The Old and New Testaments are one organic whole. The opening verse of Matthew 1 is the golden link which unites these two divisions of the inspired volume. Then follows the genealogy of the glorious Person so long expected and now introduced to us.
The inspired Book is thus the history of two men. In Genesis 5 we have the genealogy of Adam, the first man, which we might call “the sinner’s book.”
Then in Matthew 1 we have the genealogy of the Second Man—the Lord from heaven, and this one introduces us to the Saviour’s Book. The former ends with a solemn “anathema;” the latter closes with a glorious “maranatha.”
The Holy Spirit is thus careful to give us the genealogy of our blessed Lord, and what a genealogy it is! It shows that our Lord had a human ancestry for He was Perfect Man. He is declared to be the child of the virgin Mary and proved to be the Son of Adam.
He had a Jewish ancestry, for His pedigree is clearly traced to Abraham. As such He is the Jewish Messiah, “the Hope of Israel.” But He also had a Gentile ancestry for there are Gentile names included in the list: Rahab the Canaanitess, Ruth the Moabitess, and Bathsheba the Hittite. This links Him with the Gentiles, and as such He is “the Hope of the nations.”
Then it is a royal ancestry for He is proved to be David’s son, and as such He is the legal heir to David’s throne. Even so it is a lowly ancestry. The names of four woman are enrolled in the list, and on some a reproach was resting, thus proving that our blessed Lord made Himself of “no reputation.” Proud human nature would have omitted these entirely; not so the Holy Spirit, the faithful Chronicler.
He had also a mortal ancestry for all these ancestral patriarchs and priests, these sovereigns and subjects died. The Life Giver and Life-Sustainer was thus linked with a dying place. But He had also an immortal ancestry, for He is declared to be the Son of God, “Emmanuel…God with us,” and from Him springs a new race of heavenly people who will never die.
This unique birth was thus ushered in by a long train of prophecies. It had been longed for by multitudes of hearts; it was heralded by a new star being placed in the heavens by God. Angels announced His arrival. Thus God gave these special signs and proofs that He was the long-promised One, the God-sent Man.
This is the royal Person for whom these wise men made the important inquiry: “Where is He that is born King of the Jews?” The first question in the Old Testament was, “Where art thou?” The first in the New Testament is, “Where is He?” In the former we have God seeking the sinner, in the latter we have sinners seeking God.
These seekers for Christ were learned in the world’s wisdom, and versed in the world’s science, yet they wanted something this world could not afford. They were in search for a personal Saviour who could meet the deep longing of the human heart. It was a search which involved leaving home and friends, taking a long journey, and encountering difficulties and dangers.
The sign God had given to encourage them was the star in the East, as they said, “We have seen His star.” God thus encouraged these earnest seekers, and He never fails to meet the individual need.
Then we have their success. They found the object they sought, and gazed upon this royal babe, “Emmanuel.” They had diligently sought, and they joyfully found the great mystery of godliness—deity linked with humanity. For that sight patriarchs had looked and prophets had longed. They had no doubt as to the royalty of that child, for they poured their loyal and costly gifts at His feet, and they ascribed to Him what was due to God alone. “They… worshiped Him.”
Written by George Hucklesby