[00:00:05] Hello, my name is Sally Moriarty-Flask. Welcome to: From His Word to Our Hearts, my weekly Bible Study podcast. Together we will explore, in four bonus episodes, all of the Gospels that will be proclaimed at the Catholic Masses of Christmas on December 24th and 25th.
[00:00:23] In each of four special episodes, we will take an in-depth look at one of the Gospels featured at the Masses of Christmas: The Vigil Mass, Midnight Mass, Mass at Dawn, and Mass During the Day. Each episode will begin with the same prayer and the same introductory information, then dive into the particular Gospel assigned to each Mass.
[00:00:45] This episode, Episode 79, is Part I in which we will hear the Genealogy and Nativity of Jesus from Matthew.
As we journey through the readings this week, consider the following:
The Gospels we hear at Christmas teach us many important lessons about the person of Jesus - everything from who he is, what his heritage is, and how his birth came about… to his identity as the divine Word of God, the Logos. But we still need to ask ourselves who Jesus is to each one of us? And are we willing to invite him into our hearts, our homes, and our lives?
[00:01:29] Let's begin in prayer:
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Heavenly Father, we praise you and we thank you for the gift of your Son. Help us to truly appreciate the wonder of his Incarnation and to treasure his time here on Earth. Teach us how to grow closer to him each day so that we welcome him with joy in our hearts and acknowledge him and as the Lord of our lives. We ask this through your beloved Son, Jesus, born to us in the quiet of this Bethlehem night. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
[00:02:09] Now that we've opened our hearts in prayer, let's take a few moments to understand a bit more about how the Gospels begin, in general, before we listen to what God's message is for us in the Vigil Gospel.
[00:02:21] The first thing I want to mention is that every Gospel begins with a Preface or Prologue of some sort - some are quite short and others are quite lengthy. The Prologue of John's Gospel is the longest… we'll hear that in the Mass During the Day on Christmas. The next point I want to make is that not all Gospels include Infancy Narratives - those stories relating to Jesus’ birth and childhood - only Matthew and Luke have those.
[00:02:51] The last thing I want to point out is that Matthew and Luke are the only Gospels that include the Genealogy of Jesus, and what each Evangelist does with that genealogy is quite unique. Luke traces the line of Jesus backward through time, beginning with Jesus and ending with Adam. Matthew, on the other hand, traces the line of Jesus forward through time, beginning with Abraham and ending with Jesus.
[00:03:24] Beyond those specific details, we should understand that there are stories unique to each Evangelist, told from the perspective of a number of different individuals, and that every story offers a treasured glimpse into the life of Jesus and his family before he reaches adulthood and begins his public ministry.
With all that in mind, let's begin with the Gospel for the Vigil of Christmas, which is from Matthew… and remember, a Vigil can begin any time after 4 pm on the day before a major Feast, so - for our purposes - that means December 24th.
[00:04:10] And this is the Gospel of Matthew 1: 1-25.
“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Per’ez and Ze’rah by Ta’mar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Ammin’adab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Ra’hab, and Boaz the father of O’bed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uri’ah, and Solomon the father of Rehobo’am, and Rehoboam the father of Abi’jah, and Abijah the father of Asa, and Asa the father of Jehosh’aphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Jo’ram, and Joram the father of Uzzi’ah, and Uzziah the father of Jo’tham, and Jotham the father of A’haz, and Ahaz the father of Hezeki’ah, and Hezekiah the father of Manas’she, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josi’ah, and Josiah the father of Jeconi’ah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
After the deportation to Babylon: Jeconi’ah was the father of She-al’ti-el, and She-alti-el the father of Zerub’babel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abi’ud, and Abiud the father of Eli’akim, and Eliakim the father of A’zor, and Azor the father of Za’dok, and Zadok the father of A’chim, and Achim the father of Eli’ud, and Eliud the father of Elea’zar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Christ.
So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to send her away quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
‘Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel’ (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.”
[00:08:31] This is one of those Gospels that priests and deacons dread because there are so many unfamiliar names and difficult pronunciations! As I mentioned earlier, Matthew's genealogy traces Jesus’ line from Abraham forward through time. Jewish society was patriarchal in nature, meaning that a person's lineage was traced through the father's line.
[00:08:57] That's why most of the names you heard were male. However, there were five women mentioned along the way and each one played a significant role in both the history of the Jewish people AND in salvation history, so… rather than read back through the entire genealogy - which I'm sure you have no desire to hear again and which I really don't want to repeat - let's concentrate instead on those five women and end with the story of the Nativity.
[00:09:29] Let's begin…
“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”
[00:09:38] Those are the very first words we hear as part of Matthew's Gospel, but they are also hugely consequential! Remember, Matthew is writing to Jewish Christians and he uses those two titles very deliberately!
[00:09:55] The title SON OF DAVID shows that Jesus is a legitimate heir to the throne of King David and the fulfillment of the promise made in 2nd Samuel 7: “your throne shall be established forever” and then he uses the title SON OF ABRAHAM to indicate that Jesus is the ultimate heir to Abraham, the father of all believers, and the fulfillment of every one of Israel's hopes and prophecies.
[00:10:30] We also need to keep in mind that the Passion Narratives were the first things recorded by any of the Evangelists… the details of the Suffering, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. However, Matthew also very much wanted to connect the events of Christ's Passion with the person of Jesus… the man whom he had come to know during those three years of Jesus' public ministry… and to connect that very real person with the identity of the Messiah, the promised Savior and Deliverer who died and rose again.
[00:11:13] Matthew presents this genealogy to establish the credibility of the Gospel he wrote, firmly establishing Jesus' existence in time, and connecting him to the promises made to the Jewish people throughout history.
[00:11:33] So let's delve into the stories of those five women mentioned in Matthew's genealogy.
The first is Tamar. Tamar (we are told in the genealogy) is the mother of Perez and Zerah whose father is Jacob. Jacob was not Tamar's husband; he was actually her father-in-law! And now that you're a bit scandalized, let me explain. Tamar was a Gentile woman. She was married to Er, one of Jacob's sons, who died before Tamar could conceive any children. Several years and many events later, Tamar concealed her identity and tricked Jacob into her bed, pretending to be a prostitute. When Jacob learned that Tamar was pregnant, he ordered her to be put to death for her wickedness… until she presented Jacob with proof that he was actually the father of her child. Jacob then spared her life and she, in turn, gave birth to twin boys: Perez and Zerah, the two who are then mentioned in the genealogy. Perez was in the direct line of Jesus, so without Tamar the line would have stopped right there! Truly, if you haven't read the entirety of the Old Testament… understand right now that it is full of improbable, crazy, violent, racy stories… and we're just getting started! If you want to read the whole story of Tamar, you will find it in chapter 38 of Genesis.
[00:13:25] The next woman mentioned is Rahab. Rahab is a real prostitute, not a pretend one like Tamar. As the Exodus from Egypt was drawing to an end, Joshua - who led the people after Moses death - sent two spies into the city of Jericho to reconnoiter the territory and gain intelligence for the Israelites. Rahab, who was herself a Canaanite woman (meaning a Gentile), sheltered and protected the spies sent by Joshua and then helped them escape back to the Israelite army. In return for her assistance, Rahab asked that she and her family be spared in the upcoming battle. The Israelites won the battle, Rahab and her family were spared, and she eventually married Salmon and gave birth to Boaz, as mentioned in the genealogy. Again, without Rahab, the line of Jesus would have been broken! If you'd like to read the full story of Rahab, you'll find that in chapter 2 of Joshua.
[00:14:44] Next is Ruth. Ruth's story is absolutely beautiful, and it is one of my favorite stories in the Old Testament! At the time of the Judges, there was a great famine in Israel, so a man by the name of Elimelech and his wife, Naomi, took their two sons into the land of Moab so they wouldn't starve. After the family was settled, Elimelech died leaving the two sons to take care of Naomi. Several years passed, during which both sons married Moabite women and, unfortunately, both men died childless. By that time, the famine in Israel had ended and Naomi decided to return to her homeland. One of Naomi's daughters-in-law elected to remain in Moab, but the other - Ruth - refused to leave Naomi. Naomi tried her best to convince Ruth to stay in Moab, but Ruth refused and made a beautiful declaration of love and loyalty to Naomi. Ruth said: “wherever you go I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” Again, just so very beautiful! So, Naomi and Ruth traveled to Israel, and they arrived during the barley harvest. Boaz, a kinsman of Elimelech, allows Ruth to glean fallen grain in the fields so that she and Naomi won't starve… and keep in mind that gleaning was a command from God - it was part of God's law recorded in Leviticus and Deuteronomy - which mandated that grapes or grain remaining in the field after the harvest had to be left to provide for orphans, widows, strangers, and the poor. Remember, these were people that were on the margins of society in ancient Israel and had no protection other than what was allowed by kindhearted relatives like Boaz. After some very interesting happenings that are much too lengthy to go into here, Boaz and Ruth are wed. Ruth then gives birth to Obed, who ends up being the grandfather of King David. Again, without this Gentile woman, the line of Jesus would have been broken! The line of King David would have been broken! If you would like to read the entire story of Ruth, read the book of Ruth in the Old Testament… and yes, it is an entire book, not just a single chapter.
[00:17:56] The next important woman isn't actually identified by name - she is referred to only as the wife of Uriah. Her name, by the way, was Bathsheba and Uriah, her husband, was a general in King David's army. When Uriah was out of the city on a military campaign, David saw Bathsheba and, the Bible tells us, lusted after her, ordering that she be brought to the palace where they then committed adultery. Bathsheba became pregnant, and David - in order to hide his own personal disgrace - undertook a number of deceitful and underhanded tactics to eliminate Uriah, finally ordering that he be abandoned to die in battle. After a suitable period of mourning, David and Bathsheba were wed, but the son conceived of their adultery died in infancy. They went on to have four other sons, Solomon (the eldest) is the one mentioned in the genealogy… the very same Solomon who built the first temple in Jerusalem. Again, the line of Jesus remained intact, thanks to a woman with an unusual story. If you'd like to read the entire story, you can find it in chapters 11 and 12 of 2 Samuel.
[00:19:42] The final woman mentioned is Mary… we are more familiar with the details of her story than of the previous four women from the Old Testament, so I won't take up too much time with that here. The one detail I do want to point out, that makes Mary's story unusual, is that she was betrothed to Joseph, but their wedding ceremony had not yet taken place when she became pregnant - in a most astonishing way - through the power of the Holy Spirit! We are so familiar with that detail that we often take its extraordinary nature for granted.
[00:20:27] If we've learned anything from the stories of these remarkable women, it should be that - time and again - God's promises are brought to fulfillment in unexpected ways and he can use anyone and anything to accomplish his will!
[00:20:50] At the end of the genealogy, Matthew offers some interesting facts and figures…
“So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.”
[00:21:15] Why, you may ask, does Matthew provide all this strange information and why is any of it important? Well, it's Matthew's way of saying: in the fullness of time and according to God's plan. Remember, he's writing to Jewish Christians, so he frames his narrative to include people and events that are central to the history of the Jewish people! There's also a numerical significance here… Matthew lists three sets of 14 generations, right? Fourteen is the number seven doubled. Seven is one of those perfect numbers in Scripture, right? And Matthew, a well-educated Jew, takes this opportunity - at the end of the genealogy and before the Nativity - to highlight how the lineage of Jesus relates to the narrative of Jewish history, while at the same time employing a series of numbers, the significance of which, Jews would have recognized immediately.
[00:22:30] So, let's take a look… the first grouping takes us from Abraham, our father in faith, to David, the greatest king in the history of Israel. Easy to see the significance there.
The next grouping takes us from David, when Israel was strong and united, to the Babylonian exile, when Israel was divided and weak. Not a great period of history, but certainly significant.
The last grouping takes us from the Babylonian exile, one of the greatest tragedies in the biblical history of the Jewish people, to the Christ, the one who brings salvation and deliverance. It's impossible to imagine anything more significant.
[00:23:30] On that note, let's dive into the story of the Nativity…
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way.”
[00:23:39] In this account of the Nativity, Matthew reiterates that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah… that repeats what he said at the very beginning of his Gospel!
“When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit;”
[00:24:01] Again, that most astonishing twist in the story of Jesus' lineage.
[00:24:07] “and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to send her away quietly.”
In an honor/shame society, Joseph's actions would have been unexpected and certainly a great kindness!
[00:24:29] “But as he considered this, behold,”
Matthew uses that word often in his Gospel - think of it almost as a trumpet blast. He wants to get the reader's attention because he's got something really important to say!
[00:24:45] “behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream,”
[00:24:50] The Jewish Christians for whom Matthew is writing his Gospel would have been quite familiar with the story of another Joseph… who - you may remember - was one of the twelve sons of Jacob and was sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers because they were jealous of him. In Egypt, Joseph rose to prominence in the court of Pharaoh for his ability to interpret Pharaoh's dreams. And the angel said…
“Joseph, son of David,”
Emphasizing Joseph's place in the line of King David.
“do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
[00:25:43] The name Jesus - Yeshua in Hebrew - means God saves.
[00:25:49] “All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
‘Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel’ (which means, God with us).
This quote is from Isaiah 7, a prophecy spoken to King Ahaz predicting the birth of his son Hezekiah. However, since the Patristic Era (the first several centuries of the Church), Christians have recognized this prophecy as pointing to the birth of Jesus.
[00:26:24] “When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but he knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.”
[00:26:38] When Matthew says that Joseph “knew her not until she had borne a son” those words DO mean that Joseph absolutely did not have carnal knowledge of Mary before Jesus was born. Those words, however, DO NOT mean that he absolutely did have carnal knowledge of Mary after Jesus' birth. The Scriptures are actually quite silent on that point.
And this is one of those times when Catholics and Protestants simply disagree. Catholics accept the doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary, while most Protestants do not. But since the Patristic Era (the earliest centuries of the Church), Catholics have always believed that Mary remained a virgin throughout her life.
[00:27:36] I hate to end on what appears to be a controversial point, however, that is the end of our Christmas Vigil Gospel… but it is not the end of the Christmas Season. That will not end until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
[00:27:55] We learn a great deal about Jesus from the Christmas Gospels… who he is, what his human lineage is, how his birth came about, his relationship with God the Father, and his identity as Son, King, Messiah, and Divine Logos.
[00:28:21] What we cannot learn from the words of Scripture is what Jesus means to us. That is something that each and every person must determine for themselves. So, I will end with one final question… are we willing to open ourselves to God's gift of grace by inviting Jesus into our hearts, our homes, and our lives?
[00:28:54] Not just at Christmas, but always?
[00:28:58] If you would like to reach out to me with questions or comments, send me an email at
[email protected]
Thank you for spending this time with me and until next we meet, may God shower his blessings upon you like a soft and gentle rain, and may he hold you - safe and secure - in the palm of his hand.
From His Word to Our Hearts is produced by SFS Audio Solutions.
The content of the show was assembled by me, Sally Moriarty-Flask.
Our music was composed by Jimmy Flask and is used with the permission of the composer. All rights reserved.
Information regarding references used in preparing the exegesis for this podcast is available upon request.
Thank you for listening. May God bless you and your family, and may you have a very Merry Christmas.
