GENEALOGY AND BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST.

The gospel of Matthew is one of the synoptic gospels, the others being Mark and Luke. It means they follow the same basic outline in their format, and it is thought by most theologians that Matthew and Luke copied a great deal from Mark.1 Matthew was written many years after the resurrection of Jesus. According to Dr. Hayford 2 it was written around 58-68 AD.

In Chapter 1, we see the genealogy of Jesus Christ where we see His roots in Abraham and David:” from Abraham to David are 14 generations, from David to the captivity in Babylon 14 generations and from the captivity in Babylon till Christ are 14 generations” (Matthew 1:17). Jesus is seen as the promised coming Savior who came and fulfilled all of God’s people promises. According to Dr Hayford,3 “the first thing Jewish believers would demand is proof that Jesus has a right to the Messianic throne. Thus Matthew provides proof: Jesus is a descendant of Abraham and of David”.

We also see in this chapter, Mary becoming pregnant with child by the Holy Spirit. We also see many supernatural visitations to both Mary and Joseph, her betrothed telling him the child was from God: they were to call Him Jesus as He would become the Savior of His people. It would be a fulfillment of Old Testament Scripture where it says in Isaiah 7:14: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel”. According to Hayford4 this was prophesied 700 years before the event took place. She remained a virgin till His birth and Joseph did not know her till after. They both followed the angel of the Lord’s command.

These Scriptures in chapter 1 regarding Lord Jesus, His conception and birth would only be known by Mary and Joseph and since Joseph probably was dead at His resurrection, it was probably Mary who divulged this information to the apostles, as the gospels were written many years later after the resurrection . This would be called oral transmission given by Mary!

NOTES
1David Wenham & Steve Walton, Exploring the New Testament (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2001),58-59.
2Jack W. Hayford, general editor, Hayford’s Bible Handbook, ( Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publ., 1995),500.
3Ibid., 279.
4Ibid., 279.

GUKIZA BIKORESHEJWE NA YEZU KRISTU!

Mu gihe amateka ya gikristo yatera imbere, izina ‘Yesu’ ryari rizwi ku izina rya ‘Yahwe ni Agakiza’. Duhereye ku Isezerano rya Kera imyumvire ya Nyagasani, Umucunguzi, Umucunguzi, Mana, ibyo bisobanuro byimuriwe kuri Yesu nuburyo abakristo bamwizeraga. 1 Birumvikana ko nyuma, tubona noneho Yesu nkUmucunguzi nUmucunguzi wicyaha numwijima wumwuka, wasutse amaraso kumusaraba kugirango yishyure ibyaha byacu, niba twemera! Kandi ko ari yo nzira yonyine igana ku Mana! Noneho ni Umukiza wacu!

Ubu dukeneye kugira uburambe bwavutse ubwa kabiri kugirango tugire umubano na We! Muri Yohana 3: 3,16 hagira hati: “’Yesu yarashubije aramubwira ati:’ Ni ukuri, ndabibabwiye, keretse umuntu wavutse ubwa kabiri, adashobora kubona ubwami bw’Imana ‘… .’Kuko Imana yakunze isi cyane ku buryo yahaye Umwana wayo w’ikinege, ku buryo umwizera wese atagomba kurimbuka ahubwo akagira ubuzima bw’iteka.’ arashobora gupfa, azabaho. Kandi umuntu wese ubaho kandi unyizera ntazigera apfa. ‘

Tugomba rero kwizera no kwihana ibyaha byacu kugirango ubu tugire umubano n’Imana uzanwa gusa no kuvuka ubwa kabiri hamwe na Yesu Umukiza n’Umwami! “Intangiriro y’ubuzima bwa gikristo isaba kumenya ko umuntu ari umunyabyaha no kwiyemeza kureka inzira zishingiye ku buzima.” 2

ICYITONDERWA

1Umuyobozi B. Ferguson, David F. Wright na J.I. Abapakira, ibisobanuro, Inkoranyamagambo Nshya ya Tewolojiya, (Downers Grove: Itangazamakuru rihuza abantu, 1988), 610.
2Millard J. Erickson, Tewolojiya ya Gikristo, (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006), 959.

VUGA AMASENGESHO AKURIKIRA KUBA YAVUKIYE:
“Yesu ndizera ko wapfiriye ku musaraba,
kumena amaraso yawe kubabarirwa ibyaha byanjye;
Yongera guhaguruka ku munsi wa gatatu!
Nzi ko ndi umunyabyaha. Nyamuneka umbabarire ibyaha byanjye;
Nyamuneka ngwino mu mutima wanjye!
Ngwino ube Umukiza wanjye n’Umwami w’ubuzima bwanjye!
Urakoze Yesu ”