Matteus 1:1

THE WORDING OF the first verse of the New Testament directs our thoughts back to the first book of the Old, inasmuch as "generation" is the translation of the Greek word, genesis. Matthew in particular, and the whole New Testament in general, is "The book of the genesis of Jesus Christ." When we refer back to Genesis, we find that book divides into eleven sections, and all of them save the first begin with a statement about "generations." The third section commences, "This is the book of the generations of Adam" (Matt. 5:1); and the whole Old Testament unrolls for us the sad story of Adam and his race, ending with terrible appropriateness in the word, "curse." With what great relief we can turn from the generations of Adam to "the generation of Jesus Christ," for here we shall find the introduction of grace; and upon that note the New Testament ends.

In the midst of very many names and generations in the Bible there are but two "books of generations" — "the book of the generation of Adam," and "the book of the generation of Jesus Christ." In the former (Genesis 5) we read over and over again, "and he died" (Enoch the exception). We need not elaborate — "death has passed upon all men." But in "the book of the generation of Jesus Christ" (Matthew 1) the sovereign mercy of God would include the names of four women who otherwise would have no claim to be there; three openly wrongdoers and one a stranger to God's people — a universal testimony to God's abounding grace.

The New Testament commences — "the book of the generation of Jesus Christ" and in it the blessed God has been pleased to reveal the eternal secrets of His heart of love.

As Son of David He shall maintain in the fullest degree the rights of God's throne and government; as Son of Abraham He shall be manifestly seen as the Yea and Amen of every promise of God.

Jesus is at once presented in a two-fold way. He is Son of David, and hence the royal crown that God originally bestowed on David belongs to Him. He is also Son of Abraham, hence He has the title to the land and all the promised blessing is vested in Him.

In this "book of generations" the Lord Jesus is presented first as "Son of David" and then "Son of Abraham," a different order from that line of succession which follows — the rights of God's throne must first be upheld before His promises in grace and mercy can be dispensed.

"The book," he says, "of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham." These are the two principal landmarks to which a Jew turns:— royalty given by the grace of God in the one, and the original depository of the promise in the other.

If Christ be confessedly David's Son, how does David in spirit call Him Lord? It is the grand capital truth of all this gospel of Matthew, that He who was the Son of David, the Son of Abraham, was really Emmanuel, and Jehovah.

The object of the Spirit of God, in this Gospel, being to present Jehovah as fulfilling the promises made to Israel, and the prophecies that relate to the Messiah (and no one can fail to be struck with the number of references to their fulfilment), He commences with the genealogy of the Lord, starting from David and Abraham, the two stocks from which the Messianic genealogy sprang, and to which the promises had been made. The genealogy is divided into three periods, conformably to three great divisions of the history of the people: from Abraham to the establishment of royalty, in the person of David; from the establishment of royalty to the captivity; and from the captivity to Jesus.

We may observe that the Holy Ghost mentions, in this genealogy, the grievous sins committed by the persons whose names are given, magnifying the sovereign grace of God who could bestow a Saviour in connection with such sins as those of Judah, with a poor Moabitess brought in amidst His people, and with crimes like those of David.

The Gospel of Matthew presents our Lord evidently in connection with the Hebrew nation, and more particularly as King of the Jews. Thus we find His genealogy is given from Abraham on through David to Joseph, the lineal, legal heir to the throne of David. Our Lord is here presented as the Son of Abraham and Son of David. As the Son of Abraham, He is linked with Israel as a whole — we might add, with the whole house of faith as well — and as Son of David, He is more particularly connected with those promises of kingship which God made to David: "Once have I sworn by My holiness, that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me" (Ps. 89:35-36).

"The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham" (Matthew 1:1). Then further down that same chapter "Behold, a virgin shall be with child," (v. 23). Here in the first chapter of the New Testament we see the promises of God fulfilled. Taking those promises in the order in which they were historically given, we read that Jesus was the seed of the woman, the seed of Abraham and the seed of David. The birth of Jesus Christ was the fulfilment of all three. Thus we see that Matthew, chapter 1, is an outstanding witness to the faithfulness of God.