Reading through the genealogies of Jesus can be a mind-numbing task. And even though we realize the lineage of Jesus is extremely special, it still isn’t the highlight of our Bible reading. Why should it matter to a twenty-first century Christian that Jesus’ lineage is traceable to Abraham?
But upon taking a closer look we learn some very revealing truths. In Jesus’ genealogy is Rahab, a woman of questionable morals. And a generation later, the Moabite Ruth appears. Then, within two generations, David, an adulterous king who committed murder shows up. What are a Canaanite prostitute, a foreigner, and a law-breaking king doing in Jesus’ genealogy? Pointing to the hope we have in Christ, that’s what.
Think about it: Jesus–the incarnate God, the invisible Creator appearing in the flesh–is a descendant of sinners. If Jesus could come from the seed of such as these, He’s just the One to represent sinners to God. While sinless Himself, the Son of God came in the form of fallen flesh. That kind of God-man could represent us well. In Him we can hope.
That’s why Christmas is so astounding. God didn’t just become a man, He became man in the form of those who had fallen. Only that kind of Savior can give us hope.
