Matthew 1:16 (WEB)
Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
As quoted in the map (KJV)
Matthew 1:16–17 (KJV)
16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
Key words
- ἐξ ἧς ἐγεννήθη Ἰησοῦςex hēs egennēthē Iēsous · Greek
- 'of whom was born Jesus' — the relative pronoun is feminine: Jesus is born of Mary, not of Joseph.
- ΜαρίαςMarias · Greek
- 'Mary' — the one woman named at the close of the royal genealogy.
Why it matters
Matthew's genealogy of the kings of Judah ends by naming Mary. Pitre answers the objection that women were not normally listed in genealogies (pp 74–75): in the books of Kings one woman is always named when a king comes to the throne — his mother, the queen mother. Mary's name at the end of the royal line is queen-mother language, and as the legal wife of Joseph 'son of David' and the mother of Immanuel she holds the office.
Catechism · 1
“God called Joseph to "take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit", so that Jesus, "who is called Christ", should be born of Joseph's spouse into the messianic lineage of David.” — Catechism footnote: Mt 1:20; cf. 1:16; Rom 1:1; 2 Tim 2:8; Rev 22:16.
Fathers and councils · 22
Irenaeus of Lyons
“For Joseph is shown to be the son of Joachim and Jechoniah, as also Matthew sets forth in his pedigree.” — editor's note: Matt. i. 12–16.
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Augustine of Hippo
“…a certain mountain without hands, that is, coming of the kingdom of the Jews without hands, because human operation went not with Mary of whom was born Christ.” — editor's note: Matt. i. 16.
Read the whole comment“From hence are Joseph that just man, and the Virgin Mary who bore Christ: hence John Baptist the friend of the Bridegroom, and his parents Zacharias and Elisabeth: hence Symeon the old, and Anna the widow, who heard not Christ…” — editor's note: Matt. i. 16.
Read the whole comment“…critics who find a difficulty in the circumstance that Matthew enumerates one series of ancestors, beginning with David and travelling downwards to Joseph, while Luke specifies a different succession, tracing it from Joseph upwards as far as to David, they might easily perceive that Joseph may have had two…” — editor's note: Matt. i. 1–16.
Read the whole comment“Then in order to tell us how Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, he went on and said, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise;” for by the line of the generations he had showed why Christ is called the Son of David, and the Son of Abraham.” — editor's note: Matt. i. 7–18.
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Tertullian
“It is, however, a fortunate circumstance that Matthew also, when tracing down the Lord’s descent from Abraham to Mary, says, “Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Christ.”” — editor's note: Matt. i. 16.
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
In the last place, after all the patriarchs, he sets down Joseph the husband of Mary, for whose sake all the rest are introduced, saying, “But Jacob begot Joseph.”
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
This passage is objected to us by the Emperor Julian in his Discrepancy of the Evangelists. Matthew calls Joseph the son of Jacob, Luke makes him the son of Heli. He did not know the Scripture manner, one was his…
Read the whole comment - Eusebius of CaesareaCatena Aurea on Matthew
For Matthan and Melchi at different periods had each a son by one and the same wife Jesca. Matthan, who traced through Solomon, first had her, and died leaving one son, Jacob by name. As the Law forbade not a widow,…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
He is more properly called his son, by whom he was adopted, than had he been said to have been begotten of him of whose flesh he was not born. Wherefore Matthew, in saying, “Abraham begot Isaac,” and continuing the…
Read the whole comment - Eusebius of CaesareaCatena Aurea on Matthew
Neither does this lack good authority; nor has it been suddenly devised by us for this purpose. For the kinsmen of our Saviour according to the flesh, either out of desire to shew forth this their so great nobility…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
And suitably does Luke, who relates Christ’s ancestry not in the opening of his Gospel, but at his baptism, follow the line of adoption, as thus more clearly pointing Him out as the Priest that should make atonement…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Having gone through all the ancestry, and ended in Joseph, he adds, “The husband of Mary,” thereby declaring that is was for her sake that he was included in the genealogy.
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
When you hear this word, “husband,” do not straight bethink you of wedlock, but remember the Scripture manner, which calls persons only betrothed husband and wife.
Read the whole comment - Gennadius of ConstantinopleCatena Aurea on Matthew
The Son of God was born of human flesh, that is of Mary, and not by man after the way of nature, as Ebion says; and accordingly it is significantly added, “Of her Jesus was born.”
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
This is said against Valentinus, who taught that Christ took nothing of the Virgin Mary, but passed through her as through a channel or pipe. Wherefore it pleased Him to take flesh of the womb of a woman, is known in…
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
What God conveyed by the anointing of oil to those who were anointed to be kings, this the Holy Spirit conveyed upon the man Christ, adding thereto the expiation; wherefore when born He was called Christ; and thus it…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
It was not lawful that he should think to separate himself from Mary for this, that she brought forth Christ as yet a Virgin. And herein may the faithful gather, that if they be married, and preserve strict…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
In Christ’s parents was accomplished every good benefit of marriage, fidelity, progeny, and a sacrament. The progeny we see in the Lord Himself; fidelity, for there was no adultery; sacrament, for there was no divorce.
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
The attentive reader may ask, Seeing Joseph was not the father of the Lord and Saviour, how does his genealogy traced down to him in order pertain to the Lord? We will answer, first, that it is not the practice of…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Also, the line of descent ought to be brought down to Joseph, that in wedlock no wrong might be done to the male sex, as the more worthy, providing only nothing was taken away from the truth; because Mary was of the…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
But not one was the Son of God, and another the son of a man; but the same Christ was the son of both God and man. And as in one man, the soul is one and the body is another, so in the mediator between God and man,…
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Cross-references · 10
Cited together in Catechism §437.
Cited together in Catechism §437.
Cited together in On the Flesh of Christ Chapter 20.
Cited together in Catechism §437.
Cited together in Catechism §437.
Cited together in On the Flesh of Christ Chapter 20.
Cited together in Catechism §437.
Cited together in Catechism §437.
Cited together in On the Flesh of Christ Chapter 20.
Cited together in On the Flesh of Christ Chapter 20.