As I was looking at the name of Christ, Immanuel from Matthew chapter 1, I could not help but observe other unexpected names that Matthew uses.  As I explained in my sermon Immanuel was not a prophetic name for the future Messiah but a sign that God was with King Ahaz.  However, if you look at the list of Jesus’ descendants, Ahaz is one of them (vs 9).  But there are four unexpected names on that list that are a surprise, especially for a book that relies heavily on Old Testament quotes (Matthew is the most Jewish of all the four gospels).  But there are 4 women in that genealogy, Tamar (vs 3), Rahab (vs 5), Ruth (vs 5) and Bathsheba (vs 6 Uriah’s wife).  Three of these 4 women are foreigners.  And of all the female names Matthew list, all of these women had dubious sexual histories.  Why?  Was it because Mary’s sexual history was going to be questioned in just a few verses?  Jesus’ linage is full of people who God redeemed including this virgin who conceived and gave birth to Jesus himself.