God’s Grace: Five Women in Jesus Christ’s Genealogy

Each of the four gospels has a different focus on Jesus. God had Matthew write his gospel to show Jesus as the King of kings. His genealogy includes Abraham (in whose seed all nations would be blessed) and King David. God had promised in Genesis 3:15 that the Messiah would be the “seed” of the woman. But women have no seed; they supply an egg. This meant that God (not a man) would be the Father of this promised one. God includes five believing women in Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew.

Matthew 1:1-6 [James Moffatt translation]:
The birth-roll of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Aram,
Aram the father of Aminadab, Aminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, Obed the father of Jessai,
and Jessai the father of king David. David was the father of Solomon by Uriah’s wife.

There are four women mentioned in the above verses. There is one final woman listed in Matthew.

Matthew 1:16:
And Jacob begat Joseph the husband [father] of Mary, of [by] whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Five is the number for grace in God’s Word. David took five stones, exemplifying God’s gracious help, even though he only needed one stone to kill Goliath. The coming of God’s grace on Pentecost marked the fifth “time” in God’s plan of salvation. There are five ministries mentioned in Ephesians 4 who graciously care for God’s people today. There are also five women in Jesus’ “birth-roll.” Let’s see God’s progressive grace to mankind in the lives of these women from whom would come the Messiah, who is “full of grace and truth [true grace].”

These women form an interesting transition in how God helped them in very challenging situations: 1) Tamar: threatened to be stoned for bearing a son; 2) Rahab: raised in a pagan culture, yet seeking God; 3) Ruth: raised in a pagan culture, and marrying a believer; 4) Bathsheba: marrying a believer, and remarried to a King; 5) Mary: threatened to be stoned for bearing God’s Son, the true King.

Tamar: Threatened to Be Stoned for Bearing a Son

Genesis 38 seems to be “thrown in” to the middle of the story of Joseph being sold by his brothers and then taken to Egypt. But it is vital to understanding how the Messiah would come through the tribe of Judah, not Joseph’s sons Ephraim or Manasseh. It tells of Judah’s fathering twin sons by a young woman who had been married to his sons. Tamar was twice a widow from Judah’s sons Er and Onan (Genesis 38:6-10). Judah promised (according to custom) that she would be married to his third son, Shelah—but he broke his promise (Genesis 38:11-14). Tamar deceived Judah by disguising herself as a prostitute, and Judah came unto her. When Judah learned that Tamar was pregnant, he threatened to have her stoned for adultery. Then she revealed that Judah had caused her to be with child. She later brought forth her firstborn son, Pharez—an ancestor of Jesus Christ.

When we think of family pedigrees and “proper” ancestors, we would probably not imagine such an unusual story in Jesus’ genealogy. Yet, God’s grace came through for Tamar and she was rescued from death. She had been wronged by Judah, and God justly redeemed her. God delivered all the women mentioned in Jesus’ family tree from death and destruction.

Rahab: Raised in a Pagan Culture, Yet Seeking God

Rahab, according to Joshua 2:1, was a “harlot” living in Jericho. The Hebrew word translated “harlot” can also mean “innkeeper.” Joshua sent two men to spy out Jericho’s military strength, and they lodged in Rahab’s inn. While there, she hid them from the King of Jericho’s soldiers, and then helped them to escape from the city. Why did she do this? As she told the two spies: “the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.” She knew of God’s great power in helping Moses and the children of Israel and wanted Him as her God. Her family was rescued when Joshua captured Jericho, and Rahab later married Salmon, who came from a mighty family in Israel.

Ruth 4:20:
And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon.

Aaron, Moses’ brother and the first high priest of Israel, was married to Amminadab’s daughter, Elisheba (Exodus 6:23). Amminadab’s son, Nahshon, was the head of the entire tribe of Judah (Numbers 1:7). His son, Salmon, had the humility to marry Rahab, even though she came from a godless culture. Why? Because he saw the great quality in her life, and her respect for God. God looks on the heart, not on a person’s background.

Ruth: Raised in a Pagan Culture, and Marrying a Believer

Salmon and Rahab had a son, Boaz. He saw God’s grace in his mother’s life and how she chose Israel’s God over the idols of Jericho’s culture. Boaz would marry someone very much like his own mother. Once again, an ancestor of Jesus Christ would come from a pagan culture to seek the true God.

Ruth lived in Moab, and was married to an Israelite who had come there with his father and mother to avoid famine in Bethlehem. Ruth’s husband died, and her widowed mother-in-law, Naomi, decided to return to Bethlehem. Naomi encouraged Ruth to remain in Moab with her own people. But Ruth saw the goodness of the God of Israel and faithfully returned with Naomi. Ruth said: “thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God” (Ruth 1:16). Later, Ruth met Boaz who was living in Bethlehem and proved that she was a virtuous woman. Boaz saw her great love for God and “redeemed” her in marriage as a kinsman to Naomi’s husband. Ruth bore Boaz a son, the grandfather of King David.

Ruth 4:21,22:
And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

Bathsheba: Marrying a Believer, and Remarried to a King

Bathsheba is the fourth woman mentioned in Jesus’ genealogy, although not by name. She is called “Uriah’s wife” to show the significance of God’s grace and mercy in forgiving David and Bathsheba for their sin. David saw Bathsheba bathing and desired to have sexual relations with her—while her husband, Uriah, was away fighting for David against Israel’s enemies. When she became pregnant by David, he tried to trick Uriah into sleeping with his wife while on furlough in Jerusalem, but Uriah was too noble to mix military business with personal pleasure. So, David had his general Joab set Uriah in a battle where he would be sure to die. Upon his death, David married Bathsheba and she had his son. God sent Nathan to confront David on his wicked deeds, and David sought God’s forgiveness. By God’s grace and mercy, Bathsheba later bore Solomon to David.

Once again, a woman in Jesus’ ancestry required God’s forgiveness and help. Bathsheba’s son, Solomon, was the immediate fulfillment of a promise that God made to David about the Messiah—God’s Son and the eternal King of kings.

I Chronicles 22:9,10:
Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.
He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.

Mary: Threatened to Be Stoned for Bearing God’s Son, the True King

We have seen God’s grace in helping Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba to bring forth sons who would be Jesus’ ancestors. The greatest grace came when God sent Gabriel to give Mary the choice of bearing the Messiah. She trusted God, despite the cultural problems she would face, and said she was the Lord’s servant. She believed God and became pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit, not by relations with any man. Of course, Mary realized the threat of being stoned to death for being found pregnant when betrothed to Joseph. But God sent an angel to tell Joseph that He was the child’s Father, and that Joseph should help Mary raise God’s Son. This child would be the long-awaited Messiah, the true King of Israel (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38).

Let’s thank the Father for His grace and mercy in our lives, as we live free from fear, sin, and condemnation—through the accomplished work of our lord and savior, Jesus Christ!