Matthew 1:3 Meaning and Explanation
“And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Even a painful, broken chapter of the family story is woven into the line that leads to Christ.
The Context of Matthew 1:3
This is part of Matthew's genealogy of Jesus. Judas is Judah, one of the twelve sons of Jacob. Thamar is Tamar, and her story in Genesis 38 is a hard one of loss and deception. Matthew names her here, one of only a few women he chooses to include in the line.
What Does Matthew 1:3 Mean?
The verse reads like a simple chain of fathers and sons, yet Matthew quietly pauses to name a mother, Tamar. Her account in Genesis is full of grief and wrong, a widow denied her due and a tangled, shameful episode with Judah himself. Matthew could have passed over it in silence. Instead he writes her name into the family tree of the Messiah, refusing to hide the difficult and broken parts of the story God was working through.
This is how God brings the Savior into the world, through a real family with real failures rather than a polished line of spotless heroes. Jesus is not ashamed to come from people like these, and that tells us something about why He came. He enters the messy and the broken on purpose, to redeem it. The grace that runs all the way to the cross is already at work in these tangled names.
How to Apply Matthew 1:3 Today
This verse meets us with hope when our own family stories hold pain and failure. God was not kept away by the broken places in this line, and He draws just as near to ours. He works through real, flawed people, and in Christ He redeems even the chapters we would rather forget.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 1:3
What does Matthew 1:3 mean?
Even a painful, broken chapter of the family story is woven into the line that leads to Christ.
What is the context of Matthew 1:3?
This is part of Matthew's genealogy of Jesus. Judas is Judah, one of the twelve sons of Jacob. Thamar is Tamar, and her story in Genesis 38 is a hard one of loss and deception. Matthew names her here, one of only a few women he chooses to include in the line.
How can I apply Matthew 1:3 today?
This verse meets us with hope when our own family stories hold pain and failure. God was not kept away by the broken places in this line, and He draws just as near to ours. He works through real, flawed people, and in Christ He redeems even the chapters we would rather forget.