Why were the four women in Jesus' genealogy given a place of renown?
The four women in Jesus’ genealogy were given a place of renown because God’s mercy and grace reached beyond their direct opposition to His instructions. Even where sin abounded, grace abounded much more; God was able to include them in the genealogy despite their low estate and disobedience.
Les explains that Romans 5:20 declares, “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” Looking back to the genealogy, even as low as some of these people may have fallen, the grace of God was able to go beyond that. Though we are not under the program of grace, God’s grace has always been evident—from Adam and Eve, when God sought them after sin, to Israel’s repeated rejection of Jehovah. In the same way, the four women were in direct opposition to everything God had instructed, yet in His mercy and grace He brought them into a place of renown by being in the genealogy.