Manifest Blog: March 2011

Monday, March 21, 2011

The Genealogy of Christ (Matthew)

Oh man, those genealogies in the Bible are rough going. So and so begat so and so, who begat so and so, on and on. How many times have we skipped over them. Sure we recognize their importance in tracking the lineage of the tribes of Israel, and in the New Testament in showing that Jesus had a rightful claim to the throne of Israel, but that doesn't make it any more interesting.

A while back, I got interested in what the names mean, and I heard that the lineage of Adam to Noah actually gives a little prophecy about Christ:

"Man is appointed mortal sorrow, but the Blessed of God will come down teaching that his death shall bring the despairing rest and comfort."

Adam = Man

Seth = Appointed

Enos = Mortal

Cainan = Sorrow

Maleleel = The Blessed of God

Jared = To Come Down

Enoch = Teaching

Methuselah = His Death Shall Bring

Lamech = Despair

Noah = Rest and Comfort

I thought, wow that's pretty neat, I wonder if that continues for the rest of the genealogy. This is what I came up with after studying it out. I've had to add in some verbs and prepositional phrases, but that's mostly translational.

Man is appointed mortal sorrow, but the Blessed of God will come down teaching that his death shall bring the despairing rest and comfort. He will be a renowned healer, possessing a mission that joins division. God’s shepherd will twine the branches, through the exhalation of His spirit. The father of a great multitude laughs; he prevails with God through the praise of the Lord breaching divisions. Rise up; my people is liberated by a helper that rewards a servant with strength, a gift well-beloved who pays the price to enlarge the people. The father of the lord is the physician. The Lord is judge elevated with strength from God. He is the perfection, the faithfulness, the fire, and the stability of God. He was asked of God to break up confusion. He is the father of praise, the resurrection of God. In court, He is just in His preparation, His vengeance, and His confirmation. God is His praise. In the courts of God, His gift undermines wrath and increases salvation.

Jesus = Salvation

Joseph = increase, addition

Jacob = undermines, supplants, the heel

Matthan = Gifts, rain

Eleazar = help of God, court of God

Eliud = God is my praise

Achim = preparing, revenging, confirming

Sadoc = just

Azor = A helper, a court

Eliakim = resurrection of God

Abuid = father of praise

Zorobabel = break up confusion

Shealtiel = asked or lent of God

Jechoniah stability of the Lord

Josiah = the fire of the Lord

Amon = faithful

Joatham = the perfection of the Lord

Ozias = strength from the Lord

Joram = elevated

Jehoshaphat = The Lord is judge

Asa = physician cure

Abia = father of the lord

Roboam = enlarges the people

Solomon = peaceable; perfect; one who recompenses

David = well-beloved

Jesse = a gift

Obed = in strength

Boaz = a servant

Salmon = he that rewards

Naasson = a helper

Aminadab = my people is liberated

Aram = Rise up

Esrom = divisions

Phares = to breach

Judah = the praise of the Lord

Jacob = (changed to Israel) one who prevails with God

Isaac = Laughter

Abram = (changed to Abraham) father of a great multitude

Terah = dove or spirit

Nahor = exhale

Serug = twining branch

Reu = his shepherd

Phalec = division

Heber = joins

Sala = A mission

Cainan = To Possess

Arphaxad = Healer

Shem = Renown