The Gospel, according to Matthew 1:1-17, records the genealogy of Jesus’ family tree to trace that he is the son of David, the son of Abraham. Genealogies in ancient biographies explain the historical-biological lineage of a person in a community, including the status and power relationships. Interestingly, Jesus’ genealogy operates beyond the traditional family tree. It establishes Jesus’ lineage not by wealth, power, or social status but by locating him in Matthew’s version of the biblical story. Verse 17 says, from Abraham to Jesus, there were 42 generations. If you read this text with a normal reading, you will get bored because it has only names after names. In Christmas events, preachers seldom preach from this passage. Yet careful reading may find many important lessons to learn and understand the author’s intention.
First, genealogy demonstrates God’s providence in the past and the ongoing salvific plan of God in history that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament Messiah. It shows God’s faithfulness to his people throughout the generations. The Jews expected a Messiah to liberate Israel and rule the other nations. But Jesus’ genealogy highlighted how his bloodline is inclusive that includes Israel and other nations. His understanding of the kingdom of God and Messianic mission are entirely different from the Jewish expectation of a political Messiah. The genealogy reaffirms that Jesus is our hope, redeemer, and Prince of the peace who is born to be the saviour of the world.
Second, five women are mentioned in the list of Jesus’ ancestors. They are all ordinary women, some of them with bad reputations. The Jewish society was patriarchal like our tribal society; as per their culture, women were not supposed to be included in genealogy. Yet it is surprising to see five women in Jesus’ genealogy; four women are foreigners, not Jews. Tamar (prostitute) is probably a Canaanite woman married to the son of Judah (Gen 38). Rahab (harlot), a Canaanite from Jericho who saves the lives of two spies. Ruth, a Moabite (Moab Israel’s greatest enemy), followed her mother-in-law Naomi and became the wife of Boaz. Bathsheba, a Hittite, became David’s wife (adulterer); her name is not mentioned directly. This shows that God’s community is inclusive, where women and men, poor and rich, sinners and outcasts are invited to be a part of the community of God without any distinction. This is an important lesson we need to reflect on the importance of inclusive community and gender justice in our churches and society. Is our church inclusive?
Third, Mary – the mother of Jesus, a poor from a marginalized community, might be a migrant worker like in our present context. Mary and Joseph though from Bethlehem, Judea, were living in Nazareth, Galilee. Therefore, Mary and Joseph were not rich but poor and marginalized people. From a human point of view, the whole episode of Mary and Joseph betrothal could have been regarded as a scandal, conceived out of wedlock! Matthew said Jesus was conceived before they lived together through the Holy Spirit. The Angel confirmed to Joseph that it was the work of the Holy Spirit. Hence Jesus is the child of David, Abraham, and is God’s son who chooses to be incarnated among the poor and marginalized.
Fourth, naming a child in our patriarchal culture is done from the father’s lineage in Jewish society in the past. In the case of Jesus, the angel told Joseph to call him Jesus. God gave the name, not Joseph. Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name “Isshua.” The name “Jesus” reflects his God-given mission to counteract the Roman Empire. ‘Jesus’ means savior and liberator. He will liberate his people from sins and bondage.
Micah 5:2-5 and Matt 2:1-6 talk about the birth of Jesus from the tribe of Judah, and his birthplace will be Bethlehem, a very insignificant place at that time. Jesus was born in a marginal family that also in a manger. This indicates how God carefully identified the people and the community through which he incarnated. First visitors to his birthplace were poor shepherds who were in the lowest strata of society, not the kings nor rulers, or religious leaders. Wise men were also not from the dominant society; they were from the East, outside Jewish society.
The genealogy of Jesus indicates that the community of Jesus is a marginalized community by political, cultural, social, economic, and religious structures represented by a synagogue and the Roman Empire. The world where Jesus was born was ruled by the Roman Empire, where minority people were exploited and suffered. Herod the Great was the king in office, a total stranger to the line of David installed by the Roman Empire who tried to eliminate Jesus. The Jews were under the Roman Empire and longed for political liberation. The high priest, scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees were the leading Jewish religious functionaries utterly dependent on Herod’s power for survival.
Christmas event locates Jesus in a world where the elite and powerful, namely, the religious and political leaders, continue to resist God’s purpose. Herod did not accept Jesus and the high priest and religious leaders. The child Jesus is the anti-Caesar. The language of the angel’s song in Luke 2:9-12 is a political song, retorting to the official propaganda – Pax Romana: announcing not to be afraid, the good news of great joy for all people, city of David, a saviour has been born, Jesus Christ, Lord, peace on earth, are all political and dangerous terms to be spoken by suffering community in those days. What is being proclaimed is not a new religion but the birth of a child who will later radically oppose the designs of the Empire. The people will be liberated from Rome and Herod under the guidance of a descendant of David, which is a cause of great joy.
The genealogy of Jesus shows a collective and inclusive community of sinners, adulterers, prostitutes, murderers, fornicators, and mixed bloodlines. Therefore, the community of Jesus is inclusive, and there is universal salvation for the whole world, not only for Christians. The purpose of Jesus’ coming is to save people from their sins and bondages (Mat 1:21; Lk. 2:10-11). The birth narrative is read piously, with too much spiritualizing with otherworldly. But “sin” should not be limited to spiritual and personal sin alone; it has a bigger dimension. Our understanding of sin is often detached from its social, political, cultural, and economic basis. Sin is, above all, a collective reality, and it is not to be limited to spiritual sin alone. Let us think about corruption, misappropriations, and misuse of power in institutions, churches, and society.
These are collective sins of the humanities from which people need liberation. The message of Christmas is to liberate from all these collective sins of society and personal sins. It should empower us to live with hope in a world of extreme hardships and oppression. Sin is both the cause and the reality of this oppression. Let this year’s Christmas be the prayer for the marginalized people, the humiliated and oppressed, and destroy the corrupt system in our society. May we have an inclusive church community where women and men, poor and rich, young and old, sinners and unholy, are all accepted and respected. May the joy, peace, love, hope, justice, and humility of Jesus, our saviour be with you all this Christmas.