The Three Fourteens in Matthew 1

Before moving on to Matthew chapter 2, I'm busily writing up a more academic version of my comments for chapter 1.

I've recently noticed something about the pattern of three 'fourteen' generations given in Mt 1:17. I translate it in various ways, one of which is:

So fourteen is the total number of generations from Abraham to David, and again from David to the Babylonian Exile fourteen generations, and then from the Babylonian Exile to the Messiah it is fourteen generations.

Previously I mentioned that I follow Herbert Basser's excellent commentary here, namely, the three fourteens are related to "the rabbinic traditions that speak of the cycle of the moon":

We can now discern that Matthew's genealogy rises to the height, or fullness, with David in the fourteenth generation, after which, starting with Solomon, the genealogy descends through fourteen more generations to the lowest point, or the darkness of moonless nights, that is the Exile. And fourteen generations after the darkness of Exile, like the moon in its nightly waxing, the genealogy again rises to the height, or fullness, which is Jesus. According to this scenario, both David and Jesus are at “full moon” positions in a complete fourteen/fifteen generation-repeating cycle. (pages 31-32)

I can now say even more. Firstly, the pattern of three fourteens is meant to highlight the fourteenth item as the culmination of each segment.

Namely, the segmentation each start as: "From Abraham ... From David ... From the Babylonian Exile".  The segment endings are: "Until David ... Until the Babylonian Exile ... Until the Messiah" (the end of the previous segment forms also the beginning of the following segment, which means Jechoniah gets counted twice).

The most interesting consequence of this 'imposed' structure is the implication that the exile had not yet come to an end until the appearance of the Messiah. 

I have only just noticed how clear this is.

The idea that the Messiah brings an end to exile seems to have been important in other (Christian) first-century Messianic interpretations. N. T. Wright (influenced by E. P. Sanders) argues that even many Jews (not just diaspora Jews) still thought that they were living in a time of exile in their own land (under foreign rule/Roman occupation of the land).

Whilst I have heard people arguing for (and against) the (widespread?) notion that the exile was not actually over (until the Messiah comes), I haven't yet found anyone who points out that this point is being made by Mt 1:17, namely, by pointing out the significance of three fourteens.

So far as I know the closest commentary here is that of Jeannine K. Brown:

According to Matthew's shaping of the genealogy, Jesus is God's agent who brings restoration from Israel's physical and spiritual exile. The time of God's final restoration has finally begun. [Matthew, Grand Rapids: BakerBooks, 2015]

I think Brown's conclusion (p14) of Matthew 1 is correct. It is basically her "primary theme" driving the passage (or "Big Idea" of Mt 1:1-17) but even Brown does not explicitly connect this conclusion with the "three sets of fourteen" as explained in Mt 1:17. Instead she seems to favour the more popular view that three fourteens are due to 'gematria', to symbolise the name 'David' in Hebrew, that is, D=4 [+] V=6 [+] D=4.

Now according to Mt 1:17 the generations are said to 'total' 'three (sets of) fourteen'. Since 14 is simply two 7s, and the number 7 usually signifies a certain degree of 'completion' (just as the number of 7 days completes a week), it is natural to see the author's use of 'total' and 'fourteen' in relation to his interest in 'fulfillment'. 

Thus the first kingship (David) arrives as the first degree of fulfillment of certain promises made to Abraham (a covenant of blessing, land, and progeny) and thus Matthew closes the first fourteen with "David the king." 

The second series of generations ends or 'culminates' by being carried off into 'the Babylonian captivity' (so much for kingship).

Then the third culmination of new kingship arrives in the form of the Messiah who comes in order to bring an end to exile (inaugurating God's own kingdom) and to bring about the fullness of the Abrahamic promises  (blessings to all nations).

How exactly this unfolds in Matthew is something I hope to keep working on...