Matthew 1:1 kjv
The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Matthew 1:1 nkjv
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
Matthew 1:1 niv
This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:
Matthew 1:1 esv
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Matthew 1:1 nlt
This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham :
Matthew 1 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 5:1 | This is the book of the generations of Adam... | Literary parallel, a "new genesis" begins. |
| Gen 2:4 | These are the generations of the heavens and the earth... | Motif of divine record/origins. |
| Gen 6:9 | These are the generations of Noah... | Introduction to a new significant phase. |
| 2 Sam 7:12 | When your days are fulfilled... I will raise up your offspring after you... | Davidic covenant of eternal kingship. |
| Ps 89:3-4 | I have made a covenant with my chosen one... I will establish your offspring | God's eternal oath to David's throne. |
| Isa 9:6-7 | For to us a child is born... He will reign on David's throne... | Prophecy of the Messianic king. |
| Jer 23:5 | Behold, the days are coming... I will raise up for David a righteous Branch | Prophecy of David's righteous descendant. |
| Ezek 34:23 | I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David... | Messiah as the restored Davidic king/shepherd. |
| Mic 5:2 | From you [Bethlehem] shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler... | Prophecy of the Messiah's birthplace. |
| Zech 9:9 | Rejoice greatly... Your king comes to you; righteous and having salvation... | Prophecy of the king's arrival. |
| Gen 12:3 | In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. | Abrahamic covenant of universal blessing. |
| Gen 22:18 | In your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed... | Reiterates universal scope of the covenant. |
| Gal 3:16 | Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say... "and to seeds," but "and to your Seed," which is Christ. | NT interpretation of Abraham's singular "seed" as Christ. |
| Rom 1:3-4 | concerning his Son... who was descended from David according to the flesh | Jesus' Davidic lineage confirmed by Paul. |
| Acts 2:29-30 | David died... but being therefore a prophet... he foresaw... Christ would sit on his throne. | Peter's sermon asserting Jesus' Messiahship. |
| Luke 1:32-33 | He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High... the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David... | Gabriel's prophecy of Jesus' Davidic reign. |
| Luke 3:34 | ...the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. | Luke's genealogy confirming Abrahamic connection. |
| Matt 21:9 | The crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!" | Popular recognition of Jesus' Davidic claim. |
| Rev 5:5 | ...the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered... | Jesus' royal triumph and Davidic heritage. |
| Rev 22:16 | I am the Root and the Offspring of David... | Jesus affirming His Davidic identity. |
Matthew 1 verses
Matthew 1 1 Meaning
Matthew 1:1 declares Jesus Christ's identity and foundational significance, establishing His lineage. It presents Him as "the book of the genealogy" or "the record of the origin" of Jesus, connecting Him specifically to King David, fulfilling the Davidic covenant of kingship, and to Abraham, fulfilling the Abrahamic covenant of blessing for all nations. This verse introduces Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, the heir of divine promises, marking the climax of God's redemptive history.
Matthew 1 1 Context
Matthew 1:1 serves as the prologue to the entire Gospel of Matthew. It immediately establishes the main theme: Jesus is the Messiah, the promised King of Israel, and the long-awaited fulfillment of God's covenants with David and Abraham. Matthew primarily wrote for a Jewish audience, making the lineage central to proving Jesus' legitimacy as Messiah. Genealogies were vital in ancient Jewish culture to establish identity, inheritance rights, and rightful claims to leadership. This verse thus signals to Jewish readers that Matthew's narrative will demonstrate how Jesus truly fits the Messianic expectations derived from their Scriptures. It prepares the reader for the ensuing genealogy (vv. 2-17) and the birth narrative (vv. 18-25) that elaborate on this claim.
Matthew 1 1 Word Analysis
- The book (Βίβλος - Biblos): Literally "a scroll" or "a written document." More profoundly, it signifies a record or account. The term is intentionally chosen to echo the Hebrew sepher toledoth ("book of the generations" or "account of origins") found in the Old Testament, particularly Gen 5:1 ("This is the book of the generations of Adam"). Matthew signals his gospel as a new "genesis," a divine account of new beginnings centered on Jesus, much like Genesis recounted creation and the beginnings of humanity.
- of the genealogy (γενέσεως - geneseōs): This Greek word means "birth," "origin," "generation," or "lineage." It is the same root word as "Genesis" (Γένεσις - Geneseōs). It's not merely a list of names, but an account of origins or the way someone "came to be." Matthew is presenting the foundational history of Jesus Christ's emergence into human history as the promised redeemer.
- of Jesus Christ:
- Jesus (Ἰησοῦ - Iēsou): The Greek form of the Hebrew name Yeshua or Joshua, meaning "Yahweh saves" or "the Lord is salvation." It points directly to His mission to save His people from their sins (Matt 1:21).
- Christ (Χριστοῦ - Christou): The Greek translation of the Hebrew title Mashiach (Messiah), meaning "Anointed One." This title signifies Jesus' unique role as prophet, priest, and especially king—the chosen and anointed deliverer. By immediately uniting "Jesus" and "Christ," Matthew emphasizes that Jesus is the Anointed One. This isn't just a name, but His identity and office.
- the son of David: This phrase asserts Jesus' royal lineage. The Davidic covenant (2 Sam 7) promised that David's throne and kingdom would endure forever through his offspring. For a Jewish audience, identifying Jesus as "son of David" immediately proclaims His claim to kingship, establishing Him as the legitimate heir to the throne of Israel, fulfilling messianic prophecies concerning a descendant of David. This signifies His kingly authority and sovereign rule.
- the son of Abraham: This identifies Jesus as the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant (Gen 12:3; 22:18), in which God promised that through Abraham's "seed," all the families/nations of the earth would be blessed. This expands the scope of Jesus' mission beyond Israel to include all humanity. It highlights the universal nature of His salvation, intended for Gentiles as well as Jews.
Matthew 1 1 Bonus Section
Matthew's decision to begin with the phrase "The book of the genealogy" (βίβλος γενέσεως) and then to connect Jesus immediately to David and Abraham demonstrates a masterful theological and literary strategy. It positions Jesus' advent as the culmination of Old Testament history and prophecy. Just as Genesis laid out the origins of the world, humanity, and Israel, Matthew’s "genesis" of Jesus provides the new beginning, the origin point for God's ultimate plan of redemption. It underlines that Jesus' appearance is not a random event but the meticulously planned work of God through His covenant faithfulness, signifying the long-awaited dawn of a new era.
Matthew 1 1 Commentary
Matthew 1:1 is a tightly packed, profound statement that immediately positions Jesus as the climax of redemptive history. It serves as an authoritative title, introducing the "new Genesis"—God's ultimate work of new creation and salvation through the promised Messiah. By stating "the book of the genealogy," Matthew draws a direct parallel to the Old Testament, asserting Jesus' rightful place within divine prophecy and historical continuity.
The dual identification of Jesus as "the son of David" and "the son of Abraham" is critical. "Son of David" firmly establishes Jesus' credentials as the legitimate heir to the throne of Israel, destined to fulfill the promise of an eternal kingdom. This was paramount for a Jewish audience awaiting their king. Immediately adding "son of Abraham" broadens the scope, signaling that Jesus' coming is not just for Israel, but for the blessing of all nations, aligning with the Abrahamic covenant's universal promise. The inverted order (David before Abraham) subtly emphasizes the kingly and Messianic aspect as paramount to Matthew's initial address to Jewish readers, before the wider implications unfold throughout the Gospel. This verse acts as a succinct declaration of who Jesus is and what He came to do, setting the entire narrative that follows within the framework of divine covenant fulfillment and the ultimate hope for salvation.