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Explanation for:
Matthew
1
:
8
And Asa begot Josaphat. And Josaphat begot Joram. And Joram begot Ozias.
8
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"In the fourth book of Kings, it is noted that Joram fathered Ochoziah. Following Ochoziah's death, his sister Jozabeth, the daughter of King Joram, rescued her nephew Joash from the planned execution by Gophalia (Athaliah). Joash later inherited the throne, and his son Amassiah succeeded him, followed by his son Azariah, also known as Oziah or Ochoziah, with Joatham as the next in line. This indicates that, based on the undeniable accounts of history, there were three other kings omitted by the evangelist, as Joram did not father Oziah but Ochoziah along with the others that we’ve identified. The evangelist likely aimed to outline three sets of fourteen generations at different stages, and since the lineage of Jehoram is tied to that of the exceedingly wicked Jezebel, her lineage is excluded until the third generation to avoid being counted among those associated with the sacred nativity."},{"author-name":"Ambrose of Milan","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88871ceef8c96e0998cd0_Ambrose%20of%20Milan.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Some individuals may have longer lifespans and choose to have children later, while others may remain without offspring, leading to the conclusion that a king's rule does not necessarily encompass a whole generation. Consequently, Matthew chose to omit certain figures he considered nonessential to the lineage. Had his intention been to list the kings, we might justifiably question why the accounts in the Books of Kings and Chronicles mention Joram, Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah, with Amaziah being followed by Hosea (refer to 2 Kings 8:24; 2 Kings 11:2; 2 Kings 12:21; 2 Kings 15:1; 2 Chronicles 22:1; 2 Chronicles 24:1; 2 Chronicles 25:1; 2 Chronicles 26:1), while St. Matthew notably excludes Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah, positioning Jehoshaphat immediately after Joram. However, he did not arrange them based on their reigns but rather according to their genealogy, as he clarified that he was listing the generations. It is possible that Joram begot a son later in his life, and Joash ascended to the throne later in his own life, suggesting that Joram did not assume kingship from his father but was his rightful heir by birth."},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"In the midst of this passage, one may wonder why the evangelist chose to leave out three monarchs: Ohoziah, the son of Joram, Joash, the son of Ohoziah, and Amaziah, the son of Joash. According to the fourth book of Kings, Amaziah fathered Azariah, who in the second book of the Chronicles is referred to as Hosea, since he possessed two names. How then does Matthew indicate that Joram was the father of Hosea? It is clear that Joram is mentioned as the ancestor of Hosea, rather than his direct parent. To date, no one has provided a satisfactory explanation for why these three kings have been omitted by the Evangelist, and contemporary interpretations remain vague, as prior scholars did not explore this matter."},{"author-name":"Nicephoros (Theotokis)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8958407451968d9c204fb_Nicephoros%20(Theotokis).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":18,"exegesis-text":"Hosea was the king who took the bold step of making sacrifices in the temple, and for this act, he was struck with leprosy. Interestingly, he had two names; he was also known as Azariah. It is important to clarify that Hosea, or Azariah, was not a descendant of Joram but belonged to his tribe. Hosea, or Azariah, was the offspring of Amassiah, who was in turn the son of Joash. This indicates that the Evangelist Matthew did not mention these three names: Ohoziah, Joash, and Amassiah. The reason for this omission may be that they were associated with disbelief and moral corruption, as the Holy Scriptures reveal, or perhaps their names were removed from the Hebrew texts due to their unfaithfulness and wickedness. It might also be that the Evangelist aimed to highlight only the three four-generation segments leading from Abraham to Christ."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The Scriptures of the Old Testament reveal that Joram fathered a son named Ochoziah, who in turn had a son named Joash. Joash's son was Amaziah, and Amaziah's son was Hosea. It is believed that the evangelist intentionally left out three kings to simplify the genealogy, making it easier to remember if we note exactly fourteen names in three groups. St. John Chrysostom regards the reason for omitting these particular names, as opposed to others, as insignificant and unnecessary to resolve."},{"author-name":"Ivanov A.V.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88db13197efab881aa332_Ivanov%20A.V..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"It is important to understand that the ancient custom among sacred writers often involved omitting certain ancestral names, as seen in 1 Ezra 7:1-5 and 1 Chronicles 6:4-13. Matthew may have drawn from a historical genealogical table or perhaps considered the absence of certain kings who were connected to the disreputable lineage of Ahab, king of Israel. Although Joash and Amaziah were noted for their righteousness (refer to 2 Kings 8:26, 27; 12:2; 14:3), Matthew might have intentionally excluded names that were unnecessary for maintaining the significant number of 142x7 in his genealogy. \\n\\nThis genealogy of the Savior emphasizes that true kinship with Him is determined not by physical descent from Abraham but by a connection through faith and the spirit. The lineage of Jesus does not include direct ancestors like Ochoziah, Joash, and Amaziah, yet it recognizes the faithful Gentile women as integral foremothers of the God-Man. Additionally, Joseph, who lived righteously, is honored with the designation of earthly Father to the Son of God."},{"author-name":"Bogoslovski M.I.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c889e63432c6dd413681d2_Bogoslovski%20M.I..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"As we delve deeper into the analysis of the Gospel genealogies, we cannot overlook the significant disparities, both among the genealogies themselves and in comparison to those found in the Old Testament. These variations have been examined by scholars since as far back as the third century and continue to be explored today. The primary distinctions involve either the omission of certain individuals or the substitution of some names for others appearing in the same position and timeframe. \\n\\nLet us first address how to reconcile the apparent inconsistencies in the Gospel genealogies with the evidence presented in the Old Testament. For instance, why are three kings missing between Joram and Hosea in Matthew's genealogy? A scholar from the seventh century, the Syrian bishop George the Arabian, proposed that these names were originally included in the Hebrew version of the Gospel of Matthew. He suggested that the translators, when rendering the Gospel from Hebrew to Greek, inadvertently left them out due to the similarity of these names in Greek. According to this bishop, they mistakenly transitioned from Ochozia to Ozias, thereby omitting the three names and allowing a misinterpretation to spread among the nations. \\n\\nWhile this explanation finds some support in the Old Testament, it does not hold up under scrutiny for two main reasons. First, such errors from oversight can only be attributed to a scribe who was fixated solely on the letters, rather than to translators whose work is as flawless as the original text, especially as it was received and widely disseminated within the Church as an authentic Gospel authored by the Evangelist Matthew himself. Second, in verse 17, the Evangelist explicitly states that his genealogy includes 14 generations from Abraham to David, 14 from David to the Babylonian exile, and 14 from the Babylonian exile to Christ. Including the omitted kings would lead to 17 generations in the second segment, which contradicts the Evangelist's own account.\\n\\nConversely, a more convincing explanation suggests that St. Matthew bypasses the names of the three kings because they were part of the lineage of Ahab, from whom the mother of Ochoziah descended—bloodlines that were cursed by God on two occasions (3 Sam. 21:21; 4 Sam. 9:7). This rationale appears particularly sound, especially given that in Matthew 1:17, the Evangelist highlights his intention for numerical symmetry in his calculation of generations, allowing for the possibility of intentionally omitting certain individuals from the lineage of the Savior. \\n\\nEven if we are unable to discern a specific reason for this omission in the genealogy of the Savior, the historical accuracy remains irrefutable. Every Jewish individual would recognize that although Hosea was not a direct son of Joram, he belonged to his line. One could reasonably assume the presence of Joram's father, grandfather, and great-grandfather—Amaziah, Joash, and Ochoziah. Additionally, the term ‘begat’ can refer to the relationships involving grandchildren and great-grandchildren, much like when the term 'father' applies to both grandfather (Genesis 28:13) and great-grandfather (Numbers 18:1-2), and even to great-great-grandfather (1 Kings 15:11, 24)."},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Asa fathered Jehoshaphat, as stated in 3 Kings 15:24. Jehoshaphat was the ancestor of Joram, according to 3 Kings 22:50. Joram's lineage progresses to Hosea, as referenced in 4 Sam. 8:24, 1 Chronicles 3:11, 2 Chronicles 22:1, 11, 2 Chronicles 24:27, and 2 Chronicles 26:1. Joram directly gave birth to Ochoziah, who then became the father of Joash. Joash was the father of Amassiah, and Amassiah in turn fathered Hosea, while the three kings in between are not included (see note on Matthew 1:17)."}]}
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