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.