Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 158:630 (Apr 2001)
Article: Women, Gentiles, and the Messianic Mission in Matthew’s Genealogy
Author: John C. Hutchison

BSac 158:630 (Apr 01) p. 152

Women, Gentiles, and the Messianic Mission in Matthew’s Genealogy

John C. Hutchison

[John C. Hutchison is Associate Professor of Bible Exposition, Talbot School of Theology, La Mirada, California.]

The surprising inclusion of the names of four Old Testament women in Christ’s genealogy has generated much discussion by those who recognize the typical genealogical form used in Matthew 1:1–18. Though the reference to Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and “the wife of Uriah” provides historical information that is not part of the genealogy proper, the mention of these particular matriarchs and not others seems to be an intentional and significant feature of Matthew’s portrayal of the Messiah. Why did Matthew include the names of four women in a patriarchal genealogy of Messiah? And why did he choose these women and not other more prominent matriarchs?

Most biblical expositors have approached these questions with the assumption that Matthew cited these names because they share something in common in relation to the messianic mission. Some emphasize that their Gentile ancestry foreshadows Jesus’ concern for Gentiles in the church. Others say that the immorality in each of the women’s lives foreshadows God’s forgiving grace or was cited to soften the scandal that arose over Mary’s unwed pregnancy. Most of the explanations that seek to establish a common thread between the women, however, seem to force the issue. Explanations sometimes ignore the biblical theology of the book and fail to relate the use of these names to Matthew’s purpose as a Gospel writer.

The thesis presented in this article is that Matthew intentionally cited four Old Testament women in his genealogy in order to bring attention not to four persons, but to four familiar Old Testament stories that illustrate a common point. The allusions

BSac 158:630 (Apr 01) p. 153

span the Old Testament periods of the patriarchs, the Conquest, the judges, and David’s kingdom, and in each case a Gentile shows extraordinary faith in contrast to Jews, who were greatly lacking in their faith. The faith of Tamar versus that of Judah, of Rahab versus that of the Israelites in the wilderness, and of Ruth versus that of the judges generation illustrates that at crucial times in Israel’s history Gentiles demonstrated more faith than Jews in response to God. Bathsheba is probably cited by Matthew as “the wife of Uriah” in order to focus attention on Uriah’s faith in contrast to that of David.

Through all this God remained faithful in preserving the messianic line, and in some cases He did it through godly Gentiles. These contrasts are consistent with Matthew’s...