Pages

▼

Wednesday, January 5, 2022

The Women in the Genealogy of Jesus - Part 1

The Women in the

Genealogy of Jesus

- Part 1

5 January 2022

The genealogy of Jesus the Messiah is recorded in Matt 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38. However, unlike Luke, Matthew mentions the names of five women in the genealogy. The Gospels were written at a time when it was considered improper to speak about women. Yet, women accompanied Jesus (Luke 8:2-3). In events like the feeding of the five thousand (Matt 14:13-21) or the four thousand (Matt 15:36), only men were counted specifically, while women and children were mentioned generically. It is in this context that Matthew names five women in the genealogy of Jesus, highlighting their importance.

1) Tamar (Gen 38)

Tamar was Judah’s daughter-in-law. Judah’s first wife, Shua, bore three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. Tamar married Er, who was wicked in God’s eyes and was put to death. According to Deut 25:5, if a woman’s husband dies without children, the next unmarried son should marry her to continue the deceased husband’s lineage. Onan refused and also died. Judah delayed marrying Shelah to Tamar.

Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute and positioned herself on the road to Timnah to see if Shelah had come of age. Judah, not recognizing her, slept with her in exchange for a pledge (his signet and staff). Tamar became pregnant. When confronted, she produced Judah’s signet and staff as proof of paternity. Judah acknowledged his mistake and accepted her as his wife.

Why Matthew Mentioned Tamar

Tamar would have been ostracized in Jesus’ time. Matthew highlights her to show that people labeled as sinners were ancestors of King David. Jesus preached love for sinners (Matt 21:31), consistent with Old Testament leniency (Prov 6:26, 6:30).

Lessons from Tamar

  • Tamar fought for her rights in a male-dominated society.
  • Sometimes we must act righteously even when outcomes are uncertain, trusting God (Isaiah 55:8).
  • Christians are called to fight injustice, as exemplified by Graham Staines and Fr Stan Swamy.
  • The story raises reflections on modern issues like abortion.

2) Rahab (Joshua 2-6)

Rahab was a prostitute in Jericho. When Joshua sent spies to the city, they stayed at her house, which was built into the city wall. The king demanded she turn over the spies, but Rahab hid them and requested a truce for her family, acknowledging the God of Israel.

Jericho fell, but Rahab and her family were saved. She married Salmon and bore Boaz, becoming an ancestor of King David (Matt 1:5).

Why Matthew Mentioned Rahab

During the time of Jesus, the Samaritans were treated as untouchables simply because they were not considered “pure-blood” Jews (both parents were not of full Jewish ancestry). However, Matthew emphasizes that a foreigner and prostitute like Rahab was accepted into Israel and became an ancestor of King David. Matthew highlights her, again to show that those labeled as sinners and untouchables were, in fact, among the ancestors of King David.

Lessons from Rahab

Rahab boldly declared God’s greatness and trusted Him completely. Her story challenges us to examine our own faith and trust in God.

References
at

No comments:

Post a Comment