Matthan is a biblical figure mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. He is noted as an ancestor of Jesus, specifically in the lineage of Joseph, the husband of Mary. The name "Matthan" is derived from the Hebrew name "Mattanyah," which means "gift of Yahweh."

Genealogical Context

In the Gospel of Matthew, Matthan is listed as the father of Jacob, who is the father of Joseph. This genealogy is significant as it traces the legal lineage of Jesus through Joseph, establishing Jesus' rightful place in the line of David, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies regarding the Messiah's descent from David's royal line. The relevant passage is found in Matthew 1:15-16 : "Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ."

Historical and Theological Significance

Matthan's inclusion in the genealogy underscores the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel. The genealogical record in Matthew serves to affirm Jesus' messianic credentials, linking Him to the patriarchs and the Davidic line. This connection is crucial for understanding the New Testament's portrayal of Jesus as the legitimate heir to the promises made to Abraham and David.

The genealogy in Matthew is structured to highlight the providential hand of God in history, orchestrating events and lineages to bring about the birth of Jesus. Matthan, though a relatively obscure figure, plays a vital role in this divine narrative. His mention, along with others in the genealogy, emphasizes the continuity of God's covenantal faithfulness across generations.

Cultural and Religious Context

In Jewish culture, genealogies were essential for establishing identity, inheritance rights, and religious duties. The genealogy in Matthew reflects this cultural importance, providing a legal and historical framework for Jesus' identity as the Messiah. By tracing Jesus' lineage through Joseph, Matthew addresses a Jewish audience familiar with the significance of genealogical records.

Comparison with Luke's Genealogy

It is worth noting that the Gospel of Luke presents a different genealogical account, tracing Jesus' lineage through Mary, which some scholars suggest. Luke's genealogy emphasizes Jesus' biological descent, while Matthew's focuses on legal descent through Joseph. This dual presentation highlights the multifaceted nature of Jesus' identity as both the Son of God and the Son of Man, fulfilling various aspects of messianic prophecy.

Conclusion

While Matthan himself is not a prominent figure in biblical narratives, his role in the genealogy of Jesus is crucial for understanding the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan through history. His mention in the Gospel of Matthew serves as a testament to the intricate and purposeful unfolding of God's promises to His people.Matthan

same as Mattan

Matthan

(gift), grandfather of Joseph the husband of the Virgin Mary. (Matthew 1:15)

Gift, one of our Lord's ancestry (Matthew 1:15). MATTHAN

mat'-than (Textus Receptus Matthan, Westcott and Hort, The New Testament in Greek Maththan): An ancestor of Jesus, grandfather of Joseph the husband of Mary (Matthew 1:15).

See MATTHAT.

3157. Matthan -- Matthan, an Israelite
... 3156, 3157. Matthan. 3158 . Matthan, an Israelite. Part of Speech:
Proper Noun, Indeclinable Transliteration: Matthan Phonetic ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3157.htm - 6k

1648. Eleazar -- Eleazar, an Israelite
... Indeclinable Transliteration: Eleazar Phonetic Spelling: (el-eh-ad'-zar) Short
Definition: Eleazar Definition: Eleazar, son of Eliud, and father of Matthan. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1648.htm - 5k

Writing vi. Matthan, Descended from Solomon, Begat Jacob. ...
... I."The Epistle to Aristides. Writing VI. Matthan, descended from Solomon,
begat Jacob.? Matthan, descended from Solomon, begat Jacob. ...
/.../the writings of julius africanus/writing vi matthan descended from.htm

Writing iii. But in Order that what I have Said May be Made ...
... If we reckon the generations from David through Solomon, Matthan is found to be
the third from the end, who begat Jacob the father of Joseph. ...
/.../africanus/the writings of julius africanus/writing iii but in order.htm

The Alleged Discrepancy in the Gospels in Regard to the Genealogy ...
... If we reckon the generations from David through Solomon, the third from the end
is found to be Matthan, who begat Jacob the father of Joseph. ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter vii the alleged discrepancy in.htm

Matthew's Genealogy of Jesus Christ
... And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; 15. And Eliud
begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; 16. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/matthews genealogy of jesus christ.htm

Genealogy of Jesus According to Matthew.
... Eliakim begat Azor; 14 and Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat
Eliud; 15 and Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/iii genealogy of jesus according.htm

Ancestors of the Blessed virgin
... Joachim was poor. He was related to St. Joseph in the following way: Joseph's
grandfather was descended from David through Solomon and was called Matthan. ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/i ancestors of the blessed.htm

The Church History of Eusebius. Index of Subjects.
... Essenes, Jewish sect, [1035]199. Estha, wife of Matthan and Melchi, [1036]91. Ethiopia,
Christianity introduced into, [1037]105 (note [1038]30), [1039]347. ...
/.../pamphilius/the life of constantine/the church history of eusebius.htm

The Writings of Julius Africanus
... Writing VI. Matthan, descended from Solomon, begat Jacob.? The best introduction
to this production will be the following preface, as given in Migne. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/africanus/the writings of julius africanus/

Of the Agreement of the Evangelists Matthew and Luke in the ...
... and Eliakim begat Azor; and Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat
Eliud; and Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/sermon i of the agreement.htm

The Immaculate Conception
... Joseph's grandmother (who had married as her first husband Matthan, of the line
of Solomon, and had by him two sons, one of whom was Jacob, the father of St. ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/ii the immaculate conception.htm

Matthan (1 Occurrence)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. MATTHAN. ... See MATTHAT. Multi-Version Concordance
Matthan (1 Occurrence). Matthew 1:15 Eliud became the father of Eleazar. ...
/m/matthan.htm - 7k

Eli'ud (2 Occurrences)
... Matthew 1:15 and Eliud begat Eleazar, and Eleazar begat Matthan, and Matthan begat
Jacob, (See RSV). Eliud, Eli'ud. Elizabeth . Reference Bible.
/e/eli'ud.htm - 6k

Eliazar (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Eliazar (1 Occurrence). Matthew 1:15 and Eliud begat Eliazar,
and Eliazar begat Matthan, and Matthan begat Jacob, (DBY). ...
/e/eliazar.htm - 6k

Eliud (2 Occurrences)
... Matthew 1:15 Eliud became the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father
of Matthan. Matthan became the father of Jacob. (WEB ...
/e/eliud.htm - 7k

Elea'zar (72 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Elea'zar (72 Occurrences). Matthew 1:15 and Eliud begat
Eleazar, and Eleazar begat Matthan, and Matthan begat Jacob, (See RSV). ...
/e/elea'zar.htm - 27k

Begat (112 Occurrences)
... WBS YLT). Matthew 1:15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan;
and Matthan begat Jacob; (KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT). Matthew 1 ...
/b/begat.htm - 31k

Eleazar (74 Occurrences)
... Eleazar (74 Occurrences). Matthew 1:15 Eliud became the father of Eleazar. Eleazar
became the father of Matthan. Matthan became the father of Jacob. ...
/e/eleazar.htm - 39k

Matthanias

/m/matthanias.htm - 6k

Matters (131 Occurrences)

/m/matters.htm - 36k

Jacob (361 Occurrences)
... Matthew 1:15 Eliud became the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father
of Matthan. Matthan became the father of Jacob. (WEB ...
/j/jacob.htm - 77k

Why are Jesus' genealogies in Matthew and Luke so different? | GotQuestions.org

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