After the Civil War, when asked how he would treat Southerners, President Lincoln replied, “I will treat them as if they had never been away.” That is the kind of mercy God has shown to us. Matthew’s gospel begins (vv. 1:1-7) with the Jesus’ genealogy.

Why attention on a list of ancestors? It reveals the depth of God’s mercy. Besides the mother of Jesus, the Holy Spirit included four other women in the genealogy. Who are they? First, there is Tamar—“Perez and Zerah by Tamar.” (v. 3) Genesis 38 records that Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute, slept with Judah, and gave birth to Perez. An illegitimate son was placed in the lineage of Jesus. Second, there is Rahab—“Salmon … by Rahab.” (v. 5a) According to Joshua 5-6, Rahab was a Canaanite prostitute. She hid the Israelite spies: her family was spared when Israel destroyed Jericho. A foreign prostitute was placed in lineage of Jesus. Third, there is Ruth—“Obed by Ruth.” (v. 5b) Ruth was a Moabite, widowed by the death of her Jewish husband. She was redeemed by Boaz, married him, and gave birth to a son. How significant was this? Deuteronomy 23:3 declares, “No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the LORD.” A despised foreigner was mercifully placed in the lineage of Jesus. Fourth, there is Bathsheba—“Solomon by the wife of Uriah.” (v. 6b) God showed mercy to David and placed this adulterous woman in the lineage of Jesus. An illegitimate son of prostitution; a prostitute who asked for mercy; a foreigner willing to forsake idolatry; and an immoral wife: God chose to include them in the genealogy of Jesus Christ! We are all immoral and adulterous; we are all foreigners to the Kingdom of God; we are all idolatrous worshippers of ourselves; and we are all illegitimate children. Yet, God is willing to take us back to Himself, by faith in Jesus Christ.

Sin cera, Erik

Erik O. Garthe is Associate Pastor at Canton Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland.

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