Jesus’ human lineage is not flawless

Deutsch

The immaculateness of Jesus Christ is beyond question. He remained completely sinless throughout his existence as a human being. Wouldn’t it then be expected that Jesus’ human lineage would also be flawless? That’s not the case, nor should it be.

The son of David

Jesus Christ remained as a human being without any sin. He humbled himself to the level of a human being to powerfully demonstrate that sin can be overcome in this world. That He was born of the flesh of sin (Romans 8:3) was an absolute requirement. Born of the flesh, but not inclined to sin, but who theoretically could have fallen. The great adversary Satan had tried several times to tempt Jesus to sin, but failed in each case.

Jesus Christ is also called the “Son of David” based on His human lineage. Already announced in Isaiah 11:1 and partially confirmed in Matthew 1.

Shouldn’t we then assume that Jesus’ lineage is also spotless? No, in fact it is not the case at all. And as things stand, this shouldn’t be the case.

A Moabite woman

In Jesus’ lineage is the wife of the Judean Boaz, Ruth. She was not even an Israelite, but a Gentile from the Moabite people. A descendant of Moab, a son of Lot. Conceived in the “Sodom manner” with Lot’s older daughter (Genesis 19). Lot also seduced the younger daughter with the help of alcohol, and she gave birth to Ben-Ammi, the progenitor of the Ammonites.

With Ruth, there is a woman in Jesus’ lineage who doesn’t “fit the concept” at all. For she does not come from one of the 12 tribes of God’s chosen people of Israel.

A prostitute

Boaz, the husband of the Moabite Ruth, was a son of Salmon and his wife Rahab. Salmon lived at the time when Israel had already destroyed the walls of Jericho during their conquest of Canaan. Rahab lived there in a lodging within the city’s extremely thick walls. Her “profession” was prostitution.

Hard to believe, but Jesus’ lineage actually includes an ancestor who not only came from a pagan people but was also involved in the “red-light district.”

Anything but immaculate

Thus, Jesus’ lineage includes two genuine pagan women, one of whom was even a prostitute. Immaculateness looks different.

However, these circumstances in Jesus’ lineage make it clear that no one is generally excluded from God’s path of salvation. Jesus Christ died not only for His chosen people, but for all of humanity. This also makes it clear that the gates are open to both notorious sinners and pagans.

Ruth, the Moabite, met Boaz in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest (Ruth 1:22). The timing of the early harvest alone is a whole package of symbolism that was topped by Ruth herself, Ruth 1:16:
“And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:“

A Gentile woman who professes her allegiance to God’s people and wants to follow Him wherever they may go. Ruth is even called the “Mother of the House of David.” A clear sign that while God accepts all people as they are, this does not necessarily mean that those who have arrived can remain as they were.

The prostitute Rahab, who lived in Jericho, believed the spies of the people of Israel and even helped them escape after they were discovered. Rahab believed in the God of the people of Israel, and this faith saved her life, Joshua 2:11:
“And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.“

A requirement

The fact that Jesus’ lineage is not exactly spotless makes it clear that He was a true human being, born of the same sinful flesh as every other human being. This was an absolute prerequisite for God’s righteousness to be evident in His path of redemption.

Jesus’ mother, Mary, came from the tribe of Judah and was also a descendant of David. So in sinful flesh, as Paul also testifies in Romans 8:3:
“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:“

However, Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and received the Spirit of God again at his baptism. He came from sinful flesh, but was not inclined to sin. Jesus Christ could have fallen, and Satan tried. The justice of God made it necessary for Jesus Christ to come to earth in this way. Only in this way could Jesus Christ prove that normal people can overcome sin despite all temptations. This happens by God’s power if people only want it. Galatians 3:29:
“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

Therefore: sinner? Pagan? Atheist? It doesn’t matter!
Jesus Christ has opened his doors to everyone. The decision is up to each person!

Becoming children of God is the goal here in this world. Origin, religion, or lineage play no role at all. John also testifies to this:
“But to all who did receive him, he gave the right to become children of God—to those who believe in his name—who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)

By the way: The Roman Catholic Church denies that Jesus Christ came from sinful flesh, as described in Romans 8:3. This is done in subtle, clever ways. The concept of Mary’s immaculateness. According to the Roman Church, she was without “original sin” and therefore spotless and therefore had no sinful flesh. John had something to say about this:

The Church of Rome itself has proven this – here

Bible verses from King James Version (1611)