17 December 2021
Friday of the Third Week of Advent
Why include a genealogy of Jesus? Clearly, and most especially in Matthew’s Gospel (as he is often keen to demonstrate how Jesus fulfills Scriptural prophecies), it is meant to prove that Jesus is a descendant of David, which is one of the prophecies. It likewise establishes that He is a Jew, being a descendant of Abraham. But the genealogy does something else as well, perhaps something Matthew (and also Luke) did not intend: they show that the Son of God, in becoming Man, has entered deeply and inextricably into the human family.
Consider that.
Science has established that every human being is roughly 99.9% genetically identical: that means by the mere fact you are human and Jesus is human, you are 99.9% (or thereabouts) genetically related to the Son of God. Science has also established that all human beings currently living have in common two ancient ancestors that lived in different parts of Africa roughly 180,000 years ago for our common grandmother and roughly 200,000 years ago for our common grandfather. This means that we are all, though quite distant, related: you are related to Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Mary. He is truly Emmanuel—“God is with us” (Matthew 1:23)—and not merely to visit, but by the Incarnation He has anchored Himself firmly within the human family, within human history: your family, and your history.