Matthew 1:13

After the carrying away, he sets Jeconiah again, as now become a private person.

Of whom Jeremiah speaks. "Write this man dethroned; for there shall not spring of his seed one sitting on the throne of David." [Jer 22:30] How is this said of the Prophet, that none of the seed of Jeconias should reign? For if Christ reigned, and Christ was of the seed of Jeconiah, then has the Prophet spoken falsely. But it is not there declared that there shall be none of the seed of Jeconiah, and so Christ is of his seed; and that Christ did reign, is not in contradiction to the prophecy; for He did not reign with worldly honours, as He said, "My kingdom is not of this world." [John 18:36]

Concerning Salathiel [ed. note, l: This Gloss. from Pseudo-Chrys. is not found in Nicolai's edition.], we have read nothing either good or bad, but we suppose him to have been a holy man, and in the captivity to have constantly besought God in behalf of afflicted Israel, and that hence he was named, Salathiel, "the petition of God." [ed. note, m: שאלתי אל "I have asked of God."] "Salathiel begot Zorobabel," which is interpreted, "flowing postponed," or, "of the confusion," or here, "the doctor of Babylon." [ed. note, n (p.31): The teacher of Babylon; Jerome; perhaps from זר "crown;" זרב Ch. flowed, poured away," Syr. "contracted, bound;" hence another of the meanings in the text.] I have read, but know not whether it be true, that both the priestly line and the royal line were united in Zorobabel; and that it was through him that the children of Israel returned into their own country. For that in a disputation held between three, of whom Zorobabel was one, each defending his own opinion, Zorobabel's sentence, that Truth was the strongest thing, prevailed; and that for this Darius granted him that the children of Israel should return to their country; and therefore after this providence of God, he was rightly called Zorobabel, "the doctor of Babylon." For what doctrine greater than to shew that Truth is the mistress of all things?

But this seems to contradict the genealogy which is read in Chronicles. For there it is said, that Jeconias begot Salathiel and Phadaias, and Phadaias begot Zorobabel, and Zorobabel Mosollah, Ananias, and Solomith their sister. [1 Chron 3:17] But we know that many parts of the Chronicles have been corrupted by time, and error of transcribers. Hence come many and controverted questions of genealogies which the Apostle bids us avoid. [1 Tim 1:4] Or it may be said, that Salathiel and Phadaias are the same man under two different names. Or that Salathiel and Phadaias were brothers, and both had sons of the same name, and that the writer of the history followed the genealogy of Zorobabel, the son of Salathiel. From Abiud down to Joseph, no history is found in the Chronicles; but we read that the Hebrews had many other annals, which were called the Words of the Days, of which much was burned by Herod, who was a foreigner, in order to confound the descent of the royal line. And perhaps Joseph had read in them the names of his ancestors, or knew them from some other source. And thus the Evangelist could learn the succession of this genealogy. It should be noted, that the first Jeconiah is called the resurrection of the Lord, the second, the preparation of the Lord. Both are very applicable to the Lord Christ, who declares, "I am the resurrection, and the life;" [John 11:25] and, "I go to prepare a place for you." [John 14:2] Salathiel, i.e. "the Lord is my petition," is suitable to Him who said, "Holy Father, keep them whom Thou hast given Me." [John 17:11]

He is also Zorobabel, that is, "the master of confusion," according to that, "Your Master eateth with publicans and sinners." [Matt 9:11] He is Abiud, that is, "He is my Father," according to that, "I and the Father are One." [John 10:30] He is also Eliacim [ed. note: So Jerome, אל יקים "God will raise up"], that is, "God the Reviver," according to that, "I will revive him again in the last day." [John 6:54] He is also Azor, that is, "aided," according of that, "He who sent Me is with Me." [John 8:29] He is also Sadoch, that is, "the just,", or, "the justified," according to that, "He was delivered, the just for the unjust." [1 Pet 3:18] He is also Achim, that is, "my brother is He," according to that, "Whoso doeth the will of My Father, he is My brother." [Matt 12:50] He is also Eliud, that is, "He is my God," according to that, "My Lord, and my God." [John 20:28]

He is also Eleazar, i.e. "God is my helper," as in the seventeenth Psalm, "My God, my helper." He is also Mathan, that is, "giving," or, "given," for, "He gave gifts for men;" [Eph 4:8] and, "God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son." [John 3:16]

He is also Jacob, "that supplanteth," for not only hath He supplanted the Devil, but hath given His power to His faithful people; as, "Behold I have given you power to tread upon serpents." [Luke 10:19] He is also Joseph, that is, "adding," according to that, "I came that they might have life, and that they might have it abundantly."

But let us see what moral signification these names contain. After Jeconias, which means "the preparation of the Lord," follows Salathiel, i.e. "God is my petition," for he who is rightly prepared, prays not but of God. Again, he becomes Zorobabel, "the master of Babylon," that is, of the men of the earth, whom he makes to know concerning God, that He is their Father, which is signified in Abiud. Then that people rise again from their vices, whence follows Eliacim, "the resurrection;" and thence rise to good works, which is Azor, and becomes Sadoch, i.e. "righteous;" and then they are taught the love of their neighbour. He is my brother, which is signified in Achim; and through love to God he says of Him, "My God," which Eliud signifies. Then follows Eleazar, i.e. "God is my helper;" he recognizes God as his helper. But whereto he tends is shewn in Matthan, which is interpreted "gift," or "giving;" for he looks to God as his benefactor; and as he wrestled with and overcame his vices in the beginning, so he does in the end of life, which belongs to Jacob, and thus he reaches Joseph, that is, "The increase of virtues."

9. But besides, if indeed He had been the son of Joseph, He could not, according to Jeremiah, be either king or heir. For Joseph is shown to be the son of Joachim and Jechoniah, as also Matthew sets forth in his pedigree. But Jechoniah, and all his posterity, were disinherited from the kingdom; Jeremiah thus declaring, “As I live, saith the Lord, if Jechoniah the son of Joachim king of Judah had been made the signet of my right hand, I would pluck him thence, and deliver him into the hand of those seeking thy life.” And again: “Jechoniah is dishonoured as a useless vessel, for he has been cast into a land which he knew not. …

5. Furthermore, as to those 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 fathers, namely, one by whom he was begotten, and a second by whom he may have been adopted. For it was an ancient custom also among that people to adopt children with the view of making sons for themselves of those whom they had not begotten. …

8. Now upon this thus faithfully narrated, the first cavil they bring is, that the same Matthew goes on to say, “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.” 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. …