Each of the four gospel writers focus on a specific audience, hence their purpose for writing. Matthew’s Gospel is written by a Jewish author about a Jewish Messiah and it is set in a Jewish context.
How does it commence? It immediately begins with the genealogy of Jesus (Messiah), the Son of Abraham, the Son of David (Matthew 1:1). Why does it start with a long and detailed list of names? Because genealogies are linked with identity and when considering Messiah, identity is connected with lineage, history and prophecy.
Consider that even today, if we were to walk into a book and magazine store, it wouldn’t be unusual to see half a dozen or more magazines devoted to ancestry. People go on websites or seek professional assistance to discover either their family tree or something via their DNA.
In the very first verse of the New Testament (Brit Hadasha), we discover that Jesus (Yeshua) is the Son of both David and Abraham. The Lord made respective covenants with both these patriarchs. Through Abraham all the families of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). ‘The Son of David’ was a Messianic title and his kingdom would be established forever through his lineage (2 Samuel 7:16).
