Tuesday of the
Third Week in Advent
(Genesis 49:2.8-10; Matthew 1:1-17)
Most people find genealogies “interesting.” They look for characteristics of earlier
generations in later ones. But this is
not Matthew’s purpose in beginning his gospel with Jesus’ genealogy. Rather he wants to how show God fulfills his
promise to Abraham. Abraham was to be
the “father of many nations.” That plan
is realized when Jesus sends apostles to all nations making them one family.
The plan meets high hurdles at various points. These are marked in the genealogy by the
mention of women: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and the wife of Uriah. These women were either foreigners or the
wife of a foreigner. But God has little
difficulty integrating them into Jesus’ lineage. Mary’s name is also given as the mother of
Jesus. Joseph, her husband, is not Jesus’
father although he provides his Davidic lineage. It is learned a bit later that Mary conceived
Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
We should see in the genealogy a model for how God
works. He has prepared for His Son’s
coming into the world through Old Testament figures. There are anomalies but nothing stops the
continuity. When Jesus is about to be
born, something as wonderful as it is new happens. Jesus is conceived of a virgin. He is not only human but divine as well. He is worth our full attention. In the end we will see that he is worth
everything we have. He is worth our very
lives.
