by Robert C. Veil, Jr.
Question: Why does the New Testament begin with a long listing of the genealogy of Jesus?
What is the significance of this?
Answer: You are correct that the Book of Matthew begins with a detailed listing of Jesus’
ancestry, consisting of some 42 generations! When many people come upon this lengthy list of
names, they become discouraged, and sometimes quit reading. Many of the names in this list are
strange to us, and difficult to pronounce. But it is important to look beyond this seeming difficulty,
and recognize the importance of this genealogy.
It is important to remember that the Book of Matthew was written, in the first instance,
primarily to Jewish readers. The Jews placed great significance upon physical ancestry, especially
their relationship to “father” Abraham. Their prophets had clearly foretold a coming Messiah, who
would be of the seed of Abraham, (Gen. 12:3; Gal. 3:8). They understood that one of the attributes
of the Messiah was that he would be a direct descendant of Abraham.
They also knew that the Messiah would be a descendant of King David. This royal bloodline
would characterize the “King of Kings,” (Ps.89). In the first recorded Gospel sermon, Peter
explained, “Brethren, I may say unto you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was
buried, and his tomb is with us unto this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had
sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins he would set one upon his throne; he
foreseeing this spake of the resurrection of the Christ,” (Acts 2:29-31a).
Therefore, Matthew documents 14 generations from Abraham to King David, (Mt. 1:2-
6a). Next, he records the 14 generations from David to the Babylonian captivity, (Mt. 1:6b-11),
and finally 14 generations from the captivity in Babylon to Jesus Christ, (Mt. 1:12-16). Thus, every
Jew (and everyone else) could verify the ancestry of Jesus, and understand how he perfectly
qualified as the Messiah for those reasons alone. This is the starting point for Matthew’s account
of the Gospel. He then proceeds to show how Jesus fulfilled every prophecy about him, and
completely “measured up” as the Messiah. He did so through his teaching, his miracles, and
ultimately, his resurrection from the dead.
Matthews is a paternal genealogy, tracing the ancestry of Jesus through Joseph, the husband
of Jesus’ mother. To fully complete and confirm this history, Luke’s account includes a detailed,
maternal genealogy. This details Jesus’ ancestors through his mother, Mary. Taken together, these
two genealogical records present a complete and irrefutable record of the background of Jesus
Christ.
Through the years, skeptics have assailed these genealogies in several particulars, but their
accuracy stands strong. The various members of these family trees are interwoven throughout the
pages of the Old Testament, and can be verified through external documents as well. They present
a remarkable case for the authenticity of Jesus Christ. No one has a more complete or better
documented genealogy than Jesus Christ, which extends to the beginning of humanity. This fact
is yet another proof of the authenticity of Jesus Christ, and helps us have a solid faith in him as our
Savior.
But it all starts from realizing where Jesus came from. His background and genealogy
testify to the truthfulness of the claim he made to be the son of God.
