Matthew 1

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Matthew chapter one begins by establishing the genealogy of Jesus Christ, tracing His lineage through David back to Abraham, structured into three sets of fourteen generations. The chapter then details the miraculous circumstances of Jesus' birth. Mary, espoused to Joseph, was found to be with child by the Holy Ghost, leading Joseph to consider a private separation until an angel appeared to him in a dream, confirming the divine conception and instructing him to name the child Jesus, for He would save His people from their sins.

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ 1–17

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judah and his brethren;

and Judah begat Perez and Zerah of Tamar; and Perez begat Hezron; and Hezron begat Ram;

and Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon; and Nahshon begat Salmon;

and Salmon begat Boaz of Rahab; and Boaz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;

and Jesse begat David the king. And David begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Uriah;

and Solomon begat Rehoboam; and Rehoboam begat Abijah; and Abijah begat Asa;

and Asa begat Jehoshaphat; and Jehoshaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Uzziah;

and Uzziah begat Jotham; and Jotham begat Ahaz; and Ahaz begat Hezekiah;

and Hezekiah begat Manasseh; and Manasseh begat Amon; and Amon begat Josiah;

and Josiah begat Jechoniah and his brethren, at the time of the carrying away to Babylon.

And after the carrying away to Babylon, Jechoniah begat Shealtiel; and Shealtiel begat Zerubbabel;

and Zerubbabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;

and Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;

and Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;

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

So all the generations from Abraham unto David are fourteen generations; and from David unto the carrying away to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon unto the Christ fourteen generations.

The Birth of Jesus Announced to Joseph 18–25

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.

And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.

But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins.

Now all this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,

Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name Immanuel; which is, being interpreted, God with us.

And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took unto him his wife;

and knew her not till she had brought forth a son: and he called his name JESUS.

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Matthew 1

Verse 1

the son of David, the son of Abraham — The opening line names the two promises the Gospel answers: the throne established for David's seed (2 Sam 7:12) and the blessing of 'all the nations of the earth' in Abraham's seed (Gen 22:18), which Paul reads as 'which is Christ' (Gal 3:16). 'The book of the generation' echoes Gen 5:1.

Verse 5

Rachab… Ruth — Rachab is Rahab, the harlot of Jericho (Josh 2:1), who 'received the spies with peace' (Heb 11:31); Ruth is 'the Moabitess' (Ruth 1:22). The Old Testament names Salmon as Boaz's father and Obed as Jesse's (Ruth 4:17, 21); Matthew adds the mothers. With Tamar (v.3) and Uriah's wife (v.6), four women are named before Mary (v.16).

Verse 6

David the king — Basileus, 'king', is attached to David's name alone in this genealogy, and twice here. Solomon's mother is not named but described: 'her that had been the wife of Urias', Uriah the Hittite (2 Sam 11:3), so the royal line is traced through that history, not around it.

Verse 11

carried away to Babylon — Jechonias is Jehoiachin, whom Nebuchadnezzar 'carried away… to Babylon' (2 Kings 24:15). The noun for 'carrying away' (metoikesia) occurs only in Matthew 1 (vv.11, 12, 17), and it is the hinge between the second and third fourteens (v.17).

Verse 16

Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus — The 'begat' pattern ends here. Joseph is 'the husband of Mary', and the verb gennao, active ('begat') all through the list, is passive for Jesus: he 'was born' of Mary. Luke gives the same fact as 'as was supposed… the son of Joseph' (Luke 3:23).

Verse 17

fourteen generations — The genealogy is gathered into three sets, and the Greek word for 'fourteen' stands three times in this verse. The first ends at David, the second at 'the carrying away into Babylon' (v.11), the third at 'Christ': the royal line, its exile, and its Anointed One.

Verse 18

espoused — Mnesteuo, betrothed (also Luke 1:27). Betrothal was binding: Deut 22:23–24 calls a betrothed woman a man's 'neighbour's wife', which is why v.19 can say 'her husband' and speak of 'put her away'. 'Of the Holy Ghost' is ek, 'out of'; to Mary the angel says, 'The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee' (Luke 1:35).

Verse 19

a just man — Dikaios, righteous. Matthew shows what it meant here: unwilling 'to make her a publick example', he is minded to 'put her away privily'. Apoluo, 'put away', is the divorce word of Matt 19:7. The Law's penalty for a betrothed woman found with another man was stoning (Deut 22:23–24).

Verse 20

thou son of David — The angel gives Joseph the title of the genealogy, so that the child he is told to take into his house is reckoned in David's line. 'Conceived' is again gennao (see v.16). 'In a dream' (kat' onar) is Matthew's phrase for Joseph's guidance (2:13, 19, 22), the wise men's warning (2:12) and Pilate's wife's (27:19).

Verse 21

JESUS — The Greek form of Joshua, 'Jehovah-saved' (Num 13:16). The reason for the name is given at once: 'he shall save his people from their sins', salvation from sin itself, as Zacharias says, 'knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins' (Luke 1:77). Peter says, 'none other name… whereby we must be saved' (Acts 4:12).

Verse 23

a virgin shall be with child — The first of Matthew's 'that it might be fulfilled' (v.22) quotations, from Isa 7:14. 'Virgin' is parthenos. Emmanuel is the Hebrew Immanu-El, 'God with us', the name Isaiah repeats in 8:8. The book closes on its fulfilment: 'lo, I am with you alway' (Matt 28:20).

Verse 25

knew her not till — 'Knew' is the verb of marriage (Gen 4:1, 'Adam knew Eve his wife'; Luke 1:34). 'Till… her firstborn son' says only that Mary bore a son while Joseph abstained; Christians have read what follows differently. Joseph obeys the instruction of v.21 and names the child.

Matthew 1

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ 1–17

The Birth of Jesus Announced to Joseph 18–25

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