This Wednesday we will study Matthew 1:1-17. Please take your time as you study this passage. Take time to look up the names in the Old Tesament. Take time to think about the structure of the genealogy.
Some questions to ask yourself and to consider as you read and re-read the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
1. What is the purpose of Matthew recording a genealogy of Jesus Christ?
2. What is significant about the names listed in the genealogy (Patriarchs, Kings, Women)?
3. The structure of Matthew's genealogy is fourteen generations: Abraham to David, David to deportation, deportation to Christ. What significance, if any, is there to this? Is it an example of gematria? Is it rhetorical? Is it balanced for reasons of memorization, etc.
4. What is the difference of focus and purpose of this genealogy compared to Luke's genealogy (Luke 3:23-38).
Should you have time you might want to review and think about genealogies in Genesis and 1 Chronicles. You may want to see remarks by Josephus in Life 1:1-6 concerning his own family line. You may also want to note the report by Eusebius from Julius Africanus in ECCL. Hist. 1.7; In this report by Eusebius he attempts to explain the difference between Matthew and Luke and how some families keep private family records.
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