Matthew 1:1, 17

Spend time in prayer and silence with God asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.

Bible Reading

A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the Son of David, the son of Abraham…Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

– Matthew 1:1, 17

Devotional

Matthew, who is also known as Levi, was one of the 12 disciples that was with Jesus during His three-year ministry. Matthew’s main purpose for writing is to show his Jewish readers that Jesus is their Messiah. We see this in the above verses with the three ways Matthew referred to Jesus: Son of David, Son of Abraham, the Christ. Old Testament prophecies like 2 Samuel 7:16 and Isaiah 9:2-7 foretold that the Messiah would be a descendant of King David. Jesus’ Davidic lineage shows that He meets this qualification. The title “Son of Abraham” implies that just as Abraham was the father of the national Israel, Jesus will be the founder of a new spiritual Israel. By referring to Jesus as “the Christ”, Matthew clearly shows Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament hopes found in the promised Messiah. In Matthew, we find Jesus presented as: the King of the Jews, the New Moses, God’s Chosen Servant, the suffering Messiah and Immanuel-God with Us.

The Big Question

Why do you think the genealogy of Jesus is so important to Matthew? Why is this Jewish Messiah so important to non-Jewish people? Of all the portraits found in the Gospel of Matthew, which one do you resonate with the most? Why?

Conclude your time in prayer and silence reflecting on what God revealed to you today.