How does Matthew 1:5 demonstrate God's inclusion of Gentiles in His plan? Setting the Scene Matthew opens with a genealogy that links Jesus to David and Abraham, anchoring Him firmly in Israel’s story. Yet even here, the Holy Spirit slips in names that signal God’s wider purpose. Matthew 1:5 “Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse.” Right in the middle of the royal line stand two Gentile women—Rahab the Canaanite and Ruth the Moabite. Gentiles Named in Matthew 1:5 • Rahab – a resident of Jericho, identified repeatedly as “Rahab the prostitute.” (Joshua 2; 6) • Ruth – a Moabite widow who clung to Naomi and the God of Israel. (Ruth 1:16) Neither belonged to Israel by birth, yet both are honored ancestors of the Messiah. Grace Overrides Bloodlines • Rahab’s past did not disqualify her; her faith saved her. – Joshua 2:11: “for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.” • Ruth’s nationality did not exclude her; her loyalty brought her in. – Ruth 2:12: “May the LORD repay your work, and may you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” Faith, Not Ancestry, Opens the Door • Both women trusted the God of Israel before they married into Israel. • Their stories echo the promise to Abraham that “All nations will be blessed through you.” (Galatians 3:8) • Their inclusion foreshadows God’s plan to “justify the Gentiles by faith.” (Galatians 3:8) Prophetic Whispers of a Global Gospel • Isaiah 56:7: “My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.” • Matthew places Gentile names at the start of his Gospel, then ends with Jesus’ command, “make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:19) • The genealogy and the Great Commission form bookends proclaiming the same message: God always intended to gather the nations. A Family Line Marked by Redemption • Rahab was rescued from judgment on Jericho. • Ruth was redeemed from poverty and widowhood. • Both women became links in the chain leading to David, then to Christ—the Redeemer who rescues and adopts people from every tribe and tongue. (Revelation 5:9) Living in the Light of Matthew 1:5 • No background, ethnicity, or past sin bars anyone from God’s grace; salvation is received by faith. (Ephesians 2:12-13) • God delights to weave unlikely people into His purposes, turning outsiders into heirs. • As recipients of that grace, believers are called to welcome others just as freely. (Romans 15:7) Matthew 1:5 quietly but powerfully announces that Gentiles have always been on God’s heart—and that through Jesus, the door to His family stands wide open. |
    |