Matthew opens his Gospel with a genealogy whose arithmetic has long been regarded as problematic. After tracing the line of promise from Abraham to Jesus (Matt. 1:2–16), Matthew divides the genealogy’s history into three sets of fourteen generations, totaling forty-two (Matt. 1:17). Yet the genealogy itself contains only forty-one names. This apparent discrepancy has prompted centuries of interpretive ingenuity. This article argues that the supposed missing generation disappears once Matthew’s genealogy is read on its own terms—and that reading it rightly reveals a larger theological claim.

Most proposals supply a missing name, count Mary as a generational link, or double-count one figure. Some count Jesus twice—once at his first advent and again at his second, or once before and once after his resurrection.

A common option counts Jechoniah twice—once as the deposed king of Judah and again as the honored dignitary in Babylon. D. A. Carson questions this reading, noting that “Matthew does not mention these themes, which do not clearly fit into the main concerns of this chapter,” and concludes, “No solution so far proposed seems entirely convincing.”

W. D. Davies and Dale Allison consider double-counting David the best option, though still unsatisfying, since “David alone would then be counted twice, certainly an odd circumstance.” Their conclusion is sobering: “Perhaps it is best, therefore, simply to ascribe a mathematical blunder to Matthew.”

Such proposals all founder for the same reason. They attempt to resolve the discrepancy by focusing on the list of names, but they never ask the prior question: what, precisely, is Matthew counting? Read more»

Jeremy Sexton | “Matthew’s Geneaology Isn’t Missing A Name—It’s Making A Claim” | December, 2025

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