Matthew 1: The women in Jesus Genealogy

Five women are mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus; Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary.

What is the common thread that ties these women? Why of all the other mothers in the lineage of Jesus are they the only ones picked out for honorable mention?

Now one would expect that the lineage of the Messiah should consist only of 'good stock' seeing that the Messiah is considered King of the Jews.
Not so with the biblical record. Unlike other holy books that embellish the record of their heroes, the Bible is unflinchingly candid in its details.

Thus a second look at the women above will reveal that each had a touch of scandal.

Tamar had a rather umm, interesting past. In Genesis 38 we see her losing two husbands in quick succession and then schemes to get herself pregnant by her father-in-law. She disguised herself as a prostitute and then solicited sex from her father-in-law!
The (not so good) result is that she bore twins and one of them (Perez), fell smack in the lineage of Jesus.

Rehab was a prostitute (Joshua 2) who (probably out of fear) betrayed her country and committed what we now call treason. She hid Israeli spies scouting out Jericho before it was conquered. Somehow she found her way into the lineage of Jesus.

Ruth was not even a Jew. She was a Moabitess. In the book of Ruth we read how she clung to her mother-in-law, a Jewess who was returning home after a fruitless sojourn in the diaspora.
But who were the Moabites?
These were the descendants of Lot, albeit with a fairly sordid past. In Genesis 19:30-38 we read how the daughters of Lot (Abraham's nephew) slept with their own father and bore sons by him. The older boy became the father of the Moabites.
The Moabites worshiped a god called Chemosh and were centuries-old enemies of the Israelites.

Bathsheba, well Bathsheba(sigh!). II Samuel 11-12

Mary's whiff of scandal is probably the best known. Though not explicitly mentioned in scripture, imagine the anxiety for Mary and sense of betrayal that Joseph felt when as scripture puts it;

....Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child.. Matthew 1:18

What thoughts must have gone through Mary's mind as she thought of ways to convince Joseph that her pregnancy had nothing to do with any man? What whispering among her relations who knew about this?
It is very likely that there must have been some sort of drama in the lead up to Jesus birth.

So these are the women that the Holy Spirit chose to give honorable mention!
In doing this we learn something of God. In this memorable genealogy we see how the grace of God weaves through the lives of ordinary people and more specifically women.

Now God's grace is often defined as undeserved favor. And how true this is!

These women were simple folk and likely from poor backgrounds. All except Mary and Ruth, had questionable moral pasts but God takes these five women who would otherwise be misfits in man's estimation and creates something beautiful out of their lives.
That, I dare say, is how the grace of God works.
He picked one who was 'nothing' and made her 'something'. He changes lives.

And we too, if we could follow the example of these simple women who humbled themselves through life and before God, then Christ will change our lives. He will pull us out of the mire. The One who redeems the irredeemable is still changing lives.

My God is still changing lives
He's still around doing good
He's my source of my strength
My God is still changing lives
Changing Lives by Don Moen & Frank Edwards