Ancestry
by Sal Huckel
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This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1).
Read Matthew 1:1–17
Many Lutheran families have a family history book detailing the pioneers who came to Australia to avoid persecution and start their new lives in Australia. Not surprisingly, their families have been curious to research their heritage and keep records. Many are lucky enough to have a book to pull off the shelf thanks to their careful family historians. While I have very little family history of my own to read back on, I’ve had a go from time to time, too.
How many of us have paid that level of detail to the genealogy of Jesus? Perhaps the names and seemingly long lists of difficult-to-pronounce names put us off. We know a few of the main characters but will miss the details unless we read closely. There’s plenty of scandal in there. I’m not sure it’s a family history we would proudly pull out if we owned even a fraction of it ourselves.
However, it’s important to note Jesus’ lineage. We can find it also in Luke chapter 3. If we are studying the Bible daily, and this is the only reading we have for today, we might skip through this list and think, ‘Well, how’s God speaking to me through that? I’ll skip the history lesson and get to the message’. We need to dig deeper. We will realise how important the story of the prostitute Rahab is in Joshua 2:1–21 and how she turned out to be the mother of Boaz, who we then read about in the Book of Ruth. There will be much, much more to discover.
Perhaps our obsession with family history is worth it after all. If we look at the genealogy of Jesus, we will find how the ‘line of David’ actually played out until the time of Christ’s birth. We start to see how these obscure Old Testament accounts are relevant and can read them through a New Testament lens.
Lord, thank you for the privilege of the Scriptures, which are available to me to read daily and learn more about you, my faith heritage and those who you have called to be part of your story. I pray you will continue to teach me through your word, which does not return to you empty but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it (Isaiah 55:11). In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Sal is married to Pastor Matthew Huckel, and they live in Victoria with their six children, enjoying their ministry with Moorabbin–Dandenong Lutheran Church. Their two eldest children are excited to study at undergraduate and postgraduate levels during term time in Sydney. Theology, music, philosophy, literature and history are passions the family shares and explores together. Sal loves writing, speaking and walking to the beach at every opportunity.
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