Chapter One: Skeletons in the Closet

Chapter One: Skeletons in the Closet

John Bell encourages readers to read the genealogy of Jesus as found in Matthew 1. He also encourages readers to read the stories of Tamar (Genesis 38), Rehab (Joshua 2), Ruth, and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11-12, 1 Kings  1) to understand the background to the stories of women mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy.


Reflection Questions/Activities:

1. In exploring this genealogy Bell highlights the stories of four women in Jesus’ family tree with curious or unconventional sexual histories who were also not born Hebrew. Bell is convinced this is intentional. Which of the stories leapt out at you? How did it speak to your sense of your family’s history?



2. Bell writes, “The Incarnation is not about God avoiding the flaw lines in history or in humanity but about God immersing himself in a difficult world and among fallible people because he knows that through impartial love, all can be redeemed.” Does this idea change your sense of what it means that God comes to us in Jesus? How do you sense God’s love through the good news of Jesus?



3. Knowing that Jesus’ family tree has its own, normal human challenges, how does it make you feel about your own, perhaps (likely) imperfect family?



4. If the claim is true that Jesus was both fully human and fully divine, would it be necessary that his family be as human (and as flawed) as most? How does that help you—or not—to experience God’s grace in your life?



5. Bell recounts the story of a woman who approached him at a lecture and said, “There’s a place for women (or men) like me in the family tree of Jesus.” Can you identify with the young woman who said this to Bell? Does Jesus’ humanity draw you closer to him or do you find it challenging at this point? What’s your initial impression of Jesus, having read this far?