Matthew 1:1-17
Summary:
These verses summarize Christ's genealogy, tracing his lineage from Abraham through David through Joseph.
Insights:
Not many; I've never been able to draw much insight from genealogical text. This text impactful for those of Jewish origin because some Jews follow strict guidelines with regards to prophecy and the Son of Man.
Matthew 1:17 is interesting and represents a repeating theme throughout the bible. The passage of time, whether it be days or years or genealogies, is oft mentioned and seemingly structured, whether it be the Israelites wandering the desert for 40 years at a time or Noah's 40 days and nights at sea. It might seem like an odd tidbit from the author of the book, but in some ways this statement reaffirms the author's belief in God's control over even the minute details of life. By emphasizing that 12 genealogies passed between these great figures of the faith, the author displays a strong belief in the sovereignty of God by implying that the lineage between Abraham and Jesus is both intentional and within the control of God.
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Matthew 1:18-25
Summary:
These verses lay out the events that took place prior to the birth of Christ between Mary and Joseph.
Insight:
Logically, I found myself at a crossroads reading this. Generally, it's a good policy to try and relate with the characters in biblical text; for those who don't believe that the Bible is just a fairy tale, that it's full of the accounts of real people and events, it's good to remember that the Joseph and Mary were real people, facing the scrutiny of their peers and families.
This is why this account can be troubling. As an individual who's worked somewhat with the homeless, I can vouch for the fact that societal pressure often creates situations in which people construct the most ridiculous lies to convince themselves and others of their own worth. Skid row is full of multi-platinum record Grammy award winning artists and former basketball greats. Thus, presented with an account of a virgin birth and given how non-virgins were treated in the context of the times, I immediately default to the most logical explanation for this event- that Mary got knocked up by some guy and lied about it. It's certainly a much more sound explanation than any other.
The overall account of events, aside from the virgin birth, is why I would refrain from rejecting the notion outright. The verses make mention of Joseph's plans to divorce her quietly; he could have easily castigated her and called for her to be stoned, but he refrained. These are the actions of a rational, thoughtful man, and it took a visit from an angel, not the word of Mary, to convince him otherwise.
From here, one might speculate that the dream could be coincidental; it could have been pure chance that Mary's story and his dreams aligned. A coincidence of this sort is rare but hardly impossible. However, if one factors in that it is from this couple that Jesus was born, the idea that this chain of events is merely a coincidence is greatly undermined. Almost every historian, secular or not, agrees that Jesus is the one most influential individual throughout all of human history; whether he is Christ or the biggest hoax of all time, no man has impacted the lives of man more than he. Considering that he alone holds this label throughout all who live or have lived thus far is staggering, especially considering that it is very debatable who number two might be. His existence is an anomaly in many, many respects.
It is possible that Joseph and Mary have pulled a fast one, claiming that their child is of divine conception; however, the fact that it was Jesus who came forth from the womb, the single most influential figure in history, lends credence to their case. Jesus is one in a billion; it's not difficult to imagine that his birth was also.
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