Bible Study Matthew 1
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Matthew 1 · WEB

The Genealogy and Birth of Jesus

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The 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 became the father of Solomon by her who had been Uriah's wife.
7Solomon became the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam became the father of Abijah. Abijah became the father of Asa.
8Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram. Joram became the father of Uzziah.
9Uzziah became the father of Jotham. Jotham became the father of Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah.
10Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh. Manasseh became the father of Amon. Amon became the father of Josiah.
11Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.
12After the exile to Babylon, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel became the father of Zerubbabel.
13Zerubbabel became the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim. Eliakim became the father of Azor.
14Azor became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim. Achim became the father of Eliud.
15Eliud became the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan. Matthan became the father of Jacob.
16Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
17So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations.
18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
19Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.
20But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, don't be afraid to take to yourself Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
21She shall give birth to a son. You shall name him Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins."
22Now all this has happened that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
23"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel," which is, being interpreted, "God with us."
24Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself;
25and didn't know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.
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Summary

Matthew opens his Gospel by tracing Jesus' lineage from Abraham through David to Joseph, establishing Jesus as the rightful heir to David's throne and the fulfillment of the covenant promises to Abraham. The genealogy is structured in three sets of fourteen generations and notably includes four women with complicated stories. The chapter then narrates how Joseph, learning of Mary's pregnancy, plans to divorce her quietly until an angel reveals the child is from the Holy Spirit. Joseph obeys, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy that a virgin would bear a son called Immanuel — God with us.

Themes

  • Jesus as the promised Messiah and son of David
  • Fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy
  • God's grace including outsiders and broken stories in the Messiah's line
  • Joseph's righteous obedience
  • Immanuel — God present with His people

Key verses

  • Matt 1:1 — “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”
  • Matt 1:21 — “She shall give birth to a son. You shall name him Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”
  • Matt 1:23 — “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel, which is, being interpreted, God with us.”

Context & background

Matthew, a former tax collector turned apostle, wrote his Gospel primarily for a Jewish audience around AD 60-80, emphasizing Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah and the fulfillment of Hebrew Scripture. The genealogy serves as a legal record establishing Jesus' royal claim through Joseph's line. The four women named — Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and "her who had been Uriah's wife" (Bathsheba) — are striking inclusions, each connected to scandal or Gentile origin, foreshadowing a Messiah for all people. Bethlehem and Nazareth, where these events unfold, lie in modern Israel/the West Bank, with Mary and Joseph living in the region of Judea under Roman occupation.

Cross-references

  • 2 Samuel 7:12-16 — God's covenant promise of an eternal throne for David's offspring
  • Genesis 12:3 — Abrahamic promise that all nations would be blessed through his seed
  • Isaiah 7:14 — Direct prophecy quoted: "the virgin shall conceive and bear a son... Immanuel"
  • Isaiah 9:6-7 — Prophecy of the child born to reign on David's throne forever
  • Luke 3:23-38 — Parallel genealogy traced through Mary's line back to Adam

Check your reading

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  1. Observe

    How does Matthew structure the genealogy from Abraham to Jesus?

  2. Observe

    What does the angel tell Joseph in the dream about the child Mary is carrying?

  3. Interpret

    Why does Matthew include four women with complicated backgrounds in Jesus' genealogy?

  4. Interpret

    What is the significance of Matthew naming the child both "Jesus" and "Immanuel"?

  5. Apply

    Joseph chose to obey God's instruction even though it cost him his reputation and personal plans. What does his example most directly challenge in the life of a modern follower of Jesus?

  6. Apply

    The chapter ends with the child named Immanuel — "God with us." How should this truth practically reshape a believer's daily experience?

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