What does Matthew 1:1 show about God's covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?
Matthew 1:1 identifies Jesus Christ as the Son of David and Son of Abraham, tracing His genealogy back to Abraham rather than Adam. It substantiates that God could not break His covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because Matthew presents Christ as Israel's Messiah and King, the fulfillment of those covenant promises.
Les teaches that Matthew 1:1 substantiates God could not break His covenant promises with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The genealogy is the book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David; as the Syrophoenician woman said, "Thou Son of David, the Son of Abraham," and that is as far as it goes. It does not go back to Adam, only from Christ's birth back to Abraham. Les explains the reason: Matthew presents Jesus as the King of the nation of Israel, Israel's Messiah, and as the fulfillment of the covenant promises made to Abraham. Since this is where everything begins as far as Israel is concerned, there is no need to go further back.
The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
How does Matthew 1:1 introduce the New Testament with language similar to Genesis 3:15?
Matthew 1:1 opens the New Testament with 'the book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.' This echoes Genesis 3:15's promise of the seed of the woman, introducing Jesus as the promised seed and connecting the New Testament to that earlier promise.
Could God break His covenant promises with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?
God could not break His covenant promises with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This is substantiated by Scripture, which presents Jesus as the Son of David and Son of Abraham, the fulfillment of those promises. Matthew traces Christ's lineage only back to Abraham because that is where everything begins for Israel.