Who
The eternal Son of God, who became man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. Matthew opens his Gospel with “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1) and descends to “Jesus, who is called Christ” (Matthew 1:16); Luke ascends from him, “being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph”, to “Adam, the son of God” (Luke 3:23–38). He has no human father: Joseph is his father by law, and his descent from David is through the house of Joseph and, as the Fathers hold, through Mary herself (Romans 1:3). Both genealogies are given, the Fathers say, so that the promises to Abraham and David are seen fulfilled in him and the whole human race from Adam is gathered into him.
Key verses
- Matthew 1:1
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
- Matthew 1:16
Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
- Luke 3:23
Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years old, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,
- Romans 1:3
concerning his Son, who was born of the offspring of David according to the flesh,
Where the Bible names him
Named 884 times in 26 books.
- Matthew155
- Mark83
- Luke91
- John238
- Acts63
- Romans33
- 1 Corinthians22
- 2 Corinthians15
- Galatians15
- Ephesians19
- Philippians21
- Colossians6
- 1 Thessalonians15
- 2 Thessalonians11
- 1 Timothy13
- 2 Timothy12
- Titus4
- Philemon6
- Hebrews13
- James2
- 1 Peter8
- 2 Peter8
- 1 John12
- 2 John2
- Jude5
- Revelation12
Verse index: TIPNR, STEPBible.org (Tyndale House), CC BY 4.0.
Family
Discussed by
Comments on the verses that name him (8 of 157).
- Jerome on Matthew 1:1Catena Aurea on Matthew
‘The face of a man’ (in Ezekiel’s vision) signifies Matthew, who accordingly opens his Gospel with the human genealogy of Christ.
- Rabanus Maurus on Matthew 1:1Catena Aurea on Matthew
By this exordium he shews that it is the birth of Christ according to the flesh that he has undertaken to narrate.
- Pseudo-Chrysostom on Matthew 1:1Catena Aurea on Matthew
Matthew wrote for the Jews, and in Hebrew [ed. note: It seems to be the general witness of antiquity that there was a Hebrew copy of St. Matthew’s Gospel, whether written before or after the Greek. This Hebrew copy…
- Rabanus Maurus on Matthew 1:1 (2)Catena Aurea on Matthew
Though the genealogy occupies only a small part of the volume, he yet begins thus, “The book of the generation.” For it is the manner of the Hebrews to name their books from that with which they open; as Genesis.
- Glossa Ordinaria on Matthew 1:1Catena Aurea on Matthew
The full expression would be “This is the book of the generation;” but this is a usual ellipse; e.g. “The vision of Isaiah,” for, ‘This is the vision.’ “Generation,” he says in the singular number, though there be…
- John Chrysostom on Matthew 1:1Catena Aurea on Matthew
Or he therefore entitles it, “The book of the generation,” because this is the sum of the whole dispensation, the root of all its blessings; viz. that God become man; for this once effected, all other things followed…
- Rabanus Maurus on Matthew 1:1 (3)Catena Aurea on Matthew
He says, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ,” because he knew it was written, ‘The book of the generation of Adam.’ He begins thus then, that he may oppose book to book, the new Adam to the old Adam, for by…
- Jerome on Matthew 1:1 (2)Catena Aurea on Matthew
We read in Isaiah, “Who shall declare His generation?” [Isa 53:8] But it does not follow that the Evangelist contradicts the Prophet, or undertakes what he declares impossible; for Isaiah is speaking of the…