The Life of Christ

SECTION 3

A general observation is that not every generation is specifically named in this genealogy, meaning that there are purposeful gaps. For example:

• Mt. 1:5-6 reads: “Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king.”

• Rahab was the Canaanite prostitute who sheltered the two Hebrew spies and was spared because of her faith (Heb. 11:30).

• In Mt. 1:5 Rahab is said to be married to “Salmon, who begot Boaz.”

• Boaz (1322 B.C), however, lived hundreds of years after Rahab (1451 B.C.), near the end of the time of the Judges (Ruth 2:1).

• This is one example of possibly other similar examples of generations who were not mentioned in this Messianic bloodline.

SECTION 4

Lk. 1:5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

At this time Israel was under Roman rule. It was just another sub-state of the Roman Empire.

• Israel had always been used to having a king, so for improved public relations, Rome allowed them to have their own king; Rome, however, would make that appointment.

• Their choice was a man named Herod the Great, who was an Edomite, which made him technically half Jewish. Edom traces back to Esau, Jacob’s brother, yet also a descendent of Abraham.

• Herod had earlier served as Cleopatra’s personal bodyguard.

For the first time in Jewish history, a person not of pure Jewish blood becomes the king of Judah.

Gen. 49:10 says, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes.”

• A scepter is the rod, or the staff held by kings.

• Therefore, the kingship of Israel, which had always belonged to the pure race of Jews, would come to an end when SHILOH comes.

• Shiloh is a prophetic term for the Messiah. Shiloh means peace; Jesus was the “Prince of Peace.”

• Gen. 49:10 therefore prophesied that as soon as a non-full-blooded Jew occupies the throne of Israel, Messiah will come.

The division of Abijah:

• During the days of King David, the priesthood had grown so large that there weren't enough duties for all the priests to do in the temple.

• The idea was suggested to divide the priesthood into 24 courses, or major families, each taking turns ministering at the temple.

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