The first Mattathias was a descendant of the royal house of David who lived during the challenging centuries following the return from the Babylonian captivity. He was the son of Amos and the father of Joseph. Living in an era when the visible throne of David was vacant and Israel remained under the dominion of Gentile empires, Mattathias lived a life of quiet obscurity. Yet, his position in history was vital; he served as a physical link ensuring that the biological line of David remained unbroken through the dark centuries leading to the birth of Christ.
The Holy Spirit has precisely documented his place in the New Testament ledger:
“Which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge,” (Luke 3:25)
The second Mattathias lived further back in the lineage, closer to the time of the exile itself. He was the son of Semei and the father of Maath. Like his later namesake, this Mattathias carried the royal blood of David through generations that saw no crown, no palace, and no sovereign nation. His inclusion in the text emphasizes that God does not lose track of His chosen lines in the fog of history. Every generation matters to the fulfillment of the promise.
His name is eternally secured just a few verses later in the same messianic registry:
“Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda,” (Luke 3:26)
Though these two men named Mattathias never wore an earthly crown or commanded the armies of Israel, their names are written in a book far more enduring than the chronicles of kings. They stood as quiet guardians of the sacred line, proving that the ultimate “gift of Jehovah” would arrive exactly on time, born of a virgin, to claim the everlasting throne of His father David.