Joseph the Husband of Mary Matthew 1:16

Matthew was a Jew, writing specifically to the Jews about a Jew whose name was Jesus. Matthew employs many Old Testament references throughout his book as to prove that Jesus is indeed the Messiah for whom the Jewish people awaited. Matthew began his book with the words, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham”, and he included, “Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judas and his brethren, Phares and Zara of Thamar, Esrom, Aram, Aminadab, Naasson, Salmon, Booz of Rachab, Obed of Ruth and Jesse, David the king, and Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias, Roboam, Abia, Asa, Josaphat, Joram, Ozias, Joatham, Achaz, Ezekias, Manasses, Amon and Josias, Jechonias and his brethren, Salthiel, Zorobabel, Abiud, Eliakim, Azor, Sadoc, Achim, Eliud, Eleazar, Matthan and Jacob”. In chapter one and verse sixteen of his book, Matthew shares the lineage of Jesus through “Joseph the husband of Mary” where we read:

And Jacob beget Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

The verse reads, “And Jacob beget Joseph the husband of Mary, ...” Matthew began with the words, “and Jacob” which means “heel-catcher or supplanter” “beget Joseph” or “fathered or engendered Joseph whose name means let him add” “the husband” or “the adult man married” “of Mary” which means “belonging to Mary which means their rebellion” and refers to “the mother of Jesus”. Matthew shared how “Jacob” fathered “Joseph” who was “Mary's” husband.

The verse continues, “... of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” Matthew added the words, “of whom” which means “of Mary” “was born” or “was begotten and birthed” “Jesus” which means “Jehovah is Salvation” and is “the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate”, “who is called” which means “who is affirmed, named, maintained and spoken of as” “Christ” or “the anointed One, the Messiah and the Son of God”. Matthew shared how “Jesus” the Messiah was birthed by Mary.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we have come to the father, “Joseph”, and mother, “Mary”, of Jesus whose very name means “Jehovah is Salvation”. God, through the Holy Spirit, directed Matthew to share this lineage of Jesus because He desired to show the world that His Son Jesus came to save them from their sins. Jesus is the Messiah. He came through Abraham, David and these people so that mankind would have “everlasting life” with God. May all who read these words see the importance of this genealogical line and bow their knee to the One true Messiah Jesus who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus came through two sets of, “fourteen generations”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.