The book of Matthew (Hebrew Mattityahu and Aramaic Mattai, meaning gift of Yehovah) was written by Matthew the Shaliach (sent one, apostle) originally in Hebrew, and presents Yeshua as the Messiah, who has the right to the throne of David as King of Israel (all twelve tribes) according to the genealogy presented in the first chapter. The book is written in the “drash” level and that is where we explore, seek, and ask for more information at the midrashic level. It is very parabolic, and while Mark gives the short, or “W-2” version of his gospel, Matthew contains the “long form” of the four gospels (28 chapters).
Matthew, who is also called Levi, was probably from the tribe of Levi. He was a man of culture and his intended audience was Jewish. He was a tax collector for Rome and seen as a “collaborator” by many who wanted to overthrow the yoke of Rome. Matthew writes in the “royal” or “kingly” or more “aristocratic” level with his parables about the Kingdom of Heaven, a term found only in Matthew. The book was probably written by the early 60s of the first century, before the destruction of the city and the Temple.
v 1…The book of the generation of Yeshua (a contraction of the name Yehoshua) the Messiah, the son of David (a kingly, messianic title-this genealogy is that of Joseph, Yeshua’s adoptive father. According to Jewish law all it took was for Joseph to claim Yeshua as his son. This made Yeshua Joseph’s son and the genealogy here is the one that counts as far as the throne goes because it went through Solomon, not Nathan, as in Miriam’s genealogy in Luke 3), the son of Abraham.
v 2…To Abraham was born Isaac; and to Isaac , Jacob; and to Jacob , Judah and his brothers (the promise of the Messiah was made to all twelve tribes, that is why they are mentioned here);
v 3… and to Judah (the tribe he would come from) were born Perez and Zerah (Both are mentioned because they were a picture of John and Yeshua. At birth, it was Perez who came out first. His name means “breach” and he is a type of John the Baptist, who cleared the way or made a breach in the pen for the sheep to run through so that the Messiah can lead them out to pasture-Isa 61.10; Isa 40.3. Zerah came second, a type of Messiah. His name means “dawning, rising” and it is related to Luke 1.78 and 2.34 and Mal 4.2) by Tamar (a Canaanite); and to Perez was born Hezron; and to Hezron Ram (Ruth 4.18);
v 4… and to Ram was born Amminadab; and to Amminadab, Nachshon and to Nachshon, Salmon;
v 5…and to Salmon was born Boaz by Rahab (another Gentile); and to Boaz was born Obed by Ruth (a Moabitess); and to Obed, Jesse;
v 6…and to Jesse was born David the king (the Messiah would come from David’s family). And to David was born Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah (Bathseba-when she was the wife of David);
v 7…and to Solomon was born Rehoboam; and to Rehoboam, Abijah; and to Abijah, Asa;
v 8…and to Asa was born Jehoshaphat; and to Jehoshaphat, Joram (or Jehoram-1 Kings 22.50); and to Joram, Uzziah;
v 9…and to Uzziah was born Jotham; and to Jotham, Ahaz; and to Ahaz, Hezekiah;
v 10…and to Hezekiah was born Manasseh; and to Manasseh, Amon; and to Amon, Josiah;
v 11…and to Josiah were born Jeconiah (the same as Jehoiakim, who was called this by Pharaoh Neco. His other name was Eliakim-2 Kings 23.4) and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
v 12… And after the deportation to Babylon, to Jeconiah (not the Jeconiah of v 11, but his son Jehoichin-2 Kings 24.6) was born Shealtiel; and to Shealtiel, Zerubbabel (the governor and type of the Messiah-Hag 2.23);
v 13…and to Zerubbabel was born Abiud (the same as Meshullam, the oldest son. It is not unlikely that he had two names); and to Abiud, Eliakim (there is evidence here of an error of transcribing from a Hebrew original to Greek. In the Dutillet Matthew version, this discrepancy is corrected because it has Abiud having Avner, and Avner had Eliakim. This makes up the missing 14th generation); and to Eliakim, Azor;
v 14…and to Azor was born Zadok; and to Zadok, Achim; and to Achim, Eliud;
v 15…and to Eliud was born Eleazar; and to Eleazar, Matthan; and to Matthan, Jacob;
v 16…and to Jacob was born Joseph the husband of Miriam (Moses had a sister named Miriam, who helped him at birth) by whom was born Yeshua, who is called Messiah. Notice it does not say “and to Joseph was born Yeshua” like in all the other verses (2-15). This is because Joseph was not his natural father in the flesh.
v 17…Therefore all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David (numerical value of 14) to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to Messiah fourteen generations (this is a picture of the waxing and waning of the moon, which is a picture of corporate Israel. From Abraham the generations wax greater to David, then they wane to the deportation to Babylon, then they wax greater again to Messiah. The waxing greater is fourteen, and the waning is fourteen, equaling twenty-eight, alluding to the twenty-eight cycles of life mentioned in Ecc 3.2-8. In addition, these generations add up to forty-two which signify the forty-two generations leading up to the Messiah and the kingdom, which in turn alludes to the forty-two places Israel stopped in the wilderness before entering the promised land, and it also alludes to the forty-two months of the first half of the Tribulation when Israel finally accepts Yeshua, then the last forty-two months leading up to the second coming of Messiah and the Kingdom. Also, the name “David” and God (Eloah) has a numerical value of forty-two in Hebrew)
v 18…Now the birth of Yeshua the Messiah was as follows. When his mother Miriam had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit (see “What was the sign of Isa.7.14” on this site).
v 19…And Joseph her husband (to be betrothed was the same as being married), being a righteous man (a tzaddik, which means he was not only Torah observant, but more so than his peers), and not wanting to disgrace her (by requesting that Miriam undergo the Sotah of Num 5, or a nasty, public divorce, or stoned), desired to put her away secretly (divorce her).
v 20…But when he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord (Yehovah) appeared to him in a dream, saying “Joseph, son of David (the angel calls him by his title. Joseph was the rightful king of Israel, but the curse on Yehoichin in Jer 22 and the politics at that time did not allow it. But, that is why Joseph had to be dead by the time Yeshua started his ministry, otherwise Yeshua would have only been the “prince” of Israel-John 1.49), do not be afraid to take Miriam as your wife, for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
v 21… And she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Yeshua, for it is he who will save his people from their sins (there was a ceremony in the Temple called “Yeshua ha Ben” or “redemption of the first-born” which is tied in with the ceremony “Pidyon ha Ben.” So, in the Jewish mind this name was already tied in with redemption).
v 22…Now all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord (Yehovah) through his prophet (Isaiah) might be fulfilled (“fulfilled” does not mean “done away.” It means “to confirm, to fill up with meaning”), saying,
v 23… “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a son and they shall call his name Immanuel,” which translated means “God with us” (this was another kingly birth name of the Messiah. Kings would often have several names. Solomon had at least three; Yeshua was never called this but it gives us a “remez” or hint as to who he is).
v 24…And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took her as his wife (did not divorce her and remained betrothed-Luke 2.5),
v 25…and kept her a virgin until (to fulfill Isa 7.14) she gave birth to her first-born son and he called his name Yeshua.
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