1. Name and Meaning
• Name: Jared (Hebrew: יָרֶד, Yāreḏ)
• Meaning: “Descent” or “he shall come down,” from the root yārad, meaning “to go down” or “descend”; the name may suggest either literal descent or divine intervention
2. Genealogical Placement and Lineage Role
• Position: Sixth generation from Adam; sixth in the Messianic line
• Father: Mahalalel – bearer of the name “Praise of God”
• Son: Enoch – a notable figure who “walked with God”
• Lineage Role: Transitional figure in the antediluvian genealogy; connects a long faithful line to one of the most spiritually significant patriarchs, Enoch
3. Life Summary and Historical Setting
• Lived during a time of growing population and spiritual divergence, as the line of Cain proliferated and human corruption began to escalate
• No specific events are recorded about Jared himself, but his legacy is shaped by his role as the father of Enoch, a spiritual exemplar
• Lifespan: 962 years – one of the longest in the biblical record (Genesis 5:20)
4. Theological and Christological Significance
• Serves as a link in the line preserving God’s covenantal promise
• The meaning of his name may hint at the “descent” of divine presence or judgment—ideas that foreshadow both Enoch’s walk with God and the eventual judgement of the flood
• Part of the faithful ancestry through which the redemptive plan moves toward Christ
5. Legacy and Interpretive Reflections
• Mentioned consistently in genealogical records with no historical or textual dispute
• Highly valued in tradition as the father of Enoch, whose righteousness stands out in antediluvian history
• Despite the absence of personal deeds, Jared represents continuity and godly transmission of faith across generations
6. Summary Insight
• Jared’s life highlights the importance of generational faithfulness, standing as the patriarch who fathered Enoch and quietly upheld the Messianic lineage in a world moving toward judgment.
7. Biblical References
• Genesis 5:15–20
• 1 Chronicles 1:2
• Luke 3:37