Who was Matthat in the Bible?

Matthat was an ancestor of Jesus Christ, listed in the genealogy of Jesus through the line of his earthly father, Joseph. He is mentioned specifically in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 3:29).

Why is Matthat significant in the Bible?

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

What do we know about Matthat's life?

The Bible provides no details about Matthat's life, character, or any events he was involved in. He is only recorded as a name in the genealogical list, highlighting God's faithfulness across generations.

Matthat

New TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleSon of levi

Matthat was an ancestor of Jesus Christ, mentioned in His genealogy (Luk.3.29).

Matthat

Biography

Matthat, son of Levi, is listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus Christ at Luke 3:29, distinct from the Matthat mentioned earlier in the same genealogy at verse 24. This Matthat lived during the era of the Divided Monarchy, placing him in a period when Israel and Judah existed as separate kingdoms, often beset by idolatry and political instability. He belongs to the section of the genealogy connecting David to the post-exilic ancestors of Jesus, tracing the line through Nathan rather than Solomon. Though nothing is known of his personal life or deeds, his inclusion in this sacred record confirms his place in the unbroken chain of descent through which God would ultimately bring the Messiah into the world.

Significance

Matthat of Luke 3:29 represents divine faithfulness during one of Israel's most spiritually tumultuous periods, the Divided Monarchy. While kings rose and fell and the nation frequently turned to idolatry, God quietly preserved the messianic lineage through individuals like Matthat. His presence in the genealogy demonstrates that God's redemptive purposes were never derailed by national apostasy or political fragmentation. The Nathanic line through which Matthat descends avoided the curse pronounced upon the royal Solomonic line through Jeconiah (Jeremiah 22:30), providing an unblemished pathway for the Messiah's ancestry. Matthat thus serves as evidence of God's sovereign ability to sustain his promises across the darkest chapters of Israel's history.

Verse Appearances (1)

Luke

Luke 3:29

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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