Matthew, an eyewitness to the ministry of Jesus and one of his disciples wrote his gospel in the mid-50’s. It’s the earliest of the four gospels. Matthew’s gospel is focused, not exclusively, but mainly on Jews. There are more OT references in it than any of the other three gospels. And in Matthew 1:1-17, Matthew begins his gospel in an unusual way – with a genealogy. A list of 42 names, spanning the history of the Old Testament, like skipping a rock on a pond. Matthew’s purpose, to seize the attention of his original readers, mainly Jews, with the evidence for who Jesus is – the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior.
Scripture: Matt. 1:1-17; Isaiah 9:6-7; Gen. 12, 15, 17; 2 Samuel 7:12-13
