The mothers of Jesus: The wife of Uriah

Matthew 1:1-6, 12-17 ESV

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.   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 Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab 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 David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel 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, Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.  So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Genealogies were like a resume. It wasn't about what you accomplished or went to school. It was about from where you came. Matthew is trying to prove that Jesus is the Christ that is the Messiah. To the Jewish audience, he is trying to show the credibility of Jesus.

Our need for a savior

If that is so, why is the wife of Uriah here? Bathsheba, the beautiful wife of one of the mighty men of David. The sorry story of betrayal,  conspiracy, murder, and sin of David against one of his most loyal and best fighting men, Uriah. But why would this be on the resume of Jesus? It was a reminder. A reminder of the ways we sin and oppress. David, a man after God's heart, who is a point of pride of the Jews. He also needs a remedy for sin, just like many of us. It is to point to our mutual need for a savior.

Our need for a real king

King David was leading the nation through many victories and in wise judgement. And then suddenly, oppression and betrayal. We need good leadership. But everyday, we see bad leadership. Nations, governments, schools, police, and sports... It can be enough to make anyone reject any authority.

Final thoughts

We have an authority that we can rest and rejoice in. One who has power, but does not abuse it. A king unlike any other. He brings about the reign that we long for. One full of justice, peace, and dignity.

We are called to labor and long for Jesus. We are to actively promoting the cause of Jesus. Justice, truth, peace, and love. We are limited in power, but eventually Jesus' reign will come and all these things will come to fruition.