Christ, The Son Of David

Feature 2 – September 2023 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Christ, The Son Of David

The Gospel Of Matthew
Matthew’s gospel opens with these words: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (1:1 ESV ). A genealogy provides a list of ancestors of the person described and that helps to understand his background. The Greek word translated as “genealogy” also means “generation,” and it is sometimes translated that way in Scripture. Furthermore, it is the name of the first book of the Bible: Genesis.

The name “Jesus” is transliterated from the Greek as Iḕsous, which represents His Hebrew name Yeshua. “Christ” is from the Greek Christos, which means “Anointed,” as does “Messiah” or Mashiach in the Hebrew Old Testament (Ps. 2:2, for instance). We are reminded that a priest from Aaron’s family was anointed for his priestly service, usually at the age of 30 (Ex. 28–29). On occasion, a prophet was anointed when he started his God-given ministry, as was the king whom God gave to rule over His people after the priests had failed. God chose Saul to rule (1 Sam. 10:1) who, sadly, became a failing king, for he sought after man’s desires. This was not the situation with David, for he became the king according to God’s heart (16:1-13), even though he had his failures. It is interesting to notice the significant difference of the tools used for the anointing of these two kings. In Saul’s case, Samuel made use of a flask that could be broken, whereas for David, God led His prophet to anoint from a horn, a symbol of power that cannot be broken (16:1).

Returning to Matthew 1, Abraham’s name means “father of a multitude,” for God made him father of the Hebrew people. Therefore, Jesus was called the “Son of Abraham” (Mt. 1:1). The power of a king was needed to fulfill God’s plans for His people and thus Jesus was also the Son of David, whose name means “beloved.”

It is striking that the Psalms open by portraying the Man after God’s heart, who is called “blessed.” Why? Because He does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit with the scoffers (1:1-3). These verbs indicate an increase in intensity, characterizing humans. Jesus, however, was perfectly separated from all evil yet always accessible, that everyone, with whatever need, could approach Him. He never compromised any of God’s rights, but at the same time He helped and cared for many people. Only one person throughout all human history fits that picture perfectly. Our Lord Jesus Christ is that blessed Man!

Do you know Him; do you love Him?

The Book Of Ruth
The amazing love story of Boaz and Ruth gives us some understanding of how God fulfills His plans for His people, providing them the king according to His heart, as we read at the end of Ruth 4. “Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, ‘Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.’ Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, ‘A son has been born to Naomi.’ They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David” (vv.13-22).

The last word in this brief genealogy represents the key to the Book of Ruth, because it is all about David, the beloved. This implies an important lesson for us today: our focus should not be on political or social issues but on how we respond to the Lord Jesus!

Do you know Him as your Savior? If so, do you honor Him as your Lord?

The Prophecy Of Isaiah
Consider what the prophet Isaiah wrote:

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and of peace there shall be no end, on the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this” (9:2-7).

God gave Isaiah to write this amazing prophecy. It implies significant lessons for us today while providing a prophetic picture of the world to come, when the King of God’s choosing will reign. At present He, the Son of David, is hidden to this world but we see Him – already now – “crowned with glory and honor” (Heb. 2:9). That glory was predicted earlier by the same prophet (Isa. 6:1-7), yet the Messiah was to be rejected by His own people (vv.9-13). This issue of Israel’s hardening is so important that we find it referred to about seven times in Scripture. Matthew 12 describes the greatness of the Lord Jesus, greater than the Sabbath, greater than Jonah, greater than Solomon. But, He was rejected by His own people!

What about us today? If we harden ourselves and reject Him, there will be serious implications for the present and the future. May we have sensitive hearts and not be stubborn, humbling ourselves under Him (1 Pet. 5:6-11).

By Alfred Bouter

The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.
—Matthew 12:8 NKJV

The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
—Matthew 12:41

The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.
—Matthew 12:42