The Unquenchable Lamp of the Covenant. Abraham Park

an ethnic heritage, and/or to boast of the achievements of one’s ancestors. In order to improve their own genealogies, people have not shied away from “beautifying” them by deleting shameful pasts and highlighting proud achievements. The nation of Korea has about 260 family names and puts great importance on genealogies to the extent that it can almost claim that the concept of genealogy originated from Korea. People used to guard the books of their genealogies with their lives, even if their house was on fire! It was the greatest disgrace to be obliterated from the genealogy of the family. In the case of pairing of marriages, the genealogy of the prospective spouse is scrutinized also.

      The genealogies of the Jews have been well preserved even through tumultuous times and many wars (1 Chr 1–9). Land inheritance, birth order, as well as social position and status were all determined according to the genealogies (1 Chr 5:1–3; Num 3:10; 26:55; 33:54).

      After returning from the Babylonian exile, those who asserted priestly rights had to prove that they were descendants in the priestly lineage through their genealogy. If their genealogy was uncertain, those people were forbidden from performing priestly duties (Ezra 2:61–63; Neh 7:63–64). Sons of three families among those who returned from the Babylonian exile—the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, and the sons of Barzillai—could not perform priestly duties because they could not prove their genealogical ancestries (Ezra 2:61). There were also sons from three families who were not able to provide evidence that their fathers’ households and their descendants were from Israel: the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, and the sons of Nekoda—a total of 652 people (Ezra 2:59–60). One had to know his or her genealogy in order to be registered during the New Testament times (Luke 2:1–4). Because the Israelites valued their lineages, they would call a person specifically by mentioning the name of his or her father, grandfather or other direct or collateral relatives (Num 27:1; Josh 17:1; Zeph 1:1; 1 Sam 1:1; 1 Chr 4:37).

      A genealogy not only contains the family’s roots, but also the history of various events and stories that took place in different times and places. At the same time, it serves as a firm foundation for future generations and the hope for their future. The genealogy is very important because it is the definitive proof that verifies and justifies the identity and social position of an individual.

      Therefore, the genealogies in Matthew or Luke initially serve as conclusive evidence of the historicity of the birth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth and the proof of his identity. Jesus was a Jew by birth and an actual person in history, who was known to the people as the son of Mary and Joseph of Bethlehem of Judea (Luke 3:23). In essence, however, he was God the Son, the promised Messiah of the Old Testament, the one who was preordained from eternity according to God’s grand plan for the salvation of mankind.

      The genealogy of Jesus Christ is the very core of the entire history of redemption. It is a vivid panorama of redemptive history, which awakens us to God’s faithfulness in continuing the genealogy and to His zeal in working without resting until the final fulfillment of the covenant.

      CHAPTER 4

      The Book of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ

      Matthew 1:1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ

      The phrase, “the book of the genealogy” in Matthew 1:1 is in Greek. The word (biblos) means “book” and () is the possessive form of (genesis), which means “beginning,” “origin,” “root,” or “existence.” Therefore, the book of genealogy in Matthew 1:1 also means the “book of history” and the “book of the origins.” A similar word is used in the first half of Matthew 1:18, “the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way….” The Greek word for birth in this verse is also (genesis).

      In the Old Testament, the word account in Genesis 2:4, “the account of the heavens and the earth,” and the book of the generations in Genesis 5:1, “the book of the generations of Adam,” are both translated as in the Septuagint just like “the book of the genealogy” in Matthew 1:1. Especially in the case of ge,nesij (genesis), the same Greek word had already been established as the standard title for the book of Genesis in the Septuagint7 by the time Matthew’s gospel was being recorded. Therefore, using the word (genesis) to start out the book of Matthew reminds the readers of the beginning of the Old Testament, “Genesis.”

      In this sense, Jesus Christ’s genealogy in Matthew 1 can be viewed as a proclamation of the beginning and the origin of the entire Bible. It parallels the account of the creation of the universe and mankind (Gen 2:4) and the genealogy of the godly patriarchs starting from Adam (Gen 5:1). In other words, it is the proclamation of the new creation () through Jesus Christ.

      The Hebrew word for genealogy is , which is translated as “account” in Genesis 2:4, “generations” in Genesis 5:1, and “records of the generations” in Genesis 6:9; 10:1; 11:10, 27; 25:12, 19; 36:1; and 37:2. All of this confirms that the genealogies in the Bible are not based on myths, symbolisms or parables, but are actual records of events that took place in history.

      Accordingly, Matthew 1:1 would read “the toledoth of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham.” This signifies that it is the account, history, genealogy and record of Jesus Christ who actually lived in history.

      Specifically, the word is derived from , which means “birth,” “offspring,” “result,” “history of an event or a person.” This word means more than “birth” or “offspring,” signifying a profound sense of God’s administration and providence that is fulfilled throughout the life of the person in reference.

      The use of the word (biblos), which means “book,” suggests that the genealogy in Matthew 1 contains enough information to be considered a complete book even though it is only 16 verses long.

      Therefore, Matthew 1:1 is not simply a reference to the event of Jesus Christ’s birth nor is it merely an introduction to the book of Matthew or the New Testament. Rather, it should be seen as a significant proclamation which reveals the beginning, the origin and the existence of Jesus Christ. At the same time it brings together the entire history of the Old and New Testaments. Further, by recording the genealogy of Jesus Christ, Matthew is declaring that God is in direct control of the entire history of Israel. Moreover, by calling it the “book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,” he has proclaimed that Jesus Christ is the essence of the Old Testament and the basis for the New Testament (John 5:39; Luke 24:27, 44).

      Truly, the axis of world history and the centripetal force behind history has been God’s sovereign work of redemption through Jesus Christ. Thus, the history of mankind is reflected by the history of salvation as it progressed toward its ultimate purpose—Jesus Christ. Therefore, those who are included in the genealogies are linked to Jesus Christ in God’s eyes. It