Matthew 1:8

Since in Matthew's genealogy is shewed forth the taking on Him by Christ of our sins, therefore he descends from David to Solomon, in whose mother David had sinned. Luke ascends to David through Nathan, for through Nathan the prophet of God punished David's sin; because Luke's genealogy is to shew the putting away of our sins.

That is it, must be said, through a prophet of the same name, for it was not Nathan the son of David who reproved him, but a prophet of the same name.

Let us enquire why Matthew does not mention Bathsheba by name as he does the other women. Because the others, though deserving of much blame, were yet commendable for many virtues. But Bathsheba was not only consenting in the adultery, but in the murder of her husband, hence her name is not introduced in the Lord's genealogy.

Besides, he does not name Bathsheba, that, by naming Urias, he may recall to memory that great wickedness which she was guilty of towards him.

But the holy David is the more excellent in this, that he confessed himself to be but man, and neglected not to wash out with the tears of repentance the sin of which he had been guilty, in so taking away Urias" wife. Herein shewing us that none ought to trust in his own strength, for we have a mighty adversary whom we cannot overcome without God's aid. And you will commonly observe very heavy sins befalling to the share of illustrious men, that they may not from their other excellent virtues be thought more than men, but that you may see that as men they yield to temptation.

Solomon is interpreted, "peace-maker," because having subdued all the nations round about, and made them tributary, he had a peaceful reign. Roboam in interpreted, "by a multitude of people," for multitude is the mother of sedition; for where many are joined in a crime, that is commonly unpunishable. But a limit in numbers is the mistress of good order.

In the fourth book of Kings we read, that Ochozias was the son of Joram. On his death, Josabeth, sister of Ochozias and d aug hter of Joram, took Joash, her brother's son, and preserved him from the sl aug hter of the royal seed by Athalias. To Joash succeeded his son Amasias; after him his son Azarias, who is called Ozias; after him his son Joatham. Thus you see according to historical truth there were three intervening kings, who are omitted by the Evangelist. Joram, moveover, begot not Ozias, but Ochozias, and the rest as we have related. But because it was the purpose of the Evangelist to make each of the three periods consist of fourteen generations, and because Joram had connected himself with Jezebel's most impious race, therefore his posterity to the third generation is omitted in tracing the lineage of the holy birth.

Thus the stain of the Gentile alliance being purged, the royal race is again taken up in the fourth following generation.

What the Holy Spirit testified through the Prophet, saying, that He would cut off every male from the house of Ahab, and Jezebel, that Jehu the son of Nausi fulfilled, and received the promise that his children to the fourth generation should sit on the throne of Israel. As great a blessing then as was given upon the house of Ahab, so great a curse was given on the house of Joram, because of the wicked d aug hter of Ahab and Jazebel, that his sons to the fourth generation should be cut out of the number of the Kings. Thus his sin descended on his posterity as it had been written, "I will visit the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation." [Ex 20:5] Thus see how dangerous it is to marry with the seed of the ungodly.

Or, Ochozias, Joash, and Amasias, were excluded from the number, because their wickedness was continuous and without interval. For Solomon was suffered to hold the kingdom for his father's deserts, Roboam for his son's. But these three doing evil successively were excluded. This then is an example how a race is cut off when wickedness is shewn therein in perpetual succession. "And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias."

This Ezekias was he to whom, when he had no children, it was said, "Set thy house in order, for thou shalt die." [Isa 38:1] He wept, not from desire of longer life, for he knew that Solomon had thereby pleased God, that he had not asked length of days; but he wept, for he feared that God's promise should not be fulfilled, when himself, being in the line of David of whom Christ should come, was without children. "And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias."

But the order in the Book of Kings is different [2 Ki 23], thus namely; Josias begot Eliakim, afterwards called Joakim; Joakim begot Jechonias. But Joakim is not reckoned among the Kings in the genealogy, because God's people had not set him on the throne, but Pharoah by his might. For if it were just that only for their intermixture with the race of Ahab, three kings should be shut out of the number in the genealogy, was it not just that Joakim should be likewise shut out, whom Pharaoh had set up as king by hostile force? And thus Jechonias, who is the son of Joakim, and the grandson of Josiah, is reckoned among the kings as the son of Josiah, in place of his father who is omitted.

Otherwise, we may consider the first Jeconias to be the same as Joakim, and the second to be the son not the father, the one being spelt with k and m, the second by ch and n. This distinction has been confounded both by Greeks and Latins, by the fault of writers and the lapse of time.

That there were two kings of the name of Joakim, is clear from the Book of Kings. "And Joakim slept with his fathers, and Joachim his son reigned in his stead." [2 Ki 24:6] This son is the same whom Jeremiah calls Jeconias. And rightly did St. Matthew purpose to differ from the Prophet, because he sought to shew therein the great abundance of the Lord's mercies. For the Lord did not seek among men nobility of race, but suitably chose to be born of captives and of sinners, as He came to preach remission of sin to the captives. The Evangelist therefore did not conceal either of these; but rather shewed them both, inasmuch as both were called Jeconias.

But it may be asked, why the Evangelist says they were born in the carrying away, when they were born before the carrying away. He says this because they were born for this purpose, that they should be led captive, from the dominion of the whole nation, for their own and others" sins. And because God foreknew that they were to be carried away captive, therefore he says, they were born in the carrying away to Babylon. But of those whom the holy Evangelist places together in the Lord's genealogy, it should be known, that they were alike in good or ill fame. Judas and his brethren were notable for good, in like manner Phares and Zara, Jechonias and his brethren, were notable for evil.

Mystically, David is Christ, who overcame Golias, that is, the Devil. Urias, i.e. God is my light, is the Devil who says, "I will be like the Highest." [Isa 14:14] To Him the Church was married, when Christ on the Throne of the majesty of His Father loved her, and having made her beautiful, united her to Himself in wedlock. Or Urias is the Jewish nation who through the Law boasted of their light. From them Christ took away the Law, having taught it to speak of Himself. Bersabee is "the well of satiety," that is, the abundance of spiritual grace.

Bersabee is interpreted, "the seventh well," or, "the well of the oath" [ed. note, c: באר שבע the well of the oath, the origin of the name is given, Gen 21:28-31. "satiety" as if from שבע ], by which is signified the grant of baptism, in which is given the gift of the sevenfold Spirit, and the oath against the Devil is made. Christ is also Solomon, i.e. the peaceful, according to that of the Apostle, "He is our peace." [Eph 2:14] Roboam [ed. note, d: So Jerome, from רחב; or the foolishness of the people, Ecclus. 47. 23] is, "the breadth of the people," according to that, "Many shall come from the East and from the West."

Or; "the might of the people," because he quickly converts the people to the faith.

He is also Abias, that is, "the Lord Father," according to that, "One is your Father who is in heaven." [Matt 23:9] And again, "Ye call me Master and Lord." [John 13:13] He is also Asa [ed. note, e: So Jerome; as if from נשה=נסה; but אסא means a physician], that is, "lifting up," according to that, "Who taketh away the sins of the world." [John 1:29] He is also Josaphat, that is, "judging," for, "The Father hath committed all judgment unto the Son." [John 5:22] He is also Joram, that is, "lofty," according to that, "No man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven." [John 3:13] He is also Ozias, that is, "the Lord's strength," for "The Lord is my strength and my praise." [Ps 118:14] He is also Jotham [ed. note, f: And so Jerome, from תמם ], that is, "completed," or "perfected," for "Christ is the end of the Law." [Rom 10:4] He is also Ahaz [ed. note, g: אחז to seize or hold, and so Jerome.], that is, "turning," according to that, "Be ye turned to Me." [Zech 1:3]

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His is also Ezekias, that is, "the strong Lord," or, "the Lord shall comfort;" according to that, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." [John 16:33] He is also Manasses, that is, "forgetful," or, "forgotten," according to that, "I will not remember your sins any more." [Ezek 28] He is also Aaron [ed note, h: A strong mountain; Jerome. It has no Hebrew root.], that is, "faithful," according to that, "The Lord is faithful in all His words." [Ps 145:17] He is also Josias, that is, "the incense of the Lord," [ed. note, i: A sacrifice to the Lord, - Jerome; from אשה fire in the ritual service, or incense, Lev 24:7], as, "And being in an agony, He prayed more earnestly." [Luke 22:44]

And that incense signifies prayer, the Psalmist witnesses, saying, "Let my prayer come up as incense before Thee." [Ps 141:2] Or, "The salvation of the Lord," according to that, "My salvation is for ever." [Isa 55]

He is Jechonias [ed. note, k: יכניהו "the Lord establisheth," also "prepareth."], that is, "preparing," or "the Lord's preparation," according to that, "If I shall depart, I will also prepare a place for you." [John 14:3]

Morally; After David follows Solomon, which is interpreted, "peaceful." For one then becomes peaceful, when unlawful motions being composed, and being as it were already set in the everlasting rest, he serves God, and turns others to Him. Then follows Roboam, that is, "the breadth of the people." For when there is no longer any thing to overcome within himself, it behoves a man to look abroad to others, and to draw with him the people of God to heavenly things. Next is Abias, that is, "the Lord Father," for these things premised, He may proclaim Himself the Son of God, and then He will be Asa, that is, "raising up," and will ascend to His Father from virtue to virtue: and He will become Josaphat, that is, "judging," for He will judge others, and will be judged of none. Thus he becomes Joram, that is, "lofty," as it were dwelling on high; and is made Oziah, that is, "the strong One of the Lord," as attributing all his strength to God, and persevering in his path. Then follows Jotham, that is, "perfect," for he groweth daily for greater perfection. And thus he becomes Ahaz, that is, "embracing," for by obedience knowledge is increased according to that, "They have proclaimed the worship of the Lord, and have understood His doings." Then follows Ezekias, that is, "the Lord is strong," because he understands that God is strong, and so turning to His love, he becomes Manassas, "forgetful," because he gives up as forgotten all worldly things; and is made thereby Amon, that is, "faithful," for whoso despises all temporal things, defrauds no man of his goods. Thus he is made Josias, that is, "in certain hope of the Lord's salvation;" for Josias in intepreted "the salvation of the Lord."

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. …