Breaking the Word

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham…

Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah, fourteen generations.(Mt 1: 1-17)

The genealogy is quite impressive and compelling. Matthew has arranged the names in such a way to make certain points clear to the readers. Matthew wanted to prove to the readers that Jesus had royal blood in him. He arranged it in such a way as to go back to David. We do not see the name of Herod or other kings of the recent times because Herod had not Jewish royal blood in him.

The central figure in the list is David. David was considered to be the ideal, true and the only king of Israel. The author traces back the list to David to show that Jesus belongs to that royal list. The author also traces the genealogy to Abraham to show that Jesus belongs to the first historical person in the bible. Abraham was the first person whom God called to be his own.

The author arranges the genealogy into three groups of fourteen names –or, perhaps we should say, into six groups of seven names. Seven was and is the most powerful symbolic numbers which denotes the totality, the completeness. Jesus is presented as to have been born as the first of the seventh seven list. Jesus is the climax of the list. He is the first of the completeness or the totality of generations of generations. He was the awaited one.  

You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth. I do not accept testimony from a human being, but I say this so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light. But I have testimony greater than John's. The works that the Father gave me to accomplish, these works that I perform testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me.  (Jn 5:33-36)

John the Baptist came to bear witness to Jesus. (Jn 1:7 – A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.) He testified to the truth and he answered the emissaries their queries about the messiah. He openly declared that he was not the messiah and there was one coming after him.

John was a great prophet and he was a shining example for the people. People were happy and rejoiced at him. John’s testimony was great for the people and many believed in him and followed him. Many were baptized by him. However John did tell the people that he was only sent to prepare the way and he was not even worthy to untie his shoes.

Jesus had greater testimony than John. This was God himself. The works that he did were, what the Father had asked him to perform. The works that he has accomplished did bear witness to Jesus. The message of the witness was that Jesus was from the Father and all what he has performed were in agreement with the Father.