Matthew 1:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Consequently, the firstborn was named Phares, meaning ‘breach,’ as he disrupted the expected order, while the one who withdrew his hand was called Zara. This account symbolizes a profound mystery. Just as Zara first revealed his hand and then withdrew it, so too was the presence of Christ anticipated; it was reflected in the saints who lived before the law and circumcision. They were not justified solely by adhering to the law, but through the life of the gospel. Consider Abraham, who forsook his father and homeland for the sake of God, or Job and Melchizedek. With the advent of the law, such a life became obscured. Yet, just as Phares was born first, followed by Zara, so too did the gospel life emerge later, following the giving of the law, marked by the scarlet thread, which symbolizes the blood of Christ. The Evangelist noted these two infants because their births carried deep significance. Moreover, while Tamar's actions with her father-in-law may not seem commendable, her inclusion in the genealogy serves to illustrate that Christ embraced all circumstances for our benefit, including such ancestors. This was to sanctify them through His own birth from their line, as He came not to call the righteous, but sinners.

Nor, again, would it shame the Church to be gathered from among sinners, when the Lord Himself was born of sinners; and, lastly, that the benefits of redemption might have their beginning with His own forefathers: and that none might imagine that a stain in their blood was any hindrance to virtue, nor again any pride themselves insolently on nobility of birth.

During her labor, as Phares and Zara were about to be born, Zara was the first to extend his hand. The midwife, wishing to mark the firstborn, tied a scarlet thread around his outstretched hand. Yet, he retracted it, allowing Phares to emerge first, followed by Zara. This narrative is significant. While it was customary to only trace descent through Phares, who established the line leading to David, the Evangelist included Zara to represent the Christian community, contrasting with Phares, who symbolizes the Jewish nation. The fact that Zara first presented his hand only to pull it back mirrors the unfolding of the Gospel and legal frameworks: the promise of the Gospel was evident in Abraham's time, followed by the Law, with the full realization of the Gospel coming subsequently. Thus, the inclusion of Zara carries purpose.

Moreover, the mention of Tamar and the other three women is likewise meaningful. Although Tamar engaged in a relationship deemed illegitimate with her father-in-law, Rahab was a harlot, Ruth hailed from a foreign background, and Bathsheba, Uriah's wife, was involved in adultery, their stories demonstrate that Christ is unashamed of His lineage from such figures. One ancestor stemmed from a wrongful union, another from fornication, one from a foreign woman, and a fourth from adultery. The moral failings of one’s ancestors do not tarnish the righteous. Individuals are judged based on their own actions rather than those of their forebears. Christ's mission was not to evade our shame but to embrace and eradicate it through His perfect nature. He arrived as a healer rather than a judge.

Furthermore, the Jews, often boasting of their lineage while neglecting core virtues, were reminded by the Evangelist that ancestry alone does not confer nobility. Judah, their patriarch, had Phares and Zara born from an unlawful union, while King David, a figure of great honor, fathered Solomon with an adulteress. Their pride in ancestry was therefore misplaced. Additionally, it is noteworthy that the brothers of Judah were born of Jacob's maidservants, yet none were diminished by the circumstances of their lineage; all held the status of patriarchs and tribal leaders. These women also represent the Church comprised of Gentiles. Just as their husbands took them despite their flaws, so Christ unites with humanity burdened by sin. This connection reflects that He did not deem the Church’s union with Him as unworthy. We are called to grapple with this truth: to focus not on the sins of our ancestors but on our own shortcomings; not to take pride in our ancestry but to cultivate our own righteousness; not to judge those illustrious figures who emerged from controversial unions; and not to shun those who come to faith from various sinful backgrounds.

What does this signify? The law stood like a barrier before them, obstructing their righteousness. The law serves to hinder faith rather than to encourage it, as it is written, “Sin was dead before the commandment came, and I lived; but when the commandment came, sin was made alive, and I died” (Rom. 7:9-10). Therefore, the law acted as an impediment to the Jewish people in their path to the light of truth. However, in the era of Christ, the wall of the law that separated Jew from Gentile was abruptly dismantled, as the apostle declares, “He that broke down the barrier that stood in the midst” (Eph. 2:14). Consequently, the Gentile nation was initially restrained under the flourishing of the Jewish nation, akin to being confined in the darkness of the world, until the law fell away due to the commandments of Christ, and as the Jewish nation receded, the Gentile nation became the first to embrace faith, with the Jewish nation following thereafter. This aligns with the apostle's revelation, “I tell you a mystery” (1 Cor. 15:51). Partial hardening occurred within Israel until the full number of the Gentiles entered; thus, “all Israel shall be saved” (Rom. 11:25-26).

However, with the unveiling of the Law, that Gospel life was concealed, much like Zara's hand was withdrawn. When Phares entered the world, Zara, denoted by the scarlet thread, symbolized the faith that emerged through the blood of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, the Evangelist mentions their mother Tamar, despite the circumstances of her bearing them, to highlight that parental shortcomings do not obstruct one’s ability to find favor with God.

We should marvel at Christ, not only for taking on humanity but also for associating with flawed individuals, showing no shame in our failings. His example teaches us not to recoil from the sins of our forebears (or from humble origins), but rather to aspire for one goal—virtue. For those who embody virtue, despite their ancestry or circumstances of birth, cannot be diminished by it. This perspective serves to humble the pride of the Jews, who took pride in their lineage from Abraham and believed that the virtues of their ancestors ensured their salvation. Yet, behold, ‘even their forefathers were guilty of sins.’ The patriarch Judah, from whom the name of the tribe is derived, is recognized as a significant sinner, as Tamar charges him with fornication. Likewise, David's son Solomon was born of an adulterous union. If such notable figures fell short of the law, then those who came after them surely did as well. Thus, if they did not uphold it, then all have sinned, and therefore, the coming of Christ was essential” (St. John Chrysostom). The Evangelist then continues the genealogical record: Phares fathered Esrom; Esrom fathered Aram; <...>

When Tamar learned of his presence, she removed her mourning attire, adorned herself, and approached her father-in-law. Aware that Shelah had grown up yet had not married her, she took this initiative. Judah saw her and, not recognizing her, was captivated by her. This encounter led to the birth of twins, Perez and Zerah (Genesis 38). The Evangelist mentions both names, likely because Perez and Zerah symbolize the two peoples that would enter Christ’s Kingdom: the Jewish and the Gentile.