As a boy growing up I didn’t enjoy the genealogies in the Bible. In fact, I considered the genealogies the boring parts of the Bible! Yet the New Testament begins with the genealogy of Jesus. The family tree of Jesus is so important that God lists it twice. Even the family tree of Jesus teaches spiritual truth. The genealogy of Jesus spelled out in Matthew 1 and Luke 3 teaches four great lessons about Jesus.

The first great lesson is found in the Book of Matthew. Matthew was a former chief tax collector. Jesus met him and changed his life. Matthew wrote to the Jews. Normally, when the Jewish people listed a person’s family tree they only mentioned the male descendants. Matthew, however, broke with Jewish law and tradition. He mentioned the names of women in his genealogy.

A number of women are listed in Matthew 1. He mentioned Tamar (verse 3) and Rahab (verse 5) and Ruth (verse 5) and Bathsheba (verse 6). Three of these four women were guilty of specific sexual sins. Tamar was guilty of incest. Rahab was guilty of prostitution. Ruth originated from incest in that she was a Moabite. The Moabites originated from an incestuous relationship that Lot had with one of his daughters. Bathsheba was guilty of adultery.

The first great lesson is that Jesus came to save sinners. Matthew is hinting at a point he will make later in his gospel. Matthew, a former tax collector, was classed as a great sinner. In Matthew 9:13 Jesus said, “For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” In Matthew 11:19 Jesus was accused of being a friend of tax collectors and sinners. The word sinner was a euphemism for prostitutes. The tax collectors and prostitutes recognized their need for eternal life. Jesus came to save sinners. Jesus came for you and me.

A second great lesson is taught by Matthew. All four of these women were Gentiles. While the primary purpose for the Messiah’s coming was for the lost sheep of the house of Israel the Gentiles will also benefit from His coming. Jesus came as a Jew. In John 10:16 He said, “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” The great lesson is that Jesus came for all people. Both Jews and Gentiles are saved the same way- through Jesus!

A third great lesson teaches the identity of Jesus. In Matthew 1 and Luke 3 a number of titles are given for Jesus. He is described as the son of David and the son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1). He is also described as the son of Adam and the Son of God (Luke 3:8). The son of David means that Jesus is a King. The son of Abraham means that Jesus is a Jew. The son of Adam means that Jesus is a Man. The son of God means that Jesus is God. Putting all four titles together, Jesus is painted in His genealogies as the Jewish God-Man King. He is the long awaited Messiah. He is the one who saves people from their sins.

Unfortunately, Matthew began his gospel with a large problem. In listing the genealogy of Jesus he mentioned Jeconiah. Joseph was a descendant of David through Solomon but, unfortunately, Jeconiah was in his family line. Jeconiah was a very, very wicked king in ancient Israel. He was so wicked that in Jeremiah 22:24-30 God pronounced a curse upon him. God promised that no descendant of Jeconiah would ever sit upon Israel’s throne again.

Any good Jewish reader in first century Israel would immediately recognize this problem. How did God solve this problem? The answer is the virgin birth. Matthew 1:23 says,  “‘Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’”

The fourth great lesson is that Jesus is the fulfillment of Scripture. Jesus was not the biological son of Joseph. He was simply the legal son of Joseph. Seven centuries earlier the Bible predicted that a virgin would give birth to the Messiah. In John 5:39 Jesus said, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures. He is the Promised One.