A Few Minutes in Matthew
Matthew 1:12–16
“And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.”

Explanation of the Text
After the exile, Israel returned home, but without a king. This final section of genealogy moves from the exile to Joseph and Mary. These names are less familiar to us, because they represent a long, quiet period of waiting. No prophets, no kings, no dramatic miracles, just steady generations of people trusting God’s promise.

Toward the end of the list, Matthew highlights something unique here: he calls Joseph “the husband of Mary,” not “the father of Jesus.” The Greek wording emphasizes that Jesus was not born from Joseph, but from Mary; this, of course, is a hint of the virginal conception Matthew will soon describe. Jesus is truly David’s heir, not by biology but by divine appointment and legal sonship through Joseph.

Matthew’s genealogy shows us that Jesus truly stands at the turning point of all history. All the centuries before Him point forward to Him, while everything after Him flows from Him. He is the Christ, the goal of every promise, the fulfillment of every hope.

What This Teaches Me About God
God is patient beyond my understanding. Even when His people must wait for centuries, He is still at work. His promises never expire, and He brings them to completion at exactly the right time.

What This Teaches Me About Myself
We often grow impatient quickly. We want God to act on our schedules. But faith learns to wait, not because God is slow, but because His timing is perfect, and His purposes are sure.

Prayer
Lord, teach me to wait on You with trust, knowing that You always fulfill Your promises in the perfect time. Amen.