Tuesday, December 23, 2025
Matthew 1:1 - 17 (NKJV)
1 The book of the genealogy[a] of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
2 Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. 3 Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. 4 Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. 5 Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, 6 and Jesse begot David the king.
David the king begot Solomon by her [b]who had been the wife of Uriah. 7 Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. 8 Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. 9 Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. 10 Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot [d]Amon, and Amon begot Josiah. 11 Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon.
12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. 13 Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. 14 Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. 15 Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. 16 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.
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I often have been one to take the genealogies in the Bible for granted – sometimes viewing them as an opportunity for speed-reading through that day’s reading whenever they come up. At first glance, they seem dry and clerical, having to do more with administrative record-keeping, rather than dramatic historical narratives or profound theological truths.
Greater minds than mine will have found deeper meaning in such passages. But, one small, simple observation that occurs to me is in the parallel of the genealogies to the history and foundation of God’s Church.
As a person who came to the Anglican tradition rather late in life, I have a somewhat wistful appreciation of the continual, deliberate reminders that are available to be experienced, of the origins of our faith, and of being woven in to the connected journeys of generations of Christians that went before us. Being reminded of the depth of those foundations can come from a number of sources – it could be through the cherished liturgy and the timeless truths that it has carried over the centuries. Or it could come through the simplicity of the stories we tell each other - stories of our own journeys, and the foundation of faith within families (the photograph I have chosen is one of my grandsons, visiting the simple country church where his grandfather went to Sunday school many years ago).
Calling to mind the foundations and history of the Church, whether through the grandness of liturgy or the small simplicity of family tales, can instill a confidence for the future – that regardless of the circumstances that face us, God will be there always, and His Church will continue to stand. That reminder also can inspire the virtue of humility – an appreciation that life is not about “us” and what is in it for us, but about contributing and service to others. It recognises that wisdom, as well as strength, come from God (not from within ourselves), and that each of us is a part of the greater Church, which even with the human frailties that inhabit it, is far larger and more magnificent than we truly can appreciate. It is community, it is family, it is a moral compass and guide.
May each of us find this paradox of confidence and humility…
Lee Cutforth
O Holy Night David Phelps
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