Son of Abraham

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.

Matthew 1:1*

Abraham was special. He had special promises, a special relationship with God, and a special place in human history. It is not surprising that he was a significant ancestor of the Messiah. Both genealogies of Christ call Him the Son of Abraham.

The patriarch was promised “descendants as the dust of the earth” (Genesis 13:16). That means lots – too many to number. And so it is today the true number could never be reached. Both the Jewish people and Arabs proudly consider Abraham as their father (the Jews through Isaac and Arabs through Ishmael). Both ethnic groups are sons of Abraham although they don’t necessarily have the patriarch’s features.

God’s promises to Abraham weren’t really about billions of people claiming relationship through some distant DNA but being conformed to the faith and actions of Abraham. Zacchaeus was Jewish by birth but ostracized from Jewish society because of his political affiliation. When the little man came to Christ, the Savior declared “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham” (Luke 19:9).

In a very real sense this is what happens to believers when their faith is life changing and they believe God’s promises to be true just like Abraham did. “Just as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Galatians 3:6), therefore know that only those who are of faith are true sons of Abraham.

Because I have faith in Christ, I’m adopted into the family of God and I become a son of Abraham. Sisters in Christ are Abraham’s daughters. This is one of the few titles that Christians can actually share with their master. Praise God!

*See also Luke 3:34

Son of Mary

“Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him.

Mark 6:3

The folks in Christ’s hometown of Nazareth resented Him and that caused real attitude problems: “Who does he think he is anyhow? He’s just a common laborer, a woodworker. He doesn’t come from a good family. After all, he’s Mary’s son; he was born out of wedlock.”

People back then and there were judgmental just like they are today. They felt anyone who they labeled as “illegitimate” could never obtain greatness much less do anything for God. Being the Son of Mary meant “bad blood.”

The self-righteous are never so wrong as when they convince themselves that they are better than others. Mary descended from royalty and could trace her bloodline back to David and then even back to Adam.

Jesus had two genealogies recorded in scripture. Matthew traces Jesus’ birthright through His adopted father, Joseph, who could have had title to the throne of David if they were still doing that kind of thing at that time. One big problem with this succession of legal heirs is that it included King Jeconiah who was cursed by God in Jeremiah 22:24-28. The prophet said that “Coniah” and his descendants would be cut off, meaning that the messiah could not come through Joseph. This presented a prophetic contradiction for the Messiah. Only the miracle of the virgin birth could solve this problem.

People assumed Jesus to be Joseph’s son but the genealogy of Christ in Luke 3 is actually Mary’s. She was a descendant of David but not of Jeconiah.

Christ had all the legal rights to the throne of David because Joseph adopted Him and made him his own. He also had to have a human blood line back to David without being a relative of Coniah’s. The King of Kings was able to fulfill scripture because He was the Son of Mary. 

Son of David

Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD! Hosanna in the highest!”

Matthew 21:9

At the time of Christ, every Jewish person clearly understood that “the Son of David” was a messianic title. This is why the chief priests and scribes were so indignant that the crowd chanted the title at Christ’s triumphal entry (Matthew 21:15). During the ministry of the Lord Jesus, people wondered if the prophesy of the Lord’s anointed was being fulfilled in their eyes so they asked one another, “Could this be the Son of David?” (Matthew 12:3).

The stated purpose of the gospel Matthew was to prove this point. The book begins, “The genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). The verses continue to show that Joseph (Jesus’ adopted dad) was a direct descendant of David and would have been king if there had been the continuation of Davidic dynasty.

Matthew presents Christ as the legitimate king of Israel and so used the title Son of David ten times (more than all the other gospels put together). The two blind men outside of Jericho and even the Canaanite woman with the demon possessed daughter cried out for healing to Christ saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David!” (Matthew 15:22; 20:30-31).

The people assumed that like David, their Messiah would defeat all the enemies of Israel and establish a lasting kingdom. The prophesy certainly is true and Christ will do that at His second coming but they didn't understand that before He could defeat the political and geographical enemies of Israel, He needed to defeat sin, death, and hell by dying on the cross. In doing that, He proves His right to reign forever as the Son of David.

Jesus Christ

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham

Matthew 1:1*

Jesus Christ. To those who love Him it says all. It’s His name; it’s His title; it’s precious. This title combination is used more than any other in the New Testament, beginning with the first verse and then found in every book except 3 John. Peter preached it at the birth of the church on Pentecost. Paul used it more than any other apostle and finally, the last verse in the Bible ends, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”

Jesus Christ. To little children and the un-churched it’s His family name. They think He was called “Jesus Christ,” His mother “Mary Christ,” and His step-father “Joseph Christ.” They don’t know how special or how important He is. They’re clueless and the worst part is that they don’t even know that they don’t know Him.

 Jesus Christ. To the God haters and Christ rejecters it’s a curse word. They use it to blaspheme the LORD. They see it as no big deal, because in their eyes, He is no big deal. No other name on earth is used as profanity. No one invokes the name of Buddha if he hits his thumb with a hammer. The names of Mohammed and Krishna are not used in vain. It is proof again that the name is so great and so special that the enemies of God feel they need to put it down.

Jesus Christ. Peter concludes His second epistle with these words: “You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.” (2 Peter 3: 17,18)

*(also in Acts 2:38; 3:6, 20; 4:10; total use: 186 times in 178 verses)