Perez was a son of Judah and became an essential link in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
As you browse the genealogy of Jesus Christ, you will come across the name Perez.
Little is known about him, but what is interesting is how the Lord chose him for the transmission of the blessing of the covenant.
He appears in the book of Genesis and is a son of Judah and Tamar, who deceived Judah (the father of her late husband) into having sex.
When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, since she had covered her face. So he approached her by the side of the road and said to her: “Come on, let me have sex with you”, because he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law.
Genesis 38: 15-16
Later, Judah realized the deception and almost punished Tamar. However, he took pity on Tamar and accepted the twin sons as his own.
At the time of her delivery, there were twins in her womb. While she was giving birth, one held out his hand to her; and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread in her hand, noting: “This one came out first. “But as he withdrew his hand, his brother came out; and she said, “What a breach you have made!” So his name was Perez [which in Hebrew means “to burst forth“].
Genesis 38: 27-29
It is interesting to see such an unusual situation becoming part of the genealogy of Jesus. Perez became an ancestor of King David, and therefore of Jesus himself. It is certainly not “perfect” or “pure”, but reminds us of God’s mercy and how everyone has a role to play in the history of salvation, even those who make mistakes.
God can transform our mistakes in the service of his divine plan, finding light in darkness.
