The Genealogy of Jesus

Homily for December 17

It is no secret that I enjoy reading the opening chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew, the passage that we used to refer to as the “begats.” Though it seems like it is simply a long list of names of people we hardly remember, it is, in fact, a rich introduction to the St. Matthew’s Gospel.

St. Matthew wrote his Gospel for a community that consisted of both Jewish and Gentile Christians. To the former, knowledgeable of the Jewish Scriptures, these names were tied to their history, beginning in Genesis, in which God engaged in self-revelation to the children of Israel and called them into a covenant relationship. For the latter, unfamiliar with God’s activity in human history, St. Matthew’s use of Jesus’ ancestors, which includes both Gentiles and those married to non-Jews, signifies that the covenantal relationship that God entered into with the Jews will be extended to all people.

There are other literary devices used here that give us an appreciation of all that is encompassed in God’s saving plan. One of those is St. Matthew’s reference to the Exile which parallels Jesus to Moses. As “the new Moses,” Jesus will come out of Egypt, wander the desert for forty days, and bring down his new law from the mountain in the Sermon on the Mount. He will not abolish but fulfill the Law, and as such all (not just the chosen ones) are free to be in relationship with God.

I feel compelled to mention one other interesting novelty in this genealogy, particularly as this is predominantly a female community. Four different women are mentioned in this family tree. Their inclusion by St. Matthew is nothing short of revolutionary for this patriarchal society. Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba are all remarkable women who foreshadow that Jesus’ entry into human history will itself be something revolutionary as he is born of a virgin.

The beauty of this genealogy – and all of salvation history – is what we who inherit the faith from our ancestors come from a long line of perfectly imperfect human beings. Our past is full of untold numbers of sinners and saints, as is our future. Yet we are all connected through baptism to the family of Christ. We are sisters and brothers to the King, and heirs to the eternal kingdom of God. For Christ’s salvation is a gift offered to the entire world.