Synopsis: There’s nothing quite like butchering a long list of Hebrew names when you get to a genealogy in your Bible Reading Plan. But genealogies in the Bible are never merely a list of names. Matthew begins his gospel with a genealogy that proclaims God’s promises to Abraham and David are fulfilled in Jesus. Not only that, the scandalous names listed in the line that leads to Christ are there so we can know our names are included in the line that leads from Christ.