Matthew 1:1-6 Meaning: Why Does Matthew Start with Jesus' Family Tree?
1The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
2Abraham became the father of Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob. Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers.
3Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron. Hezron became the father of Ram.
4Ram became the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon. Nahshon became the father of Salmon.
5Salmon became the father of Boaz by Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse.
6Jesse became the father of King David. David the king became the father of Solomon by her who had been Uriah’s wife.
1The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
2Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
3And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
4And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;
5And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
6And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
1The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
2Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judah and his brethren;
3and Judah begat Perez and Zerah of Tamar; and Perez begat Hezron; and Hezron begat Ram;
4and Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon; and Nahshon begat Salmon;
5and Salmon begat Boaz of Rahab; and Boaz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
6and Jesse begat David the king. And David begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Uriah;
1A roll of the birth of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham.
2Abraham begat Isaac, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat Judah and his brethren,
3and Judah begat Pharez and Zarah of Tamar, and Pharez begat Hezron, and Hezron begat Ram,
4and Ram begat Amminadab, and Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,
5and Salmon begat Boaz of Rahab, and Boaz begat Obed of Ruth, and Obed begat Jesse,
6and Jesse begat David the king. And David the king begat Solomon, of her who had been Uriah's,
1Book of the generation of Jesus Christ, Son of David, Son of Abraham.
2Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat Juda and his brethren;
3and Juda begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom, and Esrom begat Aram,
4and Aram begat Aminadab, and Aminadab begat Naasson, and Naasson begat Salmon,
5and Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse,
6and Jesse begat David the king. And David begat Solomon, of her [that had been the wife] of Urias;
Meaning in one sentence
Matthew begins his Gospel by tracing Jesus' lineage from Abraham and David, establishing Him as the promised Messiah for all nations.
Context
Matthew opens his Gospel not with a birth scene or a prophecy, but with a family tree. He begins exactly where the Old Testament begins: with a genealogy, just like the book of Genesis. The first verse is the title: "The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ." Then Matthew traces the line from Abraham, through Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and on to David the king. Along the way, four women are named, Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba, each with a story that carries pain or scandal. By the time we reach verse 6, with David and Solomon, Matthew has made his point: Jesus steps into a real human history, with all its brokenness, to fulfill what God promised to Abraham and David centuries before.
Key Words
The Greek word for "genealogy" is genesis, the same word used in the Greek translation of Genesis for "the generations of the heavens and the earth." Matthew is echoing the very beginning of Scripture, as if to say: this is a new beginning. Jesus is a new start for humanity.
The title "Christ" translates the Hebrew "Messiah," meaning "Anointed One." This word is not a last name, it is a job description. Jesus is the One anointed to be prophet, priest, and king, just as the Old Testament promised.
And notice the repeated verb egennēsen, "became the father of" or "begat." It beats like a drum through the list: father to son, generation after generation. But then, in verse 16, the rhythm breaks. It does not say "Joseph begat Jesus." Instead, Jesus is born of Mary. The pattern shifts because this child is not just another link in the chain; He is the goal of the whole chain.
How Christians Read This Verse
Matthew's genealogy has been read in different ways across the centuries. Many Protestant commentators, like Matthew Henry and the Geneva Bible, see it as a straightforward historical record that proves Jesus is the promised son of David and son of Abraham. The inclusion of women like Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth shows God's grace to Gentiles and sinners, an early hint that this Messiah came for everyone, not only the religiously pure.
Catholic and Orthodox tradition, while affirming the same points, has often emphasized the genealogy as part of the announcement of the Incarnation: God truly became human, with a real family tree. The earlier Church Fathers, such as Jerome, saw in the inclusion of sinful women a sign of Christ's humility and His mission to save the lost. Both readings agree: the genealogy is not a dry list. It is the first declaration of who Jesus is and who He came for.
A common misunderstanding
A common mistake is to think the genealogy is just a boring list of names that can be skipped. In fact, it is Matthew's opening argument. He is showing Jewish readers that Jesus has the right credentials, He is a descendant of Abraham (the father of the nation) and of David (the dynasty God promised would never end). The genealogy is the legal foundation for the claim that Jesus is the Messiah. Skip it, and you miss the whole point of the Gospel's first chapter.
Living This Out
This week, take a moment to look at your own family story. Maybe there are people in your line you wish were not there, failures, betrayals, or painful secrets. Matthew's genealogy says: Jesus is not ashamed of that kind of history. He entered His own family line through Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba, women whose stories were tangled with deception, prostitution, and adultery. If God could weave them into the story of salvation, then your past does not disqualify you. It may even be the very place where He wants to show His grace.
Main takeaway: Jesus is the promised descendant of Abraham and David, the Messiah who brings God's blessing to all nations through a very human family.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Jesus had a family tree. Some of the people in it made big mistakes. But God still used them. He can use you too.
For ages 9, 12
Matthew starts his Gospel by listing Jesus' ancestors from Abraham and King David. This proves Jesus is the promised Messiah and king. But he also includes women like Rahab and Ruth, who were not even Israelites at first, and others who had hard pasts. This tells us that God welcomes all kinds of people into Jesus' family, even people with messy stories. Your story fits too.
Questions People Ask
Why does the Gospel of Matthew begin with a genealogy?
Matthew starts with a genealogy to show that Jesus is the promised Messiah from the line of Abraham and King David. For Jewish readers, this was proof that Jesus had the right family credentials. It also ties the story of Jesus directly to the Old Testament, showing that God kept His ancient promises.
Why are women like Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba mentioned in Jesus' genealogy?
These women are remarkable because they were not all Israelites by birth, and some had scandalous pasts. Tamar was involved in a messy family situation, Rahab was a prostitute from Jericho, Ruth was a foreigner from Moab, and Bathsheba was involved in adultery with David. Matthew includes them to show that God's grace extends to everyone, outsiders and sinners alike, and that Jesus came to save people with all kinds of stories.
Does Matthew's genealogy of Jesus contradict Luke's genealogy?
Matthew and Luke both give genealogies of Jesus, but they look different. Matthew traces the line from Abraham through David and Solomon down to Joseph. Luke traces a line from Adam through David's other son Nathan, and then to Joseph. Many Christians believe Matthew gives the legal lineage through Joseph, while Luke gives the biological lineage through Mary. Both are accepted as true and serve different purposes in their Gospels.
What does it mean that Jesus is called 'son of David'?
In Old Testament prophecy, the Messiah (Christ) was promised to be a descendant of King David and would sit on David's throne forever. Calling Jesus 'son of David' is a title that declares He is that promised king. It means He has the right to rule as the eternal King over God's people.
What does it mean that Jesus is called 'son of Abraham'?
God promised Abraham that through his offspring all nations of the earth would be blessed. Calling Jesus 'son of Abraham' shows that He is the fulfillment of that promise. Jesus is the descendant of Abraham through whom salvation comes to the whole world, not just to Israel.
For pastors & researchers
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