The genealogy of Christ: he is conceived and born of a virgin.
1:1. The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the
son of Abraham:
1:2. Abraham begot Isaac. And Isaac begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Judas
and his brethren.
1:3. And Judas begot Phares and Zara of Thamar. And Phares begot Esron.
And Esron begot Aram.
1:4. And Aram begot Aminadab. And Aminadab begot Naasson. And Naasson
begot Salmon.
1:5. And Salmon begot Booz of Rahab. And Booz begot Obed of Ruth. And
Obed begot Jesse.
1:6. And Jesse begot David the king. And David the king begot Solomon,
of her that had been the wife of Urias.
1:7. And Solomon begot Roboam. And Roboam begot Abia. And Abia begot
Asa.
1:8. And Asa begot Josaphat. And Josaphat begot Joram. And Joram begot
Ozias.
1:9. And Ozias begot Joatham. And Joatham begot Achaz. And Achaz begot
Ezechias.
1:10. And Ezechias begot Manasses. And Manasses begot Amon. And Amon
begot Josias.
1:11. And Josias begot Jechonias and his brethren in the transmigration
of Babylon.
1:12. And after the transmigration of Babylon, Jechonias begot
Salathiel. And Salathiel begot Zorobabel.
1:13. And Zorobabel begot Abiud. And Abiud begot Eliacim. And Eliacim
begot Azor.
1:14. And Azor begot Sadoc. And Sadoc begot Achim. And Achim begot
Eliud.
1:15. And Eliud begot Eleazar. And Eleazar begot Mathan. And Mathan
begot Jacob.
1:16. And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born
Jesus, who is called Christ.
The husband of Mary. . .The Evangelist gives us rather the pedigree of
St. Joseph, than that of the blessed Virgin, to conform to the custom
of the Hebrews, who in their genealogies took no notice of women; but
as they were near akin, the pedigree of the one sheweth that of the
other.
1:17. So all the generations from Abraham to David, are fourteen
generations. And from David to the transmigration of Babylon, are
fourteen generations: and from the transmigration of Babylon to Christ
are fourteen generations.
1:18. Now the generation of Christ was in this wise. When as his mother
Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found
with child, of the Holy Ghost.
1:19. Whereupon Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing
publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately.
1:20. But while he thought on these things, behold the Angel of the
Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: Joseph, son of David, fear
not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in
her, is of the Holy Ghost.
1:21. And she shall bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name
Jesus. For he shall save his people from their sins.
1:22. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which the Lord
spoke by the prophet, saying:
1:23. Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bring forth a son, and
they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with
us.
1:24. And Joseph rising up from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had
commanded him, and took unto him his wife.
1:25. And he knew her not till she brought forth her first born son:
and he called his name Jesus.
Till she brought forth her firstborn son. . .From these words Helvidius
and other heretics most impiously inferred that the blessed Virgin Mary
had other children besides Christ; but St. Jerome shews, by divers
examples, that this expression of the Evangelist was a manner of
speaking usual among the Hebrews, to denote by the word until, only
what is done, without any regard to the future. Thus it is said,
Genesis 8. 6 and 7, that Noe sent forth a raven, which went forth, and
did not return till the waters were dried up on the earth. That is, did
not return any more. Also Isaias 46. 4, God says: I am till you grow
old. Who dare infer that God should then cease to be: Also in the first
book of Machabees 5. 54, And they went up to mount Sion with joy and
gladness, and offered holocausts, because not one of them was slain
till they had returned in peace. That is, not one was slain before or
after they had returned. God saith to his divine Son: Sit on my right
hand till I make thy enemies thy footstool. Shall he sit no longer
after his enemies are subdued? Yea and for all eternity. St. Jerome
also proves by Scripture examples, that an only begotten son, was also
called firstborn, or first begotten: because according to the law, the
firstborn males were to be consecrated to God; Sanctify unto me, saith
the Lord, every firstborn that openeth the womb among the children of
Israel, etc. Ex. 13. 2.