When the new year arrives most of us do make resolutions-e.g. lose weight, spend less, learn some new skills etc. Last Sunday, we welcomed the liturgical new year of the church ‘Kudosh Etho’ – the theme of Kudosh Etho Sunday being sanctification. Let us try as we usher in the spiritual new year to read the Holy Bible a bit more habitually- may the Lord illumine our hearts and may the prayers of the saints and holy fathers and mothers help us in this journey.
Journey with the Holy Bible.
Verse for reflection: St Mathew 1:1
Let us begin where the New Testament starts- the Gospel of St Mathew. The gospel begin begins with the genealogy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The story starts with how the Lord became one among us.
We will ponder over two questions-
1) What was the reason for this Gospel to begin with the genealogy and
2) why did the story of salvation have our Lord become human?
Regarding the first question, St. Matthew was writing to the Jews about our Lord Jesus Christ being the Messiah King. The Israelites were waiting for the Messiah who would be a descendant of King David to redeem them (hence for the Jews the genealogy held great importance). Several Old Testament prophecies attests to this:
The Lord spoke to king David through Nathan the prophet-
“And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.”(2 Samuel 7: 16; NKJV).
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called:THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Jeremiah 23: 5-6 and Jeremiah 33:15; NKJV).
We also see a similar prophecy in the book of Isaiah –
“And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious.” (Isaiah 11:10; NKJV).
St John Chrysostom says that though the genealogy begins with Abraham in verse 2 onwards, the Gospel verse addresses Jesus Christ as Son of David first. It is because the memory of King David was recent in the minds of the people as compared to Abraham.
Another reason to mention the lineage is to answer heretic groups like the agnostics who hated the physical body and thus denied the incarnation of the Lord claiming Christ to be a mirage or shadow. Though this movement was prominent in second century, its roots began at a very early age. So, mentioning the lineage is an assurance of the truthfulness of God’s incarnation. (Ref: Fr Tadros Malaty, commentary on Gospel of Matthew).
In Christ
Rincy John
