11 The family tree of Jesus Christ, David's son, Abraham's son: 2 Abraham had Isaac, Isaac had Jacob, Jacob had Judah and his brothers, 3 Judah had Perez and Zerah (the mother was Tamar), Perez had Hezron, Hezron had Aram, 4 Aram had Amminadab, Amminadab had Nahshon, Nahshon had Salmon, 5 Salmon had Boaz (his mother was Rahab), Boaz had Obed (Ruth was the mother), Obed had Jesse, 6 Jesse had David, and David became king. David had Solomon (Uriah's wife was the mother), 7 Solomon had Rehoboam, Rehoboam had Abijah, Abijah had Asa, 8 Asa had Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat had Joram, Joram had Uzziah, 9 Uzziah had Jotham, Jotham had Ahaz, Ahaz had Hezekiah, 10 Hezekiah had Manasseh, Manasseh had Amon, Amon had Josiah, 11 Josiah had Jehoiachin and his brothers, and then the people were taken into the Babylonian exile. 12 When the Babylonian exile ended, Jehoiachin had Shealtiel, Shealtiel had Zerubbabel, 13 Zerubbabel had Abiud, Abiud had Eliakim, Eliakim had Azor, 14 Azor had Zadok, Zadok had Achim, Achim had Eliud, 15 Eliud had Eleazar, Eleazar had Matthan, Matthan had Jacob, 16 Jacob had Joseph, Mary's husband, the Mary who gave birth to Jesus, the Jesus who was called Christ. 17 There were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, another fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and yet another fourteen from the Babylonian exile to Christ. The Birth of Jesus
18 The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn't know that.) 19 Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced. 20 While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God's angel spoke in the dream: "Joseph, son of David, don't hesitate to get married. Mary's pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God's Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. 21 She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus - 'God saves' - because he will save his people from their sins."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Matthew 1:1-21
Commentary on Matthew 1:1-17
(Read Matthew 1:1-17)
Concerning this genealogy of our Saviour, observe the chief intention. It is not a needless genealogy. It is not a vain-glorious one, as those of great men often are. It proves that our Lord Jesus is of the nation and family out of which the Messiah was to arise. The promise of the blessing was made to Abraham and his seed; of the dominion, to David and his seed. It was promised to Abraham that Christ should descend from him, 2 Samuel 7:12; Psalm 89:3, & c.; 132:11; and, therefore, unless Jesus is a son of David, and a son of Abraham, he is not the Messiah. Now this is here proved from well-known records. When the Son of God was pleased to take our nature, he came near to us, in our fallen, wretched condition; but he was perfectly free from sin: and while we read the names in his genealogy, we should not forget how low the Lord of glory stooped to save the human race.
Commentary on Matthew 1:18-25
(Read Matthew 1:18-25)
Let us look to the circumstances under which the Son of God entered into this lower world, till we learn to despise the vain honours of this world, when compared with piety and holiness. The mystery of Christ's becoming man is to be adored, not curiously inquired into. It was so ordered that Christ should partake of our nature, yet that he should be pure from the defilement of original sin, which has been communicated to all the race of Adam. Observe, it is the thoughtful, not the unthinking, whom God will guide. God's time to come with instruction to his people, is when they are at a loss. Divine comforts most delight the soul when under the pressure of perplexed thoughts. Joseph is told that Mary should bring forth the Saviour of the world. He was to call his name Jesus, a Saviour. Jesus is the same name with Joshua. And the reason of that name is clear, for those whom Christ saves, he saves from their sins; from the guilt of sin by the merit of his death, and from the power of sin by the Spirit of his grace. In saving them from sin, he saves them from wrath and the curse, and all misery, here and hereafter. Christ came to save his people, not in their sins, but from their sins; and so to redeem them from among men, to himself, who is separate from sinners. Joseph did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, speedily, without delay, and cheerfully, without dispute. By applying the general rules of the written word, we should in all the steps of our lives, particularly the great turns of them, take direction from God, and we shall find this safe and comfortable.