How the Gospels Begin—Matthew - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2026

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."
Matthew 1:1-2, 18, 21

How the Gospels Begin—Matthew
Matthew, the Gospel of the King, the Messiah, connects the Old Testament with the New Testament, thus fittingly beginning with His royal, also His legal, genealogy. Abraham was the father of the nation of Israel, God's earthly chosen people. While Abraham had Ishmael years before Isaac and had other sons after Sarah's death, God explicitly told him, "My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you" (Gen. 17:21).

King David was the man after God's heart. God had promised him, "I will set up your seed after you, who will be of your sons I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever" (1 Chr. 17:11, 14).

God's grace to sinners is shown as we think of the evil deeds some in this genealogy committed, and especially too when we see several non-Israelite women mentioned. The saintly relationship between Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Joseph, who became her husband, stands in beautiful contrast to these ancestors.

The fact that Mary was a virgin and that Jesus' conception was by the Holy Spirit, and that this was the fulfillment of what God had spoken through the prophet is clearly brought out in this introductory chapter. An angel in a dream tells Joseph the divine purpose for which Jesus was born, an Old Testament way of making this momentous announcement. We, His heavenly people, can now thank God that He came to save us from our sins as well!

Eugene P. Vedder, Jr.