This is Spoken Gospel.

We’re dedicated to seeing
Jesus in all of scripture.

In each episode, we see what’s
happening in a Biblical text

and how it sheds light
on Jesus and his gospel.

Let’s jump in.

Matthew's Gospel
begins with a genealogy.

This genealogy highlights two of his
ancestors—Father Abraham and King David.

Through this list of names, Matthew is
proving that Jesus is the direct recipient of

all the promises and covenants
made to Abraham and David.

Matthew lists four mothers in
a long line of fathers and sons.

They are Tamar, Rahab,
Ruth, and Bathsheba.

Tamar masqueraded as a prostitute
and slept with her father-in-law.

Rahab was a prostitute.
Ruth is a widow and a foreigner.

And Bathsheba was
the subject of a scandal

involving adultery and
murder by King David himself.

But there’s more.

Strictly speaking, none of these
women were Jewish.

Rahab, Ruth, and Tamar were Gentiles.

Bathsheba married Uriah the Hittite
and was thus part of a Gentile household.

Why does all this matter?

Because long ago,
God made a promise.

God promised Abraham
that his descendants would

become a blessing to every nation
on earth, not just the Jewish people.

And Jesus, the son of Abraham, is the one
who brings this blessing to the whole world.

Jesus is also the son of David.

You see, David was
Israel's greatest king.

God promised that one of David’s descendants
would come and reign on his throne forever.

This promised king would bring justice and
peace to the whole earth like never before.

Jesus, the son of David, is the
promised ruler who has come.

Now, the third title given to Jesus in this
genealogy is the Jewish title Messiah, or Christ.

The Messiah was an anointed
leader who would liberate the Jews.

But Jesus didn’t bring liberation
from the Romans, as many wanted.

Instead, he died on a Roman
cross to pay for the sins of the world.

Jesus, the Christ, is the anointed leader
who liberates the world from sin.

Now combined, these three titles reveal Jesus
as the anointed king who will bless all nations.

What may look to us
like a long list of names

is one of the most significant
theological statements in the Bible.

For in it, we see that Jesus will complete
everything God has been doing up to this point.

So, I pray that the Holy Spirit would
open your eyes to see the God who

keeps his promises and works
through history for his purposes.

And may you see Jesus as
the King who sets us free.