Wednesday 19 March 2025

Psalm 89:26-36

Background
Today we remember St Joseph. Funnily enough, I wrote the 'Word in Time' notes last year for the feast day of St Joseph. Since then, I have become a father, so I have reflected a lot on the person of Joseph.

Matthew 1:1-17 are often overlooked verses as it is a long genealogy stretching from Abraham all the way to Joseph. There are some names that are familiar to us, but many that are unknown. It may seem strange to have a genealogy for Jesus that follows the line of Joseph who wasn’t the biological father of Jesus. However, with different ways of establishing families, we are increasingly aware that someone doesn’t have to be biologically related in order to be a cherished member of the family.

For Matthew, these details weren’t important. It wasn’t even important whether he got every generation strictly accurate. As we see in 1:20, what is important is establishing that Jesus was born into the line of King David. Our psalm for today (89:26-36) promises that a descendant of David will be on the throne for ever. In Jesus, born into the line of David, that covenant promise is fulfilled for all time.

However, Matthew is also keen to stress that Jesus isn’t only an heir of David’s throne. From the beginning of his gospel account, Matthew stresses that Jesus is also the son of God – conceived by the Holy Spirit.

With this dual identity, Joseph is told of the two names that the baby Mary is carrying will have. He will be given the name Jesus – an ordinary name at the time – to speak of his work of salvation. Alongside that will be a name mentioned in Isaiah 7:14 which wasn’t a common name – Emmanuel – to affirm the presence of God with people.

With this opening, readers of this gospel may notice those signs of how Jesus is human and divine. As Irenaeus of Lyons put it in the 2nd century, "He became what we are, that we might become what he is."

To Ponder:

• What does it mean to you that Jesus is the son of man, and the son of God?
• Have you experiences of people who are not related, yet are definitely family for you? What are the qualities of those relationships?

Prayer
God of all generations, help us to know that we, too, are part of your ongoing story, and part of your family that spreads around the world. Amen.

Bible notes author: The Revd Will Fletcher
Will Fletcher is a presbyter in the Central Sussex United Area. Alongside his church duties, Will is the Ecumenical Officer for the Sussex part of the South-East District. He is married to Helen and they have one son. When not working, Will makes up part of the bass section of Patcham Silver Band.