Passover and a Prostitute
By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient because she had welcomed the spies in peace.
— Hebrews 11:31
We’ve been taking a deep dive into the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1 to understand what the author is communicating about the origins of Jesus Christ. We’ve discussed how this genealogy is not a typical Jewish lineage that prides itself on purity, nor does it strictly follow traditional patriarchal rules—several women are mentioned, which is unusual.
A similar genealogy can be found in 1 Chronicles, laying out the same ancestral line. However, Matthew includes additional details that highlight something profound: the kingdom of God welcomes those whom society considers outcasts—what we previously called the mamzer, the so-called bastards of society. We recently explored the story of Tamar and the line of Judah in verse 3. Now, we arrive at our next unexpected figure in Matthew 1:4-5:
"And Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab."
So, let’s dive into the story of Rahab, a prostitute from Jericho, to see what Matthew may be revealing.
Joshua
Our story takes us to the book of Joshua, where Moses has just died. The Lord appoints Joshua as the new leader of the Israelites, charging him with bringing the people into the Promised Land. Joshua’s first recorded act as leader is to send two men to spy on the city of Jericho.
In Joshua 2, the spies enter Rahab’s house, which was likely built into the city walls. Somehow, the king of Jericho learns that Israelite men have come to scout the land. Although the king sends men to Rahab’s house, she hides the spies and misleads the king’s men, telling them the spies have already left. Once the danger has passed, Rahab goes to the spies and makes a confession, followed by a request:
She declares in Joshua 2:8, 11:
"I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that dread of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt in fear before you… The Lord your God is indeed God in heaven above and on earth below."
Rahab, a foreign woman, recognizes and confesses that the God of Israel is the one true God. She acknowledges His favor upon His people, which is why she protects the spies in the first place. Because of this act of kindness, she makes a request:
"Now then, since I have dealt kindly with you, swear to me by the Lord that you in turn will deal kindly with my family. Give me a sign of good faith that you will spare… our lives from death." — Joshua 2:12-13
She asks the men to enter into a covenant of peace with her and her family in return for the kindness she has shown. The spies agree and give her a sign—one that directly echoes the Passover itself:
"We will be released from this oath you made us swear to if, when we invade the land, you do not tie this crimson cord in the window through which you let us down, and you do not gather your family into your house." — Joshua 2:17
The crimson cord becomes the sign of the covenant and the oath that they will deliver her from death. This symbol calls back to the lamb’s blood smeared over the doorposts in Exodus, marking the homes of the Israelites for protection during the first Passover. It is a sign of salvation, a reminder of God’s deliverance.
Rahab ties the crimson cord in the window, and when the city falls, Joshua honors the oath his men made and spares Rahab and her family. But instead of simply leaving the city, Rahab chooses to remain with the Israelites. She integrates into their community, eventually marrying into the covenant people.
Her husband is a man named Salmon—his name derived from the Hebrew word shalom, meaning peace. It is fitting that a woman who made peace with the Israelites would marry a man whose very name means peace. And from their lineage would one day come the Prince of Peace Himself.
A New Passover, A New Covenant
Jesus came to usher in a new peace—not just the absence of conflict, but a deep, abiding peace that restores relationships, calms troubled minds, and reconciles us to God. As followers of Christ, we are called to be peacemakers, carrying this ministry of reconciliation and spreading shalom wherever we go.
Matthew includes Rahab’s story in the genealogy of Jesus not only to remind us that God makes covenants with outsiders—even a foreign prostitute—but also to foreshadow the ultimate Passover. The birth of Jesus marks the beginning of a new era: an era of peace, an era of reconciliation. Matthew wants us to see that God is passionately committed to restoring His people and establishing a covenant of liberty and peace. Through the blood of Christ, a new Passover is taking place—a new liberation. But this time, it is not from a corrupt empire, but from the spiritual forces that lie behind it: sin, death, and the great accuser, Satan himself.
As we enter the Lenten season, we remember that Christ’s death and resurrection have liberated us from sin, from the enemy’s accusations, and even from death itself. This is the genealogy of the Prince of Peace, the One who came to establish a new covenant with you and me—so that we might be set free from everything that entangles us.
