The following is an excerpt from one of the Blue Letter Bible Institute’s most popular classes, Christology, taught by David Hocking. Visit the Blue Letter Bible Institute today to study comprehensive theology courses for free.
In Matthew 1:16 it says that Yacob begat Yosef. “Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.” What am I pointing out? The pronoun “of whom” is feminine and cannot refer to Jacob. It cannot refer to Joseph in that verse either. It can only refer to Mary. You will not find that anywhere else, but the Bible’s accuracy is incredible. It did not use the plural pronoun to indicate that He is the son of both of them. It says very clearly, “of whom,” meaning only through Mary was born Jesus. Joseph and his seed were not involved, Christ is indeed the seed of a woman.
How was He conceived? The Bible tells you in Luke 1. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Now look at verse 18. “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.” Look at the accuracy here. Before they came together. They never had relations. She was found with child. How? Of the Holy Ghost. You see, Genesis 3:15 is speaking of the seed of a woman that will crush the seed of the serpent. That is the gospel. It is a messianic claim of Jesus Christ.
Now go to Genesis 9, as we continue our investigation of the Messiah. Genesis 9:26 describes a blessing that Noah gave to his sons. At the same time he is cursing his grandson Canaan, who apparently was involved in some sort of immoral act while he was drunk and asleep. Now verse 26 says, “Blessed be the Lord God of Shem.” “Blessed be the Lord God of Shem.” The word shem means name. Once again, the rabbis say that this is the Messiah, Shem. Was there a man named Shem who was the son of Noah? Yes. Notice that it does not say, “Blessed be the Lord God of Japheth,” or “of Ham.” It says it “of Shem,” because the Messiah would come through the line of Shem. That is where we get the idea of Semitic peoples. It means people of the Name. What name are we talking about? It is the name that is above every other name. When you read the word “Shem,” you do not even need to read it as a proper noun: “Blessed be the Lord God of the Name.” The question is, what name? Does the Bible give any indication about whose name is greater than anybody else’s name? Of course it does on numerous occasions.
His name is wonderful, the counselor, almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Who is the Name? Who is this descendant of Shem? It is the Messiah.
In Genesis 12 when God made His wonderful promise to Abraham, look at the last part of verse 3. “In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” All people of the earth. Verse 7, “Unto thy seed will I give this land.” The Lord appeared to him and said that to him.
Turn to Matthew 1:1 where it says that He is the son of Abraham. I want you to really turn to Galatians 3. Who is the seed of Abraham that is going to bring all the blessings and promises of God? He is going to fulfill them. Who is the One, the child of Abraham through whom all the families of the world will be blessed?
Galatians 3:8, “And the Scripture forseeing that God would justify the heathen [the nations, the Gentiles] through faith preached before the gospel [the good news] unto Abraham saying, ‘In thee shall all nations be blessed.'”
The New Testament says that that was the preaching of the gospel. Look at verse 14, “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ [Yeshua Hamashea], that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” It is very clear.
Now look at the sixteenth verse. Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many, but as of one, ‘And to your Seed,’ who is Christ.” The Messiah is that seed of Abraham.