The
Genealogy of Jesus Christ
Whenever
we tell of the Christmas story, we used to begin with the couple Mary and
Joseph. However, the evangelist Matthew insists that the Christmas story has to
begin with the genealogy of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:1-17).
Yet
there is no glamour found in this genealogy; on the contrary, it's a deteriorating
genealogy. So there must be something intriguing there, to draw our interest to
understand why!
Matthew's
genealogy is divided into three phases, each phase containing fourteen
generations.
At
the end of first phase, King David is ushered in, "and Jesse the father of
David the king ......" (1: 6a), at this point this genealogy reaches its
highest point. In all the names listed in the genealogy, only David has the
title of a king and but he also retains a criminal record: "And David was
the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah" (1: 6b)!
After
this climax point, King David's dynasty went downhill, and finally at the end
of the second phase of the genealogy, the Israelite nation perished: "and
Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation
to Babylon
The
third phase begins immediately, starting with a string of unknown minor
characters in the conquerors’ land, they appeared but shortly vanished. From
royal family becoming commoners, from glamour reduced to memory. This third
group of fourteen generations passes by likes smoke.
If
this is our own genealogy, we will want to bury it not letting it known to
people. But again, who can choose their own family line?
We
are not born with choices for our nationality, races, gender or upbringing
environment. We have to accept them, even with grudges how much one
dislike them. Some people may accept and take responsibility whether in honour
or in shame, but some people we see, tries hard to escape.
The
Holy Son Jesus Christ Embraces the Declining Genealogy
If
there should be someone who is able to choose his own family line, that person
must be Jesus, being him as the Son of God! But this Son of God, the only person
who has a right to choose his own genealogy, he embraces a declining genealogy.
Isn’t
it true that the Son of God can do as like those martial arts heroes, suddenly
appears into the scene intervening to combat evil, restore justice and then
disappear right away?
Why
must he give up the identity of an outsider, but counted himself as a member of
the disgraced family?
By
doing this, he thoroughly embraces the human tragedy, shame, struggle, defeat,
to be his painful experience. For this reason, this declined genealogy will
always be known after (till our modern times) as the genealogy of Jesus
Christ"(1: 1).
I
think that, God through Jesus Christ Incarnate is telling us that as long as it
is our human genealogy, God would heartily embrace it to make it the genealogy
of Jesus Christ. As long as it is our story, he would embrace it to make it his
story.
God
loves us so radically that he accepts us to a degree far more than we could
have imagined. For the dark side, defeat and humiliation inside us that we
ourselves even choose to ignore, Jesus would bear it without regret. As long as
they come from us, they always belong to him as well.
Now
the problem is not with God but is with us. Do we really believe that God loves
us to that unimaginable degree? Are we still indifferent to God’s love?
When
Jesus Embraces Such Genealogy, We Have Hope for a Better Tomorrow
This
genealogy is surprisingly neat: three times fourteen generations, no more and
no less! It is concluded this way: “So all the generations from Abraham to
David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen
generations, and from the deportation to Babylon
14
is a multiple of 7 and 7 represents completion. Historically each fourteenth
generation completes a phase and marks a beginning of a new phase. The number
computation of genealogy tells us two important truths:
First
of all, God the Father does not embrace us only from the day when the Son
incarnated. God already loves humankind since the ancient years, and throughout
the highs or lows in history, his loving-kindness to us never ceases.
Second,
God is never out of control, nor is He helpless, even though history pans out
how difficult those times might have been, as every fourteenth generations
matured, the historical direction shifts according to His will without
exception.
Finally,
when the time comes to the end of the fourteenth generation of the third phase,
this God who is always in control intervenes through the Son into the human
genealogy, He revitalizes this declined genealogy by the power of His grace.
In
the genealogy, besides King David who has a special title, Jesus also has a
special title, three times he is addressed Christ (1: 1, 16, 17); Christ is far
more superior than king.
David
as king alleviates the genealogy to its peak, but he is also entangled by human
weaknesses, culminated with the downfall of the Davidic dynasty. Conversely,
Jesus who is Christ, the Messiah, delivers a way out for the predicament of
that genealogy. Jesus breathes in life to the dead.
The
problem again is not that God is determined to save us through Christ, but
rather are we open to God, to believe that He can change us even from the
darkest side inside of us?
The
Genealogy of Jesus Christ is for Everyone to Participate In
The
traditional Jewish genealogy only mentions names of males, but this genealogy
of Jesus Christ listed five women's names - Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Mary (except
Beersheba is known as the wife of Uriah, highlighting the sin of David). This
point is worth for us to ponder about.
These
four women are not qualified (according to Jewish customs) to be included in
the genealogy. However, due to their acts of faith, a wonderful shift of the
genealogy history is triggered. For this reason, their names are included in
the genealogy of Jesus Christ. They are remembered by name each time we read
Matthew 1:1-17.
This
aspect reveals to us that Jesus Christ’s genealogy is an open genealogy. For
anybody who is willing to offer up themselves for the truth, he could
participate in the genealogy of Jesus Christ!
The
genealogy of Jesus Christ is made up by a variety of minor characters like you
and I, those who are willing to offer themselves for God to use. And by God’s
grace, we can overcome individual weaknesses; taking up our responsibility, an
act of which could enable us to have a share in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
Before
Jesus was born, God through forty-two generations of people, drew the genealogy
of Jesus Christ. But after Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension, who then
shall be among the names follow after Jesus' genealogy? Who are those willing
to continue advancing Jesus' work? Is it you and I?
Whenever
we share the gospel with non-believers; or when we forgive people who wrong us;
or when we give a helping hand to people in Christ’s name; when we open our
homes to the sojourners; when we willingly put aside our busyness to give
others a listening ear; or when we say " I'm sorry " to people whom
we hurt; or when we take courage to be responsible people ......
In
the above acts, we are continuing the genealogy of Jesus Christ, by
participating in God's will and Jesus' ministry.
Today,
are you willing to offer yourself for use by God, to participate in the
continuation of Jesus Christ's genealogy?
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