Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 1:17

"So all the generations from Abraham unto David are fourteen generations; and from David unto the carrying away to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon unto the Christ fourteen generations." — Matthew 1:17 (ASV)

Pseudo-Chrysostom: After listing the generations from Abraham to Christ, he divides them into three sections of fourteen generations because the state of the Jewish people changed three times, each at the end of a fourteen-generation period. From Abraham to David, they were under judges; from David to the Babylonian exile, they were under kings; and from the exile to Christ, they were under high priests.

What he intends to show, then, is this: just as the state of the people changed at the end of every fourteen-generation period, so now that fourteen generations have been completed from the exile to Christ, it was necessary for the state of humanity to be changed by Christ. And so, since Christ, all the Gentiles have been placed under one Christ, who is Judge, King, and Priest.

Furthermore, because judges, kings, and priests prefigured Christ's dignity, their lines always began with a type of Christ. The first of the judges was Joshua son of Nun, the first of the kings was David, and the first of the priests was Jesus son of Josedech. No one doubts that this was a type of Christ.

St. John Chrysostom: Alternatively, he divided the whole genealogy into three parts to show that they were not made better even by the change in their government, but continued in the same evil course under judges, kings, high priests, and priests. For this reason, he also mentions the Babylonian captivity, showing that they were not corrected by this either.

However, the descent into Egypt is not mentioned, because they were no longer in terror of the Egyptians as they were of the Assyrians or Parthians. It is also not mentioned because that was a distant event while this was a recent one, and because they had not been carried there for their sin, as they had been to Babylon.

St. Ambrose of Milan: We should not overlook the fact that although there were seventeen kings of Judea between David and Jeconiah, Matthew only lists fourteen. We must observe that there could be many more successions to the throne than generations of people, for some might live longer and have children later, or they might be entirely without children. Therefore, the number of kings and the number of generations would not match.¹

Glossa Ordinaria: Alternatively, we can say that three kings were overlooked, as was stated earlier.

St. Ambrose of Milan: Again, from Jeconiah to Joseph, twelve generations are counted, yet Matthew later calls this group fourteen as well. But if you look closely, you will be able to discover the method by which fourteen are counted here.

Twelve are counted, including Joseph, and Christ is the thirteenth. History states that there were two Joakims—that is, two Jeconiahs, father and son. The Evangelist has not overlooked either of these but has named them both. Thus, by adding the younger Jeconiah, fourteen generations are counted.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Alternatively, the same Jeconiah is counted twice in the Gospel: once before the exile and again after the exile. For this Jeconiah, though one person, had two different statuses. Before the exile, he was a king, having been made king by the people of God, but he became a private citizen during the exile. Therefore, he is counted once among the kings before the exile and once among private citizens after the exile.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Alternatively, one of Christ's forefathers—namely, Jeconiah—is counted twice because in him a transition was made to foreign nations, since he was carried away to Babylon. Whenever a series turns from a straight line to go in another direction, an angle is formed, and the part at the angle is counted twice. This, then, is a figure of Christ, who passes from the circumcision to the uncircumcision and is made a cornerstone.²

Remigius of Auxerre: He established fourteen generations because ten signifies the Decalogue and four signifies the four books of the Gospel; this shows the agreement between the Law and the Gospel. And he repeated the fourteen three times to show that the perfection of the law, prophecy, and grace consists in the faith of the Holy Trinity.

Glossa Ordinaria: Alternatively, this number signifies the sevenfold grace of the Holy Spirit. The number is made up of seven, doubled, to show that the grace of the Holy Spirit is needed for the salvation of both soul and body.

The genealogy is also divided into three portions of fourteen as follows. The first is from Abraham to David, including David. The second is from David to the exile, which does not include David but does include the event of the exile. The third is from the exile to Christ; if we say Jeconiah is included, then the exile is also included.

The first group denotes the people before the Law. In it, you will find some who lived under the law of nature, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, all the way to Solomon.

The second group denotes the people under the Law, for all who are included in it lived under the Law.

The third group contains the people of grace, for it culminates in Christ, who was the giver of grace. This period also included the deliverance from Babylon, which signifies the deliverance from captivity accomplished by Christ.

St. Augustine of Hippo: After dividing the whole into three periods of fourteen generations, Matthew does not sum them up to say that the total is forty-two. This is because one of the fathers, namely Jeconiah, is counted twice. Therefore, the generations do not amount to forty-two (as three times fourteen would), but because one is counted twice, there are only forty-one generations.

Matthew, therefore, whose purpose was to emphasize Christ's kingly character, counts forty successions in the genealogy, not including Christ. This number denotes the time for which we must be governed by Christ in this world, according to that painful discipline which is signified by the iron rod of which it is written in the Psalms, Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron.

A reason why this number should denote our temporal life is readily available: the seasons of the year are four, and the world itself is bounded by four sides—east, west, north, and south. But forty contains ten four times. Moreover, ten itself is made by adding the numbers from one to four.

Glossa Ordinaria: Alternatively, the ten refers to the Decalogue and the four to this present life, which passes through four seasons; or the ten signifies the Old Testament and the four, the New.

Remigius of Auxerre: But if anyone, maintaining that there are two different people named Jeconiah and not the same person, makes the number forty-two, then we would say that the Holy Church is signified. For this number is the product of seven and six (since six times seven makes forty-two); the six denotes labor, and the seven denotes rest.

1. Luc., c. 3
2. de Cons. Evan, ii, 4