the Father and the Holy Spirit work in Jesus Christ to save us. Jesus became Man as a Jew, from the
lineage of Abraham, the father of all Jews, and of David, Israel’s greatest king and the prototype of the
royal Messiah. This genealogy reveals that the Son of God so identifies with the human condition that He
takes it all on Himself and becomes part of it. Christ's ancestry includes both righteous and wicked
people, faithful kings and murderers, Jews and Gentiles, kings and peasants.
(2)Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers.
💬 Notes Verse 2:
While Luke’s genealogy runs from Jesus back to Adam (Lk 3:23-38), Matthew's list descends from
Abraham,with whom God established the Old Covenant of circumcision, to Jesus, the author of the New
Covenant. God promised to bless all the tribes of the earth in Abraham (Gn 12:3; 28:14); this
promise is fulfilled in Abraham’s greatest Son, Jesus Christ.
(3)Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram.
💬 Notes Verse 3:
1:3 Jewish genealogical lists normally included only men. The mention of women (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and
Bathsheba) is unusual. Each one was either a Gentile or a sinner. The inclusion of these women declares
God's graciousness and prefigures the calling of Gentiles into the Church. It also underscores the role of
women in God's plan of salvation and anticipates the special place of the Virgin Mary in that plan.

(4)Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon.
(5)Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse,
(6)and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.
💬 Notes Verse 6:
1:6 Through anointing by Samuel, David was made king. Through his psalms, David was revealed as a great
prophet. Thus, David foreshadows both the royal and the prophetic nature of Jesus Christ (Ps 109). As an
adulterer and a murderer, David also functions as a type for all repentant sinners.

(7)Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa.
(8)Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah.
(9)Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah.
(10)Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah.
(11)Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon.
(12)And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel.
(13)Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor.
(14)Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud.
(15)Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob.
(16)And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.
💬 Notes Verse 16:
1:16 Joseph can be named as Jesus’ immediate predecessor since OT marriage laws confer hereditary rights
on adopted as well as biological sons. The church fathers teach, Mary also was descended from David; of
whom is feminine in Greek, referring only to Mary. Thus, Jesus is shown to be born of Mary, and not
begotten of Joseph. (See also note on Lk 3:23-38.)

(17)So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.
💬 Notes Verse 17:
1:17 Christ's ancestors are arranged in three groups of fourteen generations. Fourteen is the numerical
equivalent of the consonants in the name David, underlining Jesus’ descent from David. This a so shows the
division of the leadership of the Jews, being under judges until David, under kings unti Babylon, and under
priests until Christ.

Christ Born of Mary
(18)Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
(19)Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
💬 Notes Verse 19:
1:19 The righteousness of Joseph consisted of a mercy that transcends the Law (Hos 6:6). Joseph showed
this mercy by his unwillingness to expose Mary’s supposed sin, even though he was obliged by the Law
to do so. Her husband: The Bible calls engaged couples husband and wife before their marriage (Rachel
was called the wife of Jacob before marriage by virtue of their engagement in Gn 29:21; see also Dt
22:23, 24). Thus, Joseph is called the husband of Mary, and Mary is called his wife (vv. 20, 24). In
the Church, Joseph is remembered as the Betrothed, pointing out Mary's ever-virginity. (See also note
on Est 2:7.)

(20)But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
💬 Notes Verse 20:
1:20 An angel (or "messenger") of the Lord dispels Joseph’s false reasoning by announcing the utterly
unreasonable: the pregnancy of the Virgin is by the Holy Spirit. Being born of a virgin proves Christ’s
divinity, only a revelation by God could serve as adequate evidence of this miracle.

(21)And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
(22)So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:
💬 Notes Verse 22:
1:22 Matthew repeatedly uses the formula that it might be fulfilled which was spoken (see 2:15, 23; 4:14;
8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 26:56; 27:35). This underscores the intervention of God throughout history,
demonstrates the continuity between the Old and New Covenants, and indicates the beginning of the new
creation.

(23)“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
💬 Notes Verse 23:
1:23 The conception of Jesus fulfills Is 7:14, where we are told that a virgin would conceive and bear a Son.
He who is conceived in Mary is not a new Person coming into existence but the eternal Son of God now using her womb as His throne. Both the virginal conception by means of the Holy Spirit and the name immanuel, God with us declare Christ's divinity.

(24)Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife,
(25)and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.
💬 Notes Verse 25:
1:25 The use of the word till does not imply that Joseph had marital relations with Mary after the Savior's birth. In the Bible, this word (sometimes translated “to") is often used to express a situation that actually continues after the event mentioned (see 28:20; Gn 8:7; Dt 34:6; 2Kg 6:23). The witness of the entire Church throughout history is that Mary remained a virgin for life. Firstborn: See note on Lk 2:7.