THE FORGOTTEN CHAPTER

          There is a forgotten chapter to the Christmas story.  While we modern readers often skip over the lineage records in Mt.1:1-17 & Lk.3:23-38, these records were critical for the Jews in establishing Jesus as a son of Adam, Abraham and David.  Lk.2:1 & 3 tells of a census decree proclaimed by Caesar Augustus that required all Jews to register - - everyone in his home city.  Thus, in keeping with their lineage, Joseph and a very expectant Mary made that arduous journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  Long before the birth of Jesus, Micah prophesied, But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah…from you One will go forth for Me to be a ruler in Israel (Mic.5:2).

          Regarding the genealogy of Jesus, Ray Pritchard states, “It’s almost as if God pulled together a rogue’s gallery.”  Have you not noticed the flawed people that occupy Jesus’ family tree?  Since all humans are sinners (Rom.3:10), it would have been impossible for God to have brought forth Jesus from a “pure” lineage.  Yet, it seems like He could have cleaned things up a bit.  Mt.1:2-6 notes four women, which by itself was out of the ordinary, but these four are all tainted.  Tamar engaged in incest with her father-in-law (Gen.38).  Rahab was a harlot (Josh.2).  Ruth was a Moabite (Ruth 1:4 with Gen.19:30-37).  And Bathsheba -- well you know the story (2Sam.11).  THEY ALL QUALIFY AS “BLACK SHEEP”.  Likewise for the men on the lineage list.  Both Abraham and Isaac lied about their wives.  Jacob was a cheater.  Judah a fornicator; David an adulterer; Solomon a polygamist; And Manasseh was the evilest of Judah’s kings.  And on and on we could go.  None of these seem worthy enough to be in the line of Christ, yet there they are - - each and every name, both men and women - - a matter of public record open for all to inspect, investigate and perhaps even incriminate. 

          Hidden in His ancestral tree is a vivid truth:  Jesus came from a long line of sinners.  What a stinging rebuke this have to have  been for the high-minded and self-righteous Jews:  that their Messiah was born via a badly flawed family tree.  On the other hand, think how such displays the marvelous grace of God.  And this is the focus on “the lineage” - - it is not about the sinlessness of Jesus’

progenitors, but rather the grace of God.  The only hero in the lineage of Christ is God!  What a wonderful message in and of itself.  No matter what our past might look like, Jesus can save - - there’s room for us in His inn.  This is at the very heart of the incarnation.  It is a sometimes forgotten chapter that needs to be remembered well.

                                                                                                                Terry Siverd / Cortland Church Of Christ