echonias, father and son: both of whom are
mentioned in Christ's genealogy, so as to make clear the distinction
of the generations, which the evangelist divides into three series of
fourteen; which amounts in all to forty-two persons. Which number may
also be applied to the Holy Church: for it is the product of six,
which signifies the labor of the present life, and seven, which
signifies the rest of the life to come: for six times seven are
forty-two. The number fourteen, which is the sum of ten and four, can
also be given the same signification as that given to the number
forty, which is the product of the same numbers by multiplication.

But the number used by Luke in Christ's genealogy signifies the
generality of sins. "For the number ten is shown in the ten precepts
of the Law to be the number of righteousness. Now, to sin is to go
beyond the restriction of the Law. And eleven is the number beyond
ten." And seven signifies universality: because "universal time is
involved in seven days." Now seven times eleven are seventy-seven: so
that this number signifies the generality of sins which are taken
away by Christ.

Reply Obj. 4: As Jerome says on Matt. 1:8, 11: "Because Joram allied
himself with the family of the most wicked Jezabel, therefore his
memory is omitted down to the third generation, lest it should be
inserted among the holy predecessors of the Nativity." Hence as
Chrysostom [*Cf. Opus Imperf. in Matth. Hom. i, falsely ascribed to
Chrysostom] says: "Just as great was the blessing conferred on Jehu,
who wrought vengeance on the house of Achab and Jezabel, so also
great was the curse on the house of Joram, through the wicked
daughter of Achab and Jezabel, so that until the fourth generation
his posterity is cut off from the number of kings, according to Ex.
20:5: I shall visit [Vulg.: 'Visiting'] the iniquity of the fathers
upon the children unto the third and fourth generations."

It must also be observed that there were other kings who sinned and
are mentioned in Christ's genealogy: but their impiety was not
continuous. For, as it is stated in the book De Qq. Vet. et Nov.
Test. qu. lxxxv: "Solomon through his father's merits is included in
the series of kings; and Roboam . . . through the merits of Asa," who
was son of his (Roboam's) son, Abiam. "But the impiety of those three
[*i.e. Ochozias, Joas, and Amasias, of whom St. Augustine asks in
this question lxxxv, why they were omitted by St. Matthew] was