Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 1:8-11

"and Asa begat Jehoshaphat; and Jehoshaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Uzziah; and Uzziah begat Jotham; and Jotham begat Ahaz; and Ahaz begat Hezekiah; and Hezekiah begat Manasseh; and Manasseh begat Amon; and Amon begat Josiah; and Josiah begat Jechoniah and his brethren, at the time of the carrying away to Babylon." — Matthew 1:8-11 (ASV)

St. Jerome: In the fourth book of Kings we read that Ahaziah was the son of Joram. On his death, Jehosheba, sister of Ahaziah and daughter of Joram, took Joash, her brother's son, and preserved him from Athaliah's slaughter of the royal family. To Joash succeeded his son Amaziah; after him his son Azariah, who is also called Uzziah; after him his son Jotham. Thus, you see that according to historical truth there were three intervening kings, whom the Evangelist omitted. Moreover, Joram did not beget Uzziah, but Ahaziah, and the rest as we have related.

But because it was the Evangelist's purpose to make each of the three periods consist of fourteen generations, and because Joram had connected himself with Jezebel's most impious family, his posterity to the third generation is therefore omitted in tracing the lineage of the holy birth.

St. Hilary of Poitiers: Thus, with the stain of the Gentile alliance purged, the royal race is taken up again in the fourth generation.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: The Holy Spirit testified through the Prophet that He would cut off every male from the house of Ahab and Jezebel. Jehu, the son of Nimshi, fulfilled this and received the promise that his children to the fourth generation should sit on the throne of Israel. Therefore, just as great a blessing was given to the house of Jehu for destroying Ahab's house, so great a curse was given to the house of Joram because of the wicked daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, so that his sons to the fourth generation were cut out of the list of the Kings.

Thus his sin descended to his posterity, as it is written, “I will visit the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation” (Exodus 20:5). You see, then, how dangerous it is to marry the descendants of the ungodly.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Alternatively, Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah were excluded from the number because their wickedness was continuous and without interval. For Solomon was allowed to hold the kingdom for his father's merits, and Rehoboam for his son's.¹

But these three, who did evil successively, were excluded. This, then, is an example of how a lineage is cut off when wickedness is displayed in it with perpetual succession.

And Uzziah begat Jotham; and Jotham begat Ahaz; and Ahaz begat Hezekiah.

Glossa Ordinaria: This Hezekiah was the one to whom it was said, when he had no children, “Set thy house in order, for thou shalt die” (Isaiah 38:1). He wept, not from a desire for a longer life, for he knew that Solomon had pleased God by not asking for length of days. Instead, he wept because he feared that God's promise would not be fulfilled, since he himself—being in the line of David from whom Christ would come—was without children.

And Hezekiah begat Manasseh; and Manasseh begat Amon; and Amon begat Josiah.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: But the order in the Book of Kings is different (2 Kings 23), namely: Josiah begat Eliakim, who was later called Jehoiakim, and Jehoiakim begat Jeconiah. But Jehoiakim is not counted among the Kings in the genealogy because God's people had not set him on the throne; rather, Pharaoh had set him up by his own might. For if it was just to exclude three kings from the genealogy merely for their intermixture with the line of Ahab, was it not also just that Jehoiakim should be excluded, whom Pharaoh had installed as king by hostile force? And so Jeconiah, who is the son of Jehoiakim and the grandson of Josiah, is counted among the kings as the son of Josiah, in place of his omitted father.

St. Jerome: Alternatively, we may consider the first Jeconiah to be the same person as Jehoiakim, and the second to be the son, not the father. The first name is spelled with a 'k' and 'm,' the second with a 'ch' and 'n.' This distinction has been confused by both Greek and Latin writers due to scribal errors and the passage of time.

St. Ambrose of Milan: That there were two kings named Jehoiakim is clear from the Book of Kings: “And Joakim slept with his fathers, and Joachim his son reigned in his stead” (2 Kings 24:6). This son is the same one whom Jeremiah calls Jeconiah. And St. Matthew rightly intended to differ from the Prophet, because he sought to show the great abundance of the Lord's mercies. For the Lord did not seek nobility of lineage among men, but fittingly chose to be born of captives and sinners, as He came to preach remission of sin to the captives. The Evangelist, therefore, did not conceal either of these names but rather showed them both, since both men were called Jeconiah.²

Remigius of Auxerre: But it may be asked why the Evangelist says they were born "in the carrying away," when they were actually born before it. He says this because they were born for this very purpose: to be led into captivity and removed from dominion over the nation, for their own sins and the sins of others. And because God foreknew they were to be carried away captive, He says they were born "in the carrying away to Babylon."

It should be known that those whom the holy Evangelist places together in the Lord's genealogy were alike in either good or ill fame. Judas and his brothers were notable for good; likewise, Perez and Zerah, and Jeconiah and his brothers, were notable for evil.

Glossa Ordinaria: Mystically, David is Christ, who overcame Goliath, that is, the Devil. Uriah, that is, "God is my light," represents the Devil, who says, “I will be like the Highest” (Isaiah 14:14). The Church was married to Him when Christ, on the throne of His Father's majesty, loved her and, having made her beautiful, united her to Himself in marriage.

Alternatively, Uriah represents the Jewish nation, which boasted of its light through the Law. Christ took the Law away from them, having taught it to speak of Himself.

Bathsheba is "the well of satiety," that is, the abundance of spiritual grace.

Remigius of Auxerre: Bathsheba is interpreted as "the seventh well," or "the well of the oath,"ⁱ which signifies the grant of baptism. In baptism, the gift of the sevenfold Spirit is given, and the oath against the Devil is made.

Christ is also Solomon, that is, "the peaceful one," according to the Apostle: “He is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14).

Rehoboamⁱ is "the breadth of the people," according to the saying, “Many shall come from the East and from the West.”

Rabanus Maurus: Or, he is "the might of the people," because he quickly converts the people to the faith.

Remigius of Auxerre: He is also Abijah, that is, "the Lord is Father," according to the verse, “One is your Father, who is in heaven” (Matthew 23:9). And again, “Ye call me Master and Lord” (John 13:13).

He is also Asa,ⁱ that is, "lifting up," according to the verse, “Who taketh away the sins of the world” (John 1:29).

He is also Jehoshaphat, that is, "judging," for, “The Father hath committed all judgment unto the Son” (John 5:22).

He is also Joram, that is, "lofty," according to the verse, “No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven” (John 3:13).

He is also Uzziah, that is, "the Lord's strength," for “The Lord is my strength and my praise” (Psalm 118:14).

He is also Jotham,ⁱ that is, "completed" or "perfected," for “Christ is the end of the law” (Romans 10:4).

He is also Ahaz,ⁱ that is, "turning," according to the verse, “Be ye turned to Me” (Zechariah 1:3).

Rabanus Maurus: Or, "embracing," because, “None knoweth the Father, but the Son” (Matthew 11:27).

Remigius of Auxerre: He is also Hezekiah, that is, "the strong Lord," or, "the Lord shall comfort," according to the verse, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

He is also Manasseh, that is, "forgetful" or "forgotten," according to the verse, “I will not remember your sins any more” (Ezekiel 28).

He is also Amon,ⁱ that is, "faithful," according to the verse, “The Lord is faithful in all His words” (Psalm 145:17).

He is also Josiah,ⁱ that is, "the incense of the Lord," as in, “And being in an agony, He prayed more earnestly” (Luke 22:44).

Rabanus Maurus: And that incense signifies prayer, the Psalmist witnesses, saying, “Let my prayer come up as incense before Thee” (Psalm 141:2). Or, Josiah means "the salvation of the Lord," according to the verse, “My salvation is for ever” (Isaiah 55).

Remigius of Auxerre: He is Jeconiah,ⁱ that is, "preparing" or "the Lord's preparation," according to the verse, “If I shall depart, I will also prepare a place for you” (John 14:3).

Glossa Ordinaria: Morally, after David comes Solomon, who is interpreted as "peaceful." For a person becomes peaceful when their unlawful impulses are calmed. As if already set in everlasting rest, they serve God and turn others to Him. Then follows Rehoboam, that is, "the breadth of the people." For when there is no longer anything to overcome within himself, it is fitting for a man to look to others and draw the people of God with him to heavenly things. Next is Abijah, that is, "the Lord is Father." With these things established, he may proclaim himself the Son of God. Then he will be Asa, that is, "raising up," and will ascend to his Father from virtue to virtue. And he will become Jehoshaphat, that is, "judging," for he will judge others and be judged by none.

Thus he becomes Joram, that is, "lofty," as if dwelling on high. He is made Uzziah, that is, "the strength of the Lord," by attributing all his strength to God and persevering in his path.

Then follows Jotham, that is, "perfect," for he grows daily toward greater perfection. And thus he becomes Ahaz, that is, "embracing," for by obedience knowledge is increased, according to the saying, "They have proclaimed the worship of the Lord, and have understood His doings."

Then follows Hezekiah, that is, "the Lord is strong," because he understands that God is strong. Turning to His love, he becomes Manasseh, "forgetful," because he gives up all worldly things as forgotten. He is thereby made Amon, that is, "faithful," for whoever despises all temporal things defrauds no one of their goods. Thus he is made Josiah, that is, "in certain hope of the Lord's salvation," for Josiah is interpreted as "the salvation of the Lord."

1. Hilsr. Amast. V. et N. Test. q. 85
2. Luc., cap. 2