A Brief Note on the Significance of Matthew 1:1

The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of David, the son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1.

• Record (βίβλος) is different from “book” (βιβλίον), and may  carry the idea of “sacredness and veneration” (Rogers and  Rogers, 1).

• Genealogy (γενέσεως) is the typical word for “family  line” and indicates that Jesus truly was human (along with being truly God).

• “Jesus” (Ἰησοῦς) is the Greek form of the Hebrew name “Joshua” (יֵשׁוּעַ/יְהוֹשׁוּעַ) and means the “LORD is salvation.”

• “Christ” (Χριστός) is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word “Messiah,” which means “Anointed One.”

• The title “Son of David” occurs first because the Book of Matthew focuses on Jesus as a descendant of David who has a legitimate claim to the throne. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7).

• The title “Son of Abraham” traces Jesus’ lineage “to the founding father of the nation of Israel and echoes the promises to Abraham that his offspring would bless all the peoples of the earth” (Rogers and Rogers, 1).