Introduction to Chapter 1 of the Gospel of Matthew

 

The position of the Gospel according to Matthew as the first of the four gospels in the New Testament reflects both the view that it was the first to be written, a view that goes back to the late second century A.D., and the esteem in which it was held by the church; no other was so frequently quoted in the noncanonical literature of earliest Christianity. Although the majority of scholars now reject the opinion about the time of its composition, the high estimation of this work remains. The reason for that becomes clear upon study of the way in which Matthew presents his story of Jesus, the demands of Christian discipleship, and the breaking-in of the new and final age through the ministry but particularly through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

 

The gospel begins with a narrative prologue (Matthew 1:1-2:23), the first part of which is a genealogy of Jesus starting with Abraham, the father of Israel (Matthew 1:1-17). Yet at the beginning of that genealogy Jesus is designated as "the son of David, the son of Abraham" (Matthew 1:1). The kingly ancestor who lived about a thousand years after Abraham is named first, for this is the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the royal anointed one (Matthew 1:16). In the first of the episodes of the infancy narrative that follow the genealogy, the mystery of Jesus' person is declared. He is conceived of a virgin by the power of the Spirit of God (Matthew 1:18-25). The first of the gospel's fulfillment citations, whose purpose it is to show that he was the one to whom the prophecies of Israel were pointing, occurs here (Matthew 1:23): he shall be named Emmanuel, for in him God is with us.

 

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The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of Davis, the son of Abraham.

 

Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.

 

Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram.

 

Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse,

 

Jaeee the father of David the king. David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had beed the wife of Uriah.

 

Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph.

 

Asaph becme the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Jorm the father of Uzziah.

 

Uzziah became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.

 

Hezekiah becme the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah.

 

Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile.

 

After the Babylonian exil, Jechoniah became the father f Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father fo Zerubbabel,

 

Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor,

 

Azor the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eluid,

 

Eluid the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob,

 

Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of the was born Jesus who is called the Messial.

 

Thus, the total number of generations from Abraham to David si fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exil, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exil to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

 

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joesph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit.

 

Joseph her husband, since he was a rigghteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to devorce her quitely.

 

Such was his intension when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.

 

She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

 

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through theprophet:

 

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means "God is with us."

 

When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

 

He had no relations with her until she bore a sone, and he named him Jesus.