The Genealogy of Jesus Christ
Matthew 1:16 “And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.”
Jacob begat Joseph... Eleven Joseph’s in Scripture: five in the Old Testament (Gen. 30:24; Num. 13:7; 1Ch. 25:2; Ezr. 10:42; Neh. 12:14) and six in the New Testament (Mat. 1:16; 27:57; Luke 3:24, 3:26, 3:30; Acts 1:23).
husband of Mary... Mary the wife of Joseph and the mother of four sons besides Jesus, and of at least three daughters. See Luke 8:19.
The wording carefully avoids giving the impression that Joseph was the natural father of Jesus. As the husband of Mary, he was Jesus’ legal father and the one through whom He had a right to David’s throne. Every emphasis of the text at this point reinforces the doctrine of the virgin birth of Christ.
The pronoun “whom” is singular, referring to Mary alone. The unusual way in which this final entry is phrased underscores the fact that Jesus was not Joseph’s literal offspring. The genealogy nonetheless establishes His claim to the throne of David as Joseph’s legal heir.
Joseph was legally but not physically the father of Jesus (verses 18-25). Though a carpenter in Nazareth (13:55), he was a legal heir of King David (verses 5:16, 20). He was a just and God-fearing man who faithfully carried out God’s commands regarding Mary and the birth of Jesus (verses 19-25).
Joseph is mentioned in Scripture only in the Gospels and only in relation to Jesus Christ’s childhood. The subsequent silence of Scripture suggests that Joseph died before the time of Christ’s public ministry.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a godly young woman (Luke 1:28), but not without sin, either original or actual sin, since she herself refers to her own need of a Savior (Luke 1:47). She was betrothed (a Jewish custom legally equivalent to marriage), to Joseph of Nazareth. During this time the Holy Spirit supernaturally caused her to conceive Jesus apart from any human fatherhood (verses 18, 20, 23; Luke 1:31-35), and she remained a virgin until after the birth of Jesus (verse 25).
Mary probably grew up in Nazareth. Following her formal marriage to Joseph and the birth of Jesus she lived in Bethlehem for about two years, spent a short time in Egypt, and then raised her family in Nazareth (13:54-56; Luke 2:51).
Except for the birth narratives, Mary is seldom mentioned in Scripture, even in the Gospels. She is last mentioned shortly before the Day of Pentecost (in Acts 1:14).
This too is a large statement. Jesus took on the form of flesh, so that He might be tempted in all ways as we are. “Jesus” means Savior. “Christ” means the Anointed One.
Again, When the fifth woman, Mary (Mat. 1:16), was mentioned in the genealogy, an important change occurred. The genealogy consistently repeated, the father of, until it came to Mary. At that point Matthew changed and said of whom was born Jesus. The “of whom” is a feminine relative pronoun (ex hēs), clearly indicating that Jesus was the physical Child of Mary but that Joseph was not His physical father. This miraculous conception and birth are explained in Mat. 1:18-25.
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