Connect Matthew 1:15 to Old Testament prophecies about Jesus' lineage. Matthew 1:15 — The Text “Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob.” Why These Quiet Names Matter • They preserve the legal line from King David to Joseph, anchoring Jesus in covenant history even after the exile. • They show God keeping promises during the “silent years” when no prophetic books were written. • They bridge the gap between the last Old-Testament genealogies (1 Chronicles) and the birth of the Messiah. Old-Testament Promises Underpinning the Verse • Genesis 12:3 — Blessing promised “through” Abraham’s seed. • Genesis 49:10 — The scepter staying with Judah until “Shiloh” (Messiah) comes. • 2 Samuel 7:12-13; Psalm 89:3-4 — An eternal dynasty promised to David. • Isaiah 11:1 — “A shoot… from the stump of Jesse,” implying the line would look cut down yet remain alive. • Jeremiah 23:5 — A “righteous Branch” to rise for David. • Haggai 2:23 — Post-exilic assurance that Zerubbabel (ancestor of Eliud) is God’s “signet ring,” re-securing the line. Tracing the Line from the Exile to Joseph • Jeconiah (v. 12) — Last king before the exile; prophecy of enduring seed despite judgment (Jeremiah 22:24-30 contrasted with 33:20-26). • Shealtiel → Zerubbabel (v. 12-13) — Returns from exile; governor of Judah, fulfilling Haggai 2:23. • Abiud → Eliakim → Azor → Zadok → Achim → Eliud → Eleazar → Matthan → Jacob (v. 13-15) — Names not recorded elsewhere, showing God faithfully preserving the covenant lineage in obscurity. • Jacob → Joseph → Jesus (v. 16) — Legal fatherhood places Jesus squarely inside the Davidic promise. Prophetic Themes Affirmed by Matthew 1:15 • Preservation: God guards the royal line even when history seems to erase it. • Continuity: Every generation links Abraham, Judah, David, and finally Joseph to Jesus. • Legitimacy: Jesus fulfils the Messianic credentials required by 2 Samuel 7 and Isaiah 11. • Hope after exile: The names between Zerubbabel and Joseph prove that the exile did not cancel God’s covenant. A Living Thread of Redemption Matthew 1:15 may list unfamiliar men, yet each name testifies that the promised Seed (Genesis 3:15; Galatians 3:16) was on His way. The verse stands as a quiet but powerful witness: every prophecy about the Messiah’s lineage remained intact, unbroken, and unquestionable when “the fullness of time had come” (Galatians 4:4). |
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