Jesus Christ, the Fulfilment of the Covenants, Born of the Virgin Mary, God With Us
Introduction
Why Matthew Begins This Way
Many people open the New Testament expecting the story of Jesus to begin immediately with miracles, preaching, or the Nativity.
Instead, Saint Matthew begins with a genealogy — a long list of names.
Modern readers often skip this section because they do not understand why it matters.
But Matthew begins this way deliberately.
He is answering the most important question possible:
Who is Jesus Christ?
Matthew wants us to understand immediately that Jesus is not:
• merely a good man
• merely a prophet
• merely a teacher
• merely a reformer
Jesus is:
• the promised Messiah
• the fulfilment of the Old Testament
• the true King
• the Son of God
• the Saviour of the world
Matthew writes especially for Jewish readers who knew the Old Testament deeply. He shows that everything God promised throughout centuries has now reached fulfilment in Christ.
This chapter therefore is not merely “background information.”
It is proclamation.
It announces:
The promises of God have been fulfilled.
Matthew 1:1
“The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”
“The book of the generation”
Matthew deliberately echoes the language of Genesis.
This signals something enormous.
Jesus does not merely continue history.
He begins a new creation.
Just as Genesis begins the story of the first creation, Matthew begins the story of the new creation in Christ.
“Jesus”
The name “Jesus” means:
“The Lord saves.”
This already teaches us why Christ came.
Not merely:
• to inspire
• to encourage
• to improve society
but to save humanity from sin and eternal death.
This is crucial for beginners to understand.
Christianity is first about salvation.
“Christ”
“Christ” means:
“Anointed One”
or
“Messiah.”
In the Old Testament:
• kings were anointed
• priests were anointed
• prophets were anointed
Jesus fulfils all three offices perfectly.
He is:
• the true King
• the eternal High Priest
• the final Prophet
“Son of David”
This is a royal title.
God promised King David:
“And thy house shall be faithful, and thy kingdom for ever before thy face.”
(2 Kings/2 Samuel 7)
The Jews awaited a future king from David’s line who would establish God’s kingdom.
Matthew immediately declares:
Jesus is that King.
“Son of Abraham”
Abraham is the father of the covenant people.
God promised Abraham:
“In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.”
(Genesis 22)
Matthew announces:
Jesus is the fulfilment of that promise.
Salvation now extends to all nations.
Why This Matters Spiritually
God keeps His promises.
Sometimes centuries pass.
Sometimes history appears dark.
Sometimes humanity fails repeatedly.
Yet God remains faithful.
Matthew begins by showing:
St. Mary's, St. John Bosco and St. Edward's 