As we’ve looked at the five women named in Jesus’ lineage, one name is not like the others.

Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and today — Mary.

No scandalous sin is recorded of Mary like that of Tamar or Bathsheba. She’s not a Gentile like Ruth or Rahab.

She was Jesus’ mother and of course she would be named in Jesus’ lineage. But Matthew 1 lists Jesus’ family tree through Joseph, so her name wasn’t necessary to prove Jesus descended from Abraham and David.

“…and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.” (Matt 1:16)

And yet God chose to name Mary in Jesus’ lineage. 

4 Examples from Mary in Jesus’ Lineage

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What comes to mind when you hear the name Bathsheba?

What words? What pictures? What labels?

Today we’re looking at the fourth woman named in Jesus’ family tree – Bathsheba.

 Why does the Bible name Bathsheba in Jesus’ lineage?

Let’s do two things as we answer this question.

First, while we most often read the narrative from David’s perspective (David’s sin, David’s confrontation by Nathan, David’s repentance and David’s punishment), let’s uniquely read it through the eyes of Bathsheba.

Second, let’s wipe clean all we think we know of Bathsheba. Hollywood’s epic film of David and Bathsheba paints her as a seductress who knew David would walk the roof, knew her husband was away and intentionally bathed in the open to lure the king.

European art from the 16^th century onward portrays Bathsheba in ways that will plain make you blush and our modern era makes her the stuff of romance novels.

Let’s control-alt-delete all these preconceived notions and the cultural stereotypes and look at what God tells us with fresh eyes.

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