Robert W. Odom Ph. D.
I have been amazed over the last few years at the interest of people who want to know their heritage. Companies like 23 & Me and Ancestry.com are booming in sales. People want to know where they came from and who their ancestors are. Some of the tests available now can tell us how we were designed according to our DNA and if we are susceptible to certain diseases.
While the Bible did not have 23 & Me, Ancestry.com, or DNA testing, one’s heritage was important. There was often a discussion about their fathers and which of the tribes of Israel to which they belonged. This was critical for them, as the Jewish people longed for and anticipated the coming Messiah. So, they valued their genealogy. The prophecies of the Messiah’s coming caused them to keep close tabs on their heritage. They hoped they would be the chosen family to be included in the Messiah’s lineage.
As we enter this Christmas season, one of the overlooked parts of the Christmas story is the genealogy of Christ in Matthew chapter 1. What sets this apart is that Matthew includes five women in his genealogical account. These women include Tamara, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary. In our current culture, this does not seem unusual, but in the culture of that day, it was uncommon for women to be included in genealogical history.
Matthew took this step because he had been accepted into Jesus’ core group of leaders, His disciples. He had been a tax collector. Tax collectors were not loved in that culture. Tax collectors worked for the Roman government. They were most likely Jewish, as the Roman government wanted to use them to exact taxes from the Jewish people. The Jewish community had a disdain for the Roman government, and they did not have a love for the tax collectors hired by the Roman Government. He knew what it meant to be unloved and disconnected. Being accepted by Christ established empathy and compassion in him. For this reason, I believe Matthew included these women in the text.
Matthew had a story, and each of these women had a story. It was a story to tell and one we needed to hear. The overarching lesson is that we have hope for a better future no matter who we are, where we come from, or what we have done. Our past or the things we have done do not disqualify us. God has a plan and will help us achieve that plan sometimes in the most remarkable ways. God does not use our family life or our heritage against us.
In these stories, here are some things we need to know. First, it was rare for the names of women to be used in the genealogy of that day. In those days, men held all the power and prestige. The man was king, and the woman had little input in life. She was a servant and served the man. Matthew was writing to the common man and wanted them to see the truth of the lives related to the story of Jesus’ birth. He was not about whitewashing the story. Matthew recognizes the value of women and that they are a critical part of God’s story.
Second, Matthew starts with the story of Jesus’ birth. He includes these women to emphasize that God chooses whom He will be a part of His story. Some have suggested that Matthew included these women to soften the blow of the fact that Mary was a virgin and had not had a sexual relationship with anyone at that time. Mary’s circumstances were difficult and scandalous at that time. He was reminding them that others had been used to bring about the birth of the Messiah.
The culture of the day was not favorable to women. Mary’s family and the Jewish community could have ostracized her. It would have been hard for her to find a husband. In those days, the Jews treated the betrothal (engagement) the same as being married. Once she was divorced, which was the only way to get out of the engagement, she could not marry because they considered this adultery, and this was to be avoided at all costs.
Third, Matthew uses these stories to show that anyone can be used in God’s kingdom regardless of their background or what they have done. He also revealed that anything is possible with God. God took broken lives and messed up circumstances to show His love and grace. He does this to show that the power of redemption works for everyone. No one is left out, and no one is skipped over regarding God’s redemptive grace. These women served as an example of how God uses anyone at any time. God was redeeming them, and they challenged the status quo.
Think about your life. Your past does not disqualify you. Your family history does not disqualify you. Christ’s birth was central to the story of redemption. He used those who could not receive grace from the society in which they lived. But God gives grace, and He still does this today. He takes the pain of our past, rejection, wounds, and hurts and gives us amazing grace.
The next few posts will look at these stories to understand God’s grace in these lives. We will look at their grief and the trauma they experienced. The goal is to offer a message of hope and encourage all of us to continue to push through our pain and hurt.
So let me ask you:
- In your life, where have you been wounded by culture or family issues? Where have you felt like you were on the outside looking in?
- Where have you witnessed God’s redemptive grace in your life?
- How has God’s grace used your past to make you more effective today?
- Where do you need the grace of God today to overcome hurt and wounds created by others? Or your actions?
- Sometimes, we have to look for the grace of God because the pain is so deep and hard. Spend some time in prayer and meditation to see where God is working.
© Robert W. Odom Ph. D.
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