Matthew 1:15

Berean Standard Bible

Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob,

King James Bible

And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;

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Matthew 1:15, as presented in the New International Version, reads: "Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob." This verse is a continuation of the genealogy of Jesus Christ found in the opening chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, a carefully constructed lineage that traces the ancestry of Jesus from Abraham through David to Joseph, the husband of Mary. Situated in the third and final section of Matthew’s genealogy—covering the period from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah—this verse brings the reader closer to the culmination of the genealogical record in Jesus. The names Eliud, Eleazar, Matthan, and Jacob, though obscure in biblical history, play a critical role in Matthew’s theological narrative, emphasizing the continuity of God’s covenantal promise through generations that are largely uncelebrated. To fully appreciate the significance of this verse, we must explore its place within the genealogy, the historical and cultural context of the post-exilic period, the roles of the named individuals, and the theological implications for Matthew’s audience and modern readers.

The genealogy in Matthew 1 is structured into three sets of fourteen generations—Abraham to David, David to the exile, and the exile to Jesus—a deliberate arrangement that may reflect the numerical value of David’s name in Hebrew (14) or symbolize completeness and divine order. Matthew 1:15 falls within the final section, a time of relative historical obscurity following the Babylonian exile, when Israel struggled to rebuild its identity under foreign rule. The names listed—Eliud, Eleazar, Matthan, and Jacob—are not prominent in Old Testament records, and their inclusion highlights Matthew’s focus on the persistence of God’s promise through even the least documented generations. This verse, coming just before the mention of Joseph in Matthew 1:16, serves as a bridge between the distant past and the immediate family of Jesus, underscoring the proximity of the Messiah’s arrival and the fulfillment of God’s covenant with David.

Eliud, whose name means “God is my praise,” is introduced in Matthew 1:14 as the son of Akim. Little is known about him, as he does not appear in other biblical genealogies or historical records. His name carries a theological resonance, suggesting a life oriented toward worship, which aligns with the broader theme of the genealogy as a testament to God’s faithfulness. Eleazar, meaning “God has helped,” is a name that appears elsewhere in Scripture (e.g., Aaron’s son in Exodus 6:23), but there is no evidence connecting this Eleazar to those figures. Matthan, sometimes rendered as Matthat in other traditions, is similarly obscure, with no clear historical counterpart in the Old Testament. Jacob, meaning “he who supplants” or “holder of the heel,” evokes the patriarch Jacob (Israel) but is likely a distinct individual here. The absence of these names in other biblical texts suggests Matthew may have drawn from family records, oral traditions, or non-canonical sources to compile this portion of the genealogy. For Matthew’s Jewish-Christian audience, these names, though unfamiliar, would affirm the unbroken chain of God’s promise, linking the post-exilic period to the arrival of the Messiah.

The historical context of Matthew 1:15 is the post-exilic era, a time of transition and challenge for the Jewish people. After the return from Babylon around 538 BCE, led by figures like Zerubbabel (mentioned earlier in Matthew 1:13), Israel faced the task of rebuilding its temple, community, and national identity under Persian, and later Hellenistic, rule. This period was marked by a longing for the restoration of the Davidic monarchy, which had been disrupted by the exile. The generations represented by Eliud, Eleazar, Matthan, and Jacob lived in this context of diminished political power, yet their inclusion in the genealogy signifies that the Davidic line endured through these quiet centuries. Matthew’s genealogy presents Jesus as the climax of this waiting period, the true Son of David who fulfills the prophetic hope of a messianic king (2 Samuel 7:16). The obscurity of these names reflects the historical reality of a people living in the shadow of their former glory, yet it also underscores Matthew’s point that God’s plan remained active, weaving through every generation toward its fulfillment in Christ.

Theologically, Matthew 1:15 reinforces the theme of divine faithfulness across generations. By including obscure figures, Matthew illustrates that God’s covenant with David was not contingent on human prominence or historical recognition. Each name represents a life that carried forward the promise, however quietly, until it reached Jesus, the Messiah. For Matthew’s audience, likely a Jewish-Christian community familiar with Old Testament prophecies, this genealogy would have been a powerful affirmation of Jesus’ messianic credentials. It established Him as the legitimate heir to David’s throne through Joseph, His legal father, even though Matthew later emphasizes the virgin birth (Matthew 1:18-25), which underscores Jesus’ divine sonship. The inclusion of Eliud, Eleazar, Matthan, and Jacob highlights that God’s purposes unfold through both the celebrated and the forgotten, a message that would resonate with a community navigating their identity as followers of Jesus amidst potential skepticism from non-Christian Jews.

Culturally, genealogies held immense significance in ancient Jewish society, serving as proof of heritage, covenantal inclusion, and legitimacy for roles such as priesthood or kingship. For Matthew’s readers, the genealogy was not just a historical record but a theological declaration of Jesus’ identity as the Son of David, the Messiah foretold by the prophets. The presence of obscure names like Eliud, Eleazar, Matthan, and Jacob would reassure the audience that no generation was overlooked in God’s plan, reinforcing the continuity of the Davidic line. This was particularly important for a community that may have faced questions about Jesus’ legitimacy as the Messiah, especially given the unconventional circumstances of His birth. By tracing the lineage through these generations, Matthew provided a robust defense of Jesus’ rightful claim to the messianic title.

The divergence between Matthew’s genealogy and Luke’s (Luke 3:23-38) is noteworthy, as Luke’s account includes different names for this period, possibly reflecting Mary’s lineage or an alternate tradition of Joseph’s ancestry. Matthew’s selective approach, omitting generations to fit his three sets of fourteen, suggests a theological rather than strictly historical purpose. The names in Matthew 1:15 may have been chosen to complete this structure, emphasizing symmetry and divine order. This stylized presentation does not undermine the genealogy’s truth but highlights Matthew’s focus on Jesus as the fulfillment of a carefully orchestrated divine plan. The progression from Eliud to Jacob brings the genealogy tantalizingly close to Joseph, heightening the anticipation of the Messiah’s arrival in the narrative.

Spiritually, Matthew 1:15 invites reflection on the role of ordinary lives in God’s redemptive story. The names listed represent individuals who lived in faith, passing down the covenantal promise without knowing its ultimate fulfillment. For modern readers, this serves as a reminder that every life, no matter how seemingly insignificant, contributes to God’s purposes. The verse also points to the humility of the Messiah’s lineage, as Jesus, the King of kings, descends from a line that includes both renowned figures like David and obscure ones like Matthan. This reflects the upside-down nature of God’s kingdom, where the humble are exalted, and the forgotten are remembered. The proximity of this verse to Joseph and Jesus in the genealogy underscores the nearness of God’s fulfillment, a message of hope for those who feel overlooked or insignificant in their own time.

In conclusion, Matthew 1:15, though brief and populated by obscure names, carries profound significance within the genealogy of Jesus. It connects the post-exilic hope of restoration to the imminent arrival of the Messiah, affirming God’s faithfulness across generations. For Matthew’s audience, it established Jesus as the legitimate heir to David’s throne, rooted in a lineage that endured through both prominence and obscurity. For contemporary readers, it offers a powerful reminder of God’s sovereignty, working through every generation to bring about His redemptive plan. By including Eliud, Eleazar, Matthan, and Jacob, Matthew weaves a tapestry of divine faithfulness, culminating in Jesus, the Savior who fulfills the promises of God to Israel and the world.

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Beloved saints of God, chosen and called, gathered under the banner of Christ Jesus our Lord—let us turn our hearts now to a verse that may at first glance seem obscure, perhaps even forgettable to the natural eye. It is part of a genealogy, a list of names—one father begetting a son, and that son begetting another. Yet in the divine economy of the Holy Spirit, nothing is recorded in vain. No name, no life, no generation is insignificant when it is preserved in the eternal Word of God.

We read in Matthew 1:15: “And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob.” This verse, simple as it seems, sits in the majestic unfolding of the genealogy of Jesus Christ—the Son of David, the Son of Abraham, the Son of God. These names are not given as filler. They are not mere markers on a timeline. They are witnesses. They are testaments to the faithfulness of God through generations, even when the story seemed silent, even when no prophet spoke, even when the world seemed unaware of God’s working.

Let us remember that between the last words of the prophet Malachi and the first cry of the infant Jesus, there were four hundred years of prophetic silence. No new scripture. No open vision. No Elijah rising with fire. No Isaiah thundering with “Thus saith the Lord.” Just names. Just families. Just fathers and sons. Yet here in Matthew’s gospel, the Spirit shows us that God was not absent. He was working in the quiet. He was preserving a lineage. He was building a bridge between the promise and the fulfillment.

What does this mean for us, Church? It means that the faithfulness of God is not always loud. It is not always dramatic. Sometimes it looks like a father raising a son. Sometimes it looks like a mother praying in the night. Sometimes it looks like another generation born in a world of darkness—but carrying the promise in their bloodline. Sometimes the most supernatural thing God does is preserve a name, sustain a household, and keep a people connected to His plan.

Eliud begat Eleazar. What do we know of them? Not much, according to human records. No miracles are attributed to them. No mighty battles are described. No songs are sung in their name. But they were carriers of the promise. And in that, they were mighty. They were part of the redemptive line that led to Christ. You see, in the kingdom of God, anonymity does not mean irrelevance. Obscurity does not mean failure. There are names in heaven known well by God that are forgotten by men.

This teaches us that your life may never make headlines, but it can still echo in eternity. You may never preach to crowds, but you may raise the one who will. You may never stand in palaces, but you may live faithfully in the shadow of God’s promises, and that is enough. What if Eliud had faltered? What if Eleazar had walked away? What if Matthan had broken the chain? But they didn’t. They carried the name. They fulfilled their season. They passed the baton. They stayed faithful. And because of that, the line to Christ was unbroken.

We live in a generation obsessed with greatness, but God is calling for faithfulness. He is not looking merely for gifted men and women, but for those who will bear His name from one generation to the next. Will you be one? Will you be the Eleazar to an Eliud? The Matthan to an Eleazar? Will you carry the testimony forward? Will you stand in the gap between promise and fulfillment and say, “Though I see little, I believe much. Though I am small, His plan is great. Though I am unknown, He knows my name.”

And then comes Jacob—the one who begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. Oh, see the beauty of divine progression! Every name, every link, every person mattered. And so do you. If you belong to Christ, you are not outside the story—you are in the line of the redeemed. You are now part of a greater genealogy, not of flesh but of faith. As Paul said, “You are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.” Your spiritual lineage is unbroken because of the faithfulness of God.

So today, dear Church, let us reclaim the dignity of the hidden years. Let us embrace the value of simple obedience. Let us not despise our place in the divine story, even if it seems small. God is not finished with names. He writes them still—not in earthly books, but in the Lamb’s Book of Life. And what is written there shall never be forgotten.

Eliud begat Eleazar. Eleazar begat Matthan. Matthan begat Jacob. And God begat hope through every generation. Let us be the generation that holds the line. Let us be found faithful in our time, so that through us, another generation may rise and carry forward the light of Christ.

To Him be glory in the Church throughout all generations, forever and ever.

Amen.

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O Sovereign and Eternal God, faithful through every generation, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God of Eliud and Eleazar, of Matthan and Jacob, the Author of life and the Keeper of covenants, we lift up our hearts before You in reverence and awe, for You alone are worthy. You who ordain the rise and fall of nations, who numbers our days and orders our steps, we glorify You for Your hidden wisdom and Your faithful providence across the generations of time.

We thank You, O Lord, for Matthew 1:15, for even in this brief verse—“And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob”—we see Your hand at work. Though no mighty works are written beside these names, You remembered them. Though no prophecies or miracles are recorded of them, You inscribed their lives in the genealogy of the Christ. And we stand in awe that You are the God who watches the ordinary and works wonders in the quiet line of faithfulness.

Lord, we praise You that You are not only the God of the spotlight but the God of the secret place. You see those who labor in obscurity, those who raise children in godliness, those who pray in the night, those who bear the weight of obedience without applause. You are the Rewarder of those who diligently seek You. You record names that history forgets, and You preserve the legacy of those who simply walk uprightly before You.

We ask You now, O God of every generation, make us faithful in our day as Eliud was in his. Make us steadfast in spirit as Eleazar must have been. Make us unwavering in purpose like Matthan and enduring like Jacob, who bore the seed of Joseph, the guardian of the Messiah. Let us not despise the season we are in or the task You’ve placed in our hands. If our names never echo through history, let them be known in heaven. If our deeds are never praised by man, let them be recorded in the book You keep.

O Lord, help us to see the worth of our witness. Let us not live for greatness, but for godliness. Let us not seek fame, but fruit. Let our faith be the inheritance we pass on. Let our homes be sanctuaries of Your presence. Let the altar be rebuilt in our households. Let our children and children’s children rise up to call You blessed because of what You have done through our obedience.

Father, we pray now for those who feel their lives are forgotten, those who labor unseen and wonder if their work matters. Remind them today that You are the God who sees. That just as You remembered Eliud and Eleazar and included them in the line of Your Son, so You remember every act of faith, every moment of surrender, every offering made in secret. Nothing is lost with You. Nothing is wasted. Nothing is unnoticed. You who keep covenant to a thousand generations will keep Your eye upon Your people.

Raise up in this day a generation that will be a bridge between the past and the promise. A people who will carry the testimony forward. A remnant who will not break the chain. Let the gospel not be dropped in our hands. Let the fire not go out on our watch. Let the name of Jesus not be diluted through our compromise, but magnified through our consecration. We say, Lord, if all we are is one link in the chain that leads to revival—then let us be faithful.

And Lord, may this prayer echo for the Church universal. May we stop striving to be impressive and begin longing to be faithful. May we cease measuring by crowds and begin measuring by fruit. May we embrace our place in Your divine plan—whether prominent or hidden—and rejoice that we are counted among Your people.

O God, You are the One who forms families, who preserves lineages, who ordains births and orchestrates generations. We surrender our future and our legacy into Your hands. Plant our roots deep in righteousness. Let our lives yield fruit in season. Let us leave behind more than names—let us leave behind faith, truth, and a path to follow.

We thank You for Jesus Christ, the promised Seed, the fulfillment of every name that came before Him. We thank You that through Him we too are grafted into the line of promise—not by blood, but by grace; not by merit, but by mercy. And we declare that through His blood, our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

So we bless You, O God, for Eliud, for Eleazar, for Matthan, for Jacob—and for the faithfulness You displayed in their lives. Display that same faithfulness in us. Write our names into the continuing story of redemption. And when our race is run, may it be said of us not that we were great, but that we were faithful.

All glory to You, O God, who works wonders through the ordinary and brings forth Your purposes from generation to generation. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham, the Son of the Living God, we pray.

Amen