Reflections
Who is the child born to Mary and adopted by Joseph? Readings Between the Lines Father Glenn LeCompte
“Father, you’re not going to make me read all those names, are you?” Concerned about their ability to pronounce biblical names not common to us, several deacons have posed that question to me just before the Christmas Vigil Mass. They are referring to the “long form” of the Gospel reading, which includes Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus. Granted, some of the names are unfamiliar and a genealogy might not be the most interesting type of literature to which we might listen. Nevertheless, Matthew 1:18-25, the narrative of Jesus’ birth, is more fully understood if we read the 17 verses which come before it. What should we look for in biblical genealogies? First, to whom is the genealogy leading? Secondly, with whom is the ultimate subject of the genealogy being associated? Thirdly, what transpires between the person at the beginning of the genealogy and the ultimate subject of it? Matthew introduces his book’s main character, Jesus, as the Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham (1:1). With regard to the question of the ultimate subject of the genealogy, it is obviously Jesus. Matthew characterizes Jesus as “the Messiah” (“Christ” in Greek). It is evident from the Gospels themselves that opinions about the role of a Messiah in first century Jewish thought were multiple. Was it a priestly, political, prophetic or military figure, or all of the above? By narrating his story of Jesus, Matthew will tell us what he believes the Messiah is.
Jesus is Son of Abraham, the great patriarch of the Jewish nation. For Jesus to be depicted as the most critical descendant in Abraham’s line is to say that through Jesus the promises God made to Abraham of becoming a great nation, of land for him and his descendants and to be a source of blessing for all nations (Genesis 12:2-3) are fulfilled. Outside of 1:1-25 Abraham’s name appears three times in Matthew’s Gospel. In 3:9, John the Baptist declares to the Jewish crowd listening to his preaching that descent from Abraham is no longer enough to be considered a child of Abraham. Rather Abraham’s true children will bring the “fruits of repentance.” In 21:43 Jesus will declare that the Kingdom will be transferred from the current leadership of Israel to a fruitbearing nation, a nation comprised of people who repent and believe in Jesus. In 8:11, Jesus declares that many from “east and west” (in other words, the whole populated world, including Gentiles) will recline with Abraham at table in the kingdom of heaven. This statement by Jesus reflects the promise to Abraham that through Abraham and his descendants all nations of the earth would find blessing. Finally, Jesus proves to the Sadducees, who claim the doctrine of bodily resurrection is not contained in the Jewish Law and
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therefore not a belief of Judaism, uses a passage (Exodus 3:6) which mentions Abraham to prove that eternal life is indeed envisioned in the Pentateuch. God declares to Moses he is (currently) the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and therefore they live in some way in God’s presence. Jesus’ resurrection will confirm his interpretation of the Law concerning eternal life. Jesus is also Son of David, who is, of course, the model king of all the monarchs of Judah and Israel. When the Jews were released from the Babylonian Exile, even though they were governed by the Persians, they held out hope for an heir to David’s throne to rise up and reestablish their nation (see e.g. Ezekiel 34:2324). The title “Son of David” is used in reference to Jesus seven times in Matthew’s Gospel (9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30, 31; 21:9, 15) and once by Jesus in a question he poses to the religious leaders (22:42). The people acknowledge Jesus’ royal status as he enters Jerusalem by cheering him as Son of David (21:9). This kingly acclamation of Jesus as he begins the final phase of his ministry in Jerusalem recalls the regal status attributed him as the descendant of David in Matthew 1:1-25. In three instances, Jesus is addressed as Son of David by people who ask
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