Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary

Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary

Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Aminadab, and Aminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.

So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

Matthew 1:1-17

It may not seem like justice flows through a genealogy like the one which commences the New Testament, yet, for Matthew’s gospel, its genealogy is a perfect fit. Tailored to a Jewish audience, by centering this lineage in the reader’s mind as they encounter Jesus, Matthew is reassuring the original audience that this Christ is steeped in the tradition of their faith and their people. He may not have come only for the Israelites, but he is one of them, one of us – a good Jew from the line of David. We know this Jesus of Nazareth, (step)son of Joseph, the husband of Mary who is the mother of God, is the Messiah because we have laid out our working – his genealogy fulfils the prophecies of the Hebrew Bible. Just as the shepherd boy David would become a great King, the baby Jesus in the manger is the Prince of Peace, the King of Kings.

I’ll tell you the truth, though, I love this genealogy. It’s meaningful to me not just for these historical and theological reasons, nor because I love baby names and this is a whole list of them. As a child who appreciated the ‘girl stories’ in Scripture and as an adult who has studied feminist theology, my attention is drawn to the five women referenced in the genealogy – Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary. Depending on your translation, sometimes only three of them are even named.

Tamar, whose story is depicted in Genesis 38, who was declared more righteous than Judah, son of Jacob, whose twins were conceived when she was disguised as a sex worker, having been cast out by her father-in-law following the deaths of her two sinful husbands.

Rahab, the sex worker who lied and harboured the spies, whose family was saved because she honoured God, who is named as the grandmother of Boaz.

Ruth, who declared her loyalty to her mother-in-law Naomi, and to Naomi’s God, who risked her life for her redemption, who went on to marry Boaz. Maybe he recognised the spirit and faithfulness of his grandmother in his wife.

Bathsheba, a victim-survivor of sexual violence, who lost her husband and her child. Bathsheba, who has been declared by history as a temptress but who Matthew reminds us was Uriah’s wife, not to define her by a man but to allow us to recognise that this ordinary woman’s queendom came at a great price.

Mary, who declared her soul magnifies the Lord, whose song declares the justice which God craves for all creation. We have hope because of the breaking-in of the divine, through the incarnation of Jesus, who is human and divine, the Prince of Peace.

Women may be sparingly mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy, and the Bible overall, but those who are highlighted tell a powerful story of God’s radical love, revealed in Christ.

Advent is a season of holy waiting, but we can expect love and joy, pregnant with hope, because this reflects the heart of God. Let us listen to the prophets among us now and let justice flow.

Abbey Sim currently serves as Worship, Creative and Performing Arts Lay Pastor at Wesley Castle Hill Uniting Church, on the lands of the Bidjigal Clan of the Dharug Nation in Sydney's Hills District. She previously worked for Common Grace in fundraising and communications while studying creative writing, law and theology at university. Abbey is passionate about creative, joyful expressions of Christian faith, feminist theology and caring for God's creation. Having previously worked in sports development and administration, she enjoys watching cricket, knitting and spending time in the presence of animals.

This devotional is part of a series of daily email devotionals for Advent 2024 reflecting on the life-giving, thirst quenching justice of Jesus we long to see flow across these lands. A justice overflowing with love and compassion, bringing forth hope, healing, nourishment and flourishing for all.

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