Who was Mattathias in the Bible?

Mattathias was an ancestor of Jesus Christ, listed in His genealogy in the Gospel of Luke. He is mentioned as the son of Semein and the father of Maath (Luke 3:26).

Why is Mattathias significant?

His significance lies solely in his place in the lineage of Jesus, connecting the Messiah back to King David and ultimately to Adam. This fulfills Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah coming from David's line (2 Samuel 7:12-13).

Are there any stories about Mattathias in the Bible?

No, the Bible does not record any stories or key events from his life. He is only mentioned by name in the genealogical list found in Luke 3:23-38.

Mattathias

New TestamentMaleSon of semein

Mattathias was an ancestor of Jesus Christ, mentioned in His genealogy (Luk.3.26).

Mattathias

Biography

Mattathias appears in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Semein and a link in the ancestral chain tracing Christ's lineage back through David to Adam (Luke 3:26). He lived during the intertestamental period, a time when Israel endured foreign domination and longed for messianic deliverance. Though no narrative details survive about his life, his inclusion in the Lukan genealogy places him among the faithful remnant through whom God preserved the messianic line. His name, meaning "gift of Yahweh," reflects the theophoric naming conventions common among devout Jewish families. Mattathias belongs to the portion of the genealogy that traces Jesus' descent through Nathan, David's son, rather than through the royal line of Solomon recorded in Matthew's Gospel.

Significance

Mattathias occupies a vital position in God's redemptive plan as a link in the unbroken genealogical chain connecting King David to Jesus Christ. His presence in Luke 3:26 demonstrates God's sovereign faithfulness in preserving the messianic lineage across generations, even through obscure individuals whose personal stories are lost to history. The inclusion of figures like Mattathias reminds readers that God's purposes advance not only through prominent leaders but through ordinary people whose faithfulness sustains the covenant promise. His placement in the Nathanic line underscores Luke's emphasis on Jesus' full humanity and universal significance.

Verse Appearances (1)

Luke

Luke 3:26

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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