Matthew 1:2
Encyclopedia
Matthew 1:2 is the second verse of the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew
in the New Testament
. The verse is the first part of the section where the genealogy
of Joseph
, the legal father of Jesus
, is listed.
In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:
The World English Bible
translates the passage as:
For a collection of other versions see BibRef Matthew 1:2
The section begins with Abraham who is traditionally regarded as the ancestor of all the families of the Earth. It then runs through the prominent Old Testament
figures of Isaac, Jacob, and Judah. This same genealogy is presented in six different places in the Old Testament.
The passage also references Judah's brothers who have no actual place in the genealogy. Gundry
contends they are included because the author of Matthew is trying to portray the people of God as a brotherhood. Fowler argues that while Isaac and Jacob's brothers were excluded from the promise of the messiah, all twelve of Judah's brothers were the ancestors of the tribe from which the messiah would come. The inclusion of the brothers is thus a reminder to the readers that it is from this group where the messiah will come.
Davies and Allison note that Isaac's birth is a miraculous one according to the Old Testament, and thus there is some symmetry with both the first and last births mention in the genealogy being miraculous ones.
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
in the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
. The verse is the first part of the section where the genealogy
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
of Joseph
Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....
, the legal father of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, is listed.
In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:
- AbrahamAbrahamAbraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
begat IsaacIsaacIsaac as described in the Hebrew Bible, was the only son Abraham had with his wife Sarah, and was the father of Jacob and Esau. Isaac was one of the three patriarchs of the Israelites...
; - and Isaac begat JacobJacobJacob "heel" or "leg-puller"), also later known as Israel , as described in the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud, the New Testament and the Qur'an was the third patriarch of the Hebrew people with whom God made a covenant, and ancestor of the tribes of Israel, which were named after his descendants.In the...
; - and Jacob begat JudasJudah (Biblical figure)Judah was, according to the Book of Genesis, the fourth son of Jacob and Leah, and the founder of the Israelite Tribe of Judah. Biblical scholars, such as J. A...
- and his brethren;
The World English Bible
World English Bible
The World English Bible is a public domain translation of the Bible that is currently in draft form. Work on the World English Bible began in 1997 and was known as the American Standard Version 1997...
translates the passage as:
- Abraham became the father of Isaac.
- Isaac became the father of Jacob.
- Jacob became the father of Judah
- and his brothers.
For a collection of other versions see BibRef Matthew 1:2
The section begins with Abraham who is traditionally regarded as the ancestor of all the families of the Earth. It then runs through the prominent Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
figures of Isaac, Jacob, and Judah. This same genealogy is presented in six different places in the Old Testament.
The passage also references Judah's brothers who have no actual place in the genealogy. Gundry
Robert H. Gundry
Robert Horton Gundry is a Biblical scholar. He received a B.A. and a B.D. degree from the Los Angeles Baptist College and Seminary, and his Ph.D. from Manchester University in Manchester, England in 1961 and has taught for several decades at Westmont College in California...
contends they are included because the author of Matthew is trying to portray the people of God as a brotherhood. Fowler argues that while Isaac and Jacob's brothers were excluded from the promise of the messiah, all twelve of Judah's brothers were the ancestors of the tribe from which the messiah would come. The inclusion of the brothers is thus a reminder to the readers that it is from this group where the messiah will come.
Davies and Allison note that Isaac's birth is a miraculous one according to the Old Testament, and thus there is some symmetry with both the first and last births mention in the genealogy being miraculous ones.