Matthieu 1

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Matthew 1 opens the New Testament with a list of names and a birth announced in a dream. The genealogy traces Jesus from Abraham through David to Joseph in three sets of fourteen generations, deliberately including four women with irregular stories and the shame of the exile. Then it tells how Mary was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit, how Joseph resolved to protect her, and how an angel gave the child his name, Jesus, "because He will save His people from their sins," and his title, Immanuel, "God with us."

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The New Testament begins with a genealogy, which is not how most books try to hold a reader. Matthew knows exactly what he is doing. His first word echoes the title of Genesis, and his list moves from Abraham, to whom the promise was made, through David, to whom the kingdom was promised, down to the exile, where both promises seemed to die, and on to a carpenter in Nazareth. Three sets of fourteen generations, each an act of memory. Along the way he does something no ordinary genealogy would do: he names women, and not the matriarchs. Tamar, who tricked her father-in-law; Rahab of Jericho; Ruth of Moab; and Bathsheba, named only as the wife of the man David had killed. By the time the reader meets Mary, "found to be with child" before her wedding, Matthew has prepared the ground: God has been working through irregular stories all along. The birth itself is told from Joseph's side, and Joseph's righteousness shows in his instinct to protect rather than to expose. An angel gives the child two names. Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. Immanuel, because God is with us. Matthew will end his Gospel with Jesus saying "I am with you always." The first chapter and the last are the same promise.

Passages clés

Matthew 1:1-6 Matthew 1:17 Matthew 1:18-21 Matthew 1:22-23 Isaiah 7:14

Historical and literary context

Matthew wrote for readers who knew the Hebrew Scriptures and needed to see that Jesus was the promised heir of Abraham and David. Ancient genealogies established legal standing rather than complete biology, and Matthew arranges his into a memorable pattern of fourteens, with the exile to Babylon as its dark middle hinge. Betrothal in first-century Judaism was legally binding, which is why Joseph, discovering Mary's pregnancy, considers divorce; his choice to do it quietly is what Matthew means by calling him righteous.

How the chapter unfolds

Verse 1 is a title that echoes Genesis: "the record of the genealogy," literally the book of the genesis, of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham. Verses 2 to 17 give the three blocks of fourteen: Abraham to David, David to the exile, the exile to the Christ. Verses 18 to 25 narrate the birth from Joseph's side: the discovery, his resolve, the angel's message with the name Jesus and its meaning, Matthew's first fulfillment quotation from Isaiah 7:14 with the name Immanuel, and Joseph's obedience.

Why this chapter matters

The chapter announces the two claims Matthew's whole Gospel will defend: Jesus is the Messiah descended from David and Abraham, and Jesus is God with us. The four women in the genealogy, Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba named only as "Uriah's wife," are Gentiles, outsiders, or women with scandalous histories, and their presence prepares the reader for a Messiah who welcomes the unexpected and for a mother whose pregnancy looked scandalous. The two names, Jesus and Immanuel, state the Gospel's purpose and its promise, and Matthew will close his book on the same note: "I am with you always."

Interpretive tension to watch

Matthew's genealogy differs from Luke's, and its count of fourteens requires some compression of the kings' list. Is the pattern historical bookkeeping or theological art, and does the difference matter? Readers who expect a modern family tree miss what Matthew is doing; readers who see the pattern find that fourteen is the numerical value of David's name in Hebrew, and that the whole list is saying "son of David" three times over.

Questions pour ce chapitre

Why would Matthew go out of his way to include Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Uriah's wife in a royal genealogy?
Joseph is called righteous at the moment he plans to end the betrothal quietly. What does that suggest about the shape of righteousness?
Jesus means "the LORD saves" and Immanuel means "God with us." How do the two names belong together?

Study with context

Use this as a chapter guide, then press deeper into the text itself. The goal is to slow down observation, notice structure, and ask better questions before jumping to conclusions.

Ajouter aux notes

1 Généalogie de Jésus-Christ, fils de David, fils d’Abraham. 2 Abraham engendra Isaac; Isaac engendra Jacob; Jacob engendra Juda et ses frères; 3 Juda engendra de Thamar Pharès et Zara; Pharès engendra Esrom; Esrom engendra Aram; 4 Aram engendra Aminadab; Aminadab engendra Naasson; Naasson engendra Salmon; 5 Salmon engendra Boaz de Rahab; Boaz engendra Obed de Ruth; 6 Obed engendra Isaï; Isaï engendra David. Le roi David engendra Salomon de la femme d’Urie; 7 Salomon engendra Roboam; Roboam engendra Abia; Abia engendra Asa; 8 Asa engendra Josaphat; Josaphat engendra Joram; Joram engendra Ozias; 9 Ozias engendra Joatham; Joatham engendra Achaz; Achaz engendra Ézéchias; 10 Ézéchias engendra Manassé; Manassé engendra Amon; Amon engendra Josias; 11 Josias engendra Jéchonias et ses frères, au temps de la déportation à Babylone. 12 Après la déportation à Babylone, Jéchonias engendra Salathiel; Salathiel engendra Zorobabel; 13 Zorobabel engendra Abiud; Abiud engendra Éliakim; Éliakim engendra Azor; 14 Azor engendra Sadok; Sadok engendra Achim; Achim engendra Éliud; 15 Éliud engendra Éléazar; Éléazar engendra Matthan; Matthan engendra Jacob; 16 Jacob engendra Joseph, l’époux de Marie, de laquelle est né Jésus, qui est appelé Christ. 17 Il y a donc en tout quatorze générations depuis Abraham jusqu’à David, quatorze générations depuis David jusqu’à la déportation à Babylone, et quatorze générations depuis la déportation à Babylone jusqu’au Christ. 18 Voici de quelle manière arriva la naissance de Jésus-Christ. Marie, sa mère, ayant été fiancée à Joseph, se trouva enceinte, par la vertu du Saint-Esprit, avant qu’ils eussent habité ensemble. 19 Joseph, son époux, qui était un homme de bien et qui ne voulait pas la diffamer, se proposa de rompre secrètement avec elle. 20 Comme il y pensait, voici, un ange du Seigneur lui apparut en songe, et dit: Joseph, fils de David, ne crains pas de prendre avec toi Marie, ta femme, car l’enfant qu’elle a conçu vient du Saint-Esprit; 21 elle enfantera un fils, et tu lui donneras le nom de Jésus; c’est lui qui sauvera son peuple de ses péchés. 22 Tout cela arriva afin que s’accomplît ce que le Seigneur avait annoncé par le prophète: 23 Voici, la vierge sera enceinte, elle enfantera un fils, Et on lui donnera le nom d’Emmanuel, ce qui signifie Dieu avec nous. 24 Joseph s’étant réveillé fit ce que l’ange du Seigneur lui avait ordonné, et il prit sa femme avec lui. 25 Mais il ne la connut point jusqu’à ce qu’elle eût enfanté un fils, auquel il donna le nom de Jésus.

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