How do Matthew’s genealogy, Joseph’s decision and the edition’s notes fit together?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Matthew names the lineage and Joseph’s response to the angel; the separate notes explain the pedigree and the words until and firstborn.

Chapter breakdown

Matthew calls this the generation of Jesus Christ, son of David and Abraham. Abraham begets Isaac, Isaac Jacob, and Jacob Judas and his brethren. Judas begets Phares and Zara of Thamar; Phares begets Esron, Esron Aram, Aram Aminadab, Aminadab Naasson, Naasson Salmon, Salmon Booz of Rahab, Booz Obed of Ruth, Obed Jesse and Jesse King David. David begets Solomon of the former wife of Urias. Solomon begets Roboam, Roboam Abia, Abia Asa, Asa Josaphat, Josaphat Joram, Joram Ozias, Ozias Joatham, Joatham Achaz, Achaz Ezechias, Ezechias Manasses, Manasses Amon, Amon Josias, and Josias Jechonias and his brethren in Babylon’s transmigration.

After that transmigration Jechonias begets Salathiel, Salathiel Zorobabel, Zorobabel Abiud, Abiud Eliacim, Eliacim Azor, Azor Sadoc, Sadoc Achim, Achim Eliud, Eliud Eleazar, Eleazar Mathan, Mathan Jacob, and Jacob Joseph, Mary’s husband. Jesus, called Christ, is born of Mary. The separate edition note explains that Joseph’s pedigree rather than Mary’s conforms to Hebrew genealogical custom, and that their near kinship makes one pedigree show the other. Matthew states fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to Babylon’s transmigration and fourteen from the transmigration to Christ. The stated grouping is preserved without treating it as a supplied chronological duration or silently ending the last group at Joseph.

Mary is espoused to Joseph and before they come together is found with child of the Holy Ghost. Joseph, just and unwilling to expose her publicly, intends to put her away privately. While considering this, an angel of the Lord appears in his sleep, addresses him as son of David and tells him not to fear taking Mary his wife: the conception is of the Holy Ghost. She will bear a son; he must name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. The account gives Joseph’s intended privacy, without adding legal penalties or a named emotional state.

The narrator says this fulfills what the Lord spoke through the prophet: a virgin will conceive and bear a son called Emmanuel, interpreted as God with us. Joseph rises from sleep, follows the angel’s command and takes his wife. He knows her not until she brings forth her firstborn son and names him Jesus.

The extensive separate annotation rejects Helvidius’s inference of later children. Citing Jerome, it says Hebrew usage of until describes the stated action without deciding the future. Its examples are Noe’s raven not returning till the waters dried, meaning not returning anymore; God being present till old age without ceasing afterward; the Machabees returning to Sion with none slain till their peaceful return, interpreted as none before or after; and the Son seated at God’s right hand till enemies are subdued, remaining forever afterward. It also explains that only-begotten sons can be called firstborn because the law consecrates males opening the womb, citing Exodus 13:2. These are attributed annotation arguments rather than additional events in Joseph’s story.

The story inside

The full named genealogy reaches Joseph and Mary, of whom Jesus is born. Joseph’s planned private separation changes after the angel explains the conception and commands the name. The annotation’s examples clarify its reading without becoming added narrative events.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Keep all named links and the three stated fourteen-generation groups.
2
Joseph’s reluctance to expose Mary is given; penalties and distress are not.
3
Attribute the pedigree and firstborn arguments to the edition’s notes.

Test your recall

Why does the angel command the name Jesus?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 110329–110390
Matthew Chapter 1 The genealogy of Christ: he is conceived and born of a virgin. 1:1. The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham: 1:2. Abraham begot Isaac. And Isaac begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Judas and his brethren. 1:3. And Judas begot Phares and Zara of Thamar. And Phares begot Esron. And Esron begot Aram. 1:4. And Aram begot Aminadab. And Aminadab begot Naasson. And Naasson begot Salmon. 1:5. And Salmon begot Booz of Rahab. And Booz begot Obed of Ruth. And Obed begot Jesse. 1:6. And Jesse begot David the king. And David the king begot Solomon, of her that had been the wife of Urias. 1:7. And Solomon begot Roboam. And Roboam begot Abia. And Abia begot Asa. 1:8. And Asa begot Josaphat. And Josaphat begot Joram. And Joram begot Ozias. 1:9. And Ozias begot Joatham. And Joatham begot Achaz. And Achaz begot Ezechias. 1:10. And Ezechias begot Manasses. And Manasses begot Amon. And Amon begot Josias. 1:11. And Josias begot Jechonias and his brethren in the transmigration of Babylon. 1:12. And after the transmigration of Babylon, Jechonias begot Salathiel. And Salathiel begot Zorobabel. 1:13. And Zorobabel begot Abiud. And Abiud begot Eliacim. And Eliacim begot Azor. 1:14. And Azor begot Sadoc. And Sadoc begot Achim. And Achim begot Eliud. 1:15. And Eliud begot Eleazar. And Eleazar begot Mathan. And Mathan begot Jacob. 1:16. And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. The husband of Mary.... The Evangelist gives us rather the pedigree of St. Joseph, than that of the blessed Virgin, to conform to the custom of the Hebrews, who in their genealogies took no notice of women; but as they were near akin, the pedigree of the one sheweth that of the other. 1:17. So all the generations from Abraham to David, are fourteen generations. And from David to the transmigration of Babylon, are fourteen generations: and from the transmigration of Babylon to Christ are fourteen generations.
Lines 110392–110440
1:18. Now the generation of Christ was in this wise. When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child, of the Holy Ghost. 1:19. Whereupon Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately. 1:20. But while he thought on these things, behold the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost. 1:21. And she shall bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus. For he shall save his people from their sins. 1:22. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying: 1:23. Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 1:24. And Joseph rising up from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and took unto him his wife. 1:25. And he knew her not till she brought forth her first born son: and he called his name Jesus. Till she brought forth her firstborn son.... From these words Helvidius and other heretics most impiously inferred that the blessed Virgin Mary had other children besides Christ; but St. Jerome shews, by divers examples, that this expression of the Evangelist was a manner of speaking usual among the Hebrews, to denote by the word until, only what is done, without any regard to the future. Thus it is said, Genesis 8. 6 and 7, that Noe sent forth a raven, which went forth, and did not return till the waters were dried up on the earth. That is, did not return any more. Also Isaias 46. 4, God says: I am till you grow old. Who dare infer that God should then cease to be: Also in the first book of Machabees 5. 54, And they went up to mount Sion with joy and gladness, and offered holocausts, because not one of them was slain till they had returned in peace. That is, not one was slain before or after they had returned. God saith to his divine Son: Sit on my right hand till I make thy enemies thy footstool. Shall he sit no longer after his enemies are subdued? Yea and for all eternity. St. Jerome also proves by Scripture examples, that an only begotten son, was also called firstborn, or first begotten: because according to the law, the firstborn males were to be consecrated to God; Sanctify unto me, saith the Lord, every firstborn that openeth the womb among the children of Israel, etc. Ex. 13. 2.