Abraham begat Isaac
The descent of Christ from Abraham is in the line of Isaac;
Abraham begat Ishmael before Isaac, and others after him, but
they are not mentioned; because the Messiah was not to spring
from any of them, but from Isaac, of whom it is said, "in Isaac
shall thy seed be called", ( Genesis
21:12 ) and who, as he was a progenitor, so an eminent type
of Christ; being Abraham's only beloved son; and particularly in
the binding, sacrifice and deliverance of him.
Isaac begat Jacob.
The genealogy of Christ proceeds from Isaac, in the line of
Jacob. Isaac begat Esau, as well as Jacob, and they two were
twins, but one was loved, and the other hated; wherefore no
mention is made of Esau, he had no concern in the Messiah, nor
was he to spring from him, but from Jacob, or Israel, by whose
name he is sometimes called, ( Isaiah 49:3 )
Jacob begat Judas and his brethren.
The lineage of Christ is carried on from Jacob in the line of
Judah; the reason of which is, because it was particularly
prophesied that the Messiah, Shiloh, the prince and chief ruler,
should be of him, ( Genesis
49:10 ) ( 1 Chronicles
5:2 ) . And it is evident beyond all contradiction, that our
Lord sprung from his tribe, ( Hebrews 7:14
) . The reason why the brethren of Judah, who were eleven in
number, are mentioned, when the brethren of Isaac and Jacob are
not, is, because though the Messiah did not spring from them, yet
the promise of him was made to the twelve tribes, who all
expected him, and to whom he was sent, and came. These made but
one body of men, and therefore, though the Messiah came from the
tribe of Judah, yet he is said to be of them all, ( Romans 9:4 Romans 9:5 ) .
