Catena Aurea on Matthew
Lecture 6
And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begot Salathiel; and Salathiel begot Zorobabel;
and Zorobabel begot Abiud; and Abiud begot Eliakim; and Eliakim begot Azor;
and Azor begot Sadoc; and Sadoc begot Achim; and Achim begot Eliud;
and Eliud begot Eleazar; and Eleazar begot Matthan; and Matthan begot Jacob.
Pseudo-Chrys. After the carrying away, he sets Jeconiah again, as now become a private person.
Ambrose. Of whom Jeremiah speaks. “Write this man dethroned; for there shall not spring of his seed one sitting on the throne of David.” (Jer 22:30) How is this said of the Prophet, that none of the seed of Jeconias should reign? For if Christ reigned, and Christ was of the seed of Jeconiah, then has the Prophet spoken falsely. But it is not there declared that there shall be none of the seed of Jeconiah, and so Christ is of his seed; and that Christ did reign, is not in contradiction to the prophecy; for He did not reign with worldly honours, as He said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36)
Pseudo-Chrys. Concerning Salathiel, we have read nothing either good or bad, but we suppose him to have been a holy man, and in the captivity to have constantly besought God in behalf of afflicted Israel, and that hence he was named, Salathiel, ‘the petition of God.’ “Salathiel begot Zorobabel,” which is interpreted, ‘flowing postponed,’ or, ‘of the confusion,’ or here, ‘the doctor of Babylon.’ I have read, but know not whether it be true, that both the priestly line and the royal line were united in Zorobabel; and that it was through him that the children of Israel returned into their own country. For that in a disputation held between three, of whom Zorobabel was one, each defending his own opinion, Zorobabel’s sentence, that Truth was the strongest thing, prevailed; and that for this Darius granted him that the children of Israel should return to their country; and therefore after this providence of God, he was rightly called Zorobabel, ‘the doctor of Babylon.’ For what doctrine greater than to show that Truth is the mistress of all things?
Gloss. But this seems to contradict the genealogy which is read in Chronicles. For there it is said, that Jeconias begot Salathiel and Phadaias, and Phadaias begot Zorobabel, and Zorobabel Mosollah, Ananias, and Solomith their sister. (1 Chron 3:17) But we know that many parts of the Chronicles have been corrupted by time, and error of transcribers. Hence come many and controverted questions of genealogies which the Apostle bids us avoid. (1 Tim 1:4) Or it may be said, that Salathiel and Phadaias are the same man under two different names. Or that Salathiel and Phadaias were brothers, and both had sons of the same name, and that the writer of the history followed the genealogy of Zorobabel, the son of Salathiel. From Abiud down to Joseph, no history is found in the Chronicles; but we read that the Hebrews had many other annals, which were called the Words of the Days, of which much was burned by Herod, who was a foreigner, in order to confound the descent of the royal line. And perhaps Joseph had read in them the names of his ancestors, or knew them from some other source. And thus the Evangelist could learn the succession of this genealogy. It should be noted, that the first Jeconiah is called the resurrection of the Lord, the second, the preparation of the Lord. Both are very applicable to the Lord Christ, who declares, “I am the resurrection, and the life;” (John 11:25) and, “I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2) Salathiel, i.e., ‘the Lord is my petition,’ is suitable to Him who said, “Holy Father, keep them whom Thou hast given Me.” (John 17:11)
Remig. He is also Zorobabel, that is, ‘the master of confusion,’ according to that, “Your Master eateth with publicans and sinners.” (Matt 9:11) He is Abiud, that is, ‘He is my Father,’ according to that, “I and the Father are One.” (John 10:30) He is also Eliacim, that is, ‘God the Reviver,’ according to that, “I will revive him again in the last day.” (John 6:54) He is also Azor, that is, ‘aided,’ according to that, “He who sent Me is with Me.” (John 8:29) He is also Sadoch, that is, ‘the just,’ or, ‘the justified,’ according to that, “He was delivered, the just for the unjust.” (1 Pet 3:18) He is also Achim, that is, ‘my brother is He,’ according to that, “Whoso doeth the will of My Father, he is My brother.” (Matt 12:50) He is also Eliud, that is, ‘He is my God,’ according to that, “My Lord, and my God.” (John 20:28)
Gloss. He is also Eleazar, i.e., ‘God is my helper,’ as in the seventeenth Psalm, “My God, my helper.” He is also Mathan, that is, ‘giving,’ or, ‘given,’ for, “He gave gifts for men;” (Eph 4:8) and, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son.” (John 3:16)
Remig. He is also Jacob, ‘that supplanteth,’ for not only hath He supplanted the Devil, but hath given His power to His faithful people; as, “Behold I have given you power to tread upon serpents.” (Luke 10:19) He is also Joseph, that is, ‘adding,’ according to that, “I came that they might have life, and that they might have it abundantly.”
Raban. But let us see what moral signification these names contain. After Jeconias, which means ‘the preparation of the Lord,’ follows Salathiel, i.e., ‘God is my petition,’ for he who is rightly prepared, prays not but of God. Again, he becomes Zorobabel, ‘the master of Babylon,’ that is, of the men of the earth, whom he makes to know concerning God, that He is their Father, which is signified in Abiud. Then that people rise again from their vices, whence follows Eliacim, ‘the resurrection;’ and thence rise to good works, which is Azor, and becomes Sadoch, i.e., ‘righteous;’ and then they are taught the love of their neighbor. He is my brother, which is signified in Achim; and through love to God he says of Him, ‘My God,’ which Eliud signifies. Then follows Eleazar, i.e., ‘God is my helper;’ he recognizes God as his helper. But whereto he tends is shown in Matthan, which is interpreted ‘gift,’ or ‘giving;’ for he looks to God as his benefactor; and as he wrestled with and overcame his vices in the beginning, so he does in the end of life, which belongs to Jacob, and thus he reaches Joseph, that is, ‘The increase of virtues.’