Q: Was it detrimental (to morality) for Matthew to mention Judah and Tamar in Jesus' genealogy, since Judah and Tamar had intimate relations out of wedlock?
A: No. Genesis 38 tells how Tamar, after Judah had refused to marry her off to his youngest son -- because he supposed that Tamar was just bad luck, since her first and second husbands (Judahs firstborn and second-born sons) had died -- disguised herself as a harlot and offered herself to Judah, who accepted the offer, not knowing who the woman was. But Matthew is not endorsing immorality by the simple statement that Judah had two sons (Pharez and Zerah) by Tamar. The point of the story in Genesis (like several stories in Genesis) is that God accomplishes His plans despite human failures. (In the story in Genesis, Judah ends up acknowledging that Tamar is more righteous than he is.) Matthews mention of Judah and Tamar is a reminder that we, like Judah, are salvageable, and that God is not averse to using flawed individuals to carry out His plans.
Btw, it was slightly progressive of Matthew to mention Tamar, and a few other women, in Jesus genealogy. I think that usually only the men were named.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
A: No. Genesis 38 tells how Tamar, after Judah had refused to marry her off to his youngest son -- because he supposed that Tamar was just bad luck, since her first and second husbands (Judahs firstborn and second-born sons) had died -- disguised herself as a harlot and offered herself to Judah, who accepted the offer, not knowing who the woman was. But Matthew is not endorsing immorality by the simple statement that Judah had two sons (Pharez and Zerah) by Tamar. The point of the story in Genesis (like several stories in Genesis) is that God accomplishes His plans despite human failures. (In the story in Genesis, Judah ends up acknowledging that Tamar is more righteous than he is.) Matthews mention of Judah and Tamar is a reminder that we, like Judah, are salvageable, and that God is not averse to using flawed individuals to carry out His plans.
Btw, it was slightly progressive of Matthew to mention Tamar, and a few other women, in Jesus genealogy. I think that usually only the men were named.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
