Jesus the Nazarene Matthew 2:23

Matthew shared what happened when Herod the king, “saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee”, and in chapter two and verse twenty-three of his book, Matthew shared how Joseph, “came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth” where we read:

And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

The verse reads, “And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth:” Matthew began with the words, “and he came” which means “and Joseph arose and appeared” “and dwelt” or “and lived, settled and inhabited” “in a city” which means “within a town and dwelling place” “called” or “affirmed and maintained in name as” “Nazareth” which refers to “a place in Palestine whose name means the guarded one”. Matthew shared how Joseph came back to Israel and lived in the “city of Nazareth” which was in Galilee.

The verse goes on to say, “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.” Matthew continued with the words, “that it might be fulfilled” which means “and completed, rendered full and consummated”, “which was spoken” or “that was uttered, declared and proclaimed” “by the prophets” which refers to “pertaining to ones who were moved by the Spirit of God and hence his organ or spokesman, solemnly declares to men what he has received by inspiration especially concerning future events and in particular such as relate to the cause and kingdom of God and to human salvation”, “He shall be called” or “Jesus will be saluted and bear the name of” “a Nazarene” which means “and inhabitant of Nazareth which means one separated”. Matthew shared how Joseph moving himself and his family to Nazareth was also a fulfillment of scriptures.

When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we see him refer to another prophesy concerning Jesus. The “prophets” spoke of Jesus, God's Son, growing up as one who was “despised” like the “Nazirites” who were thought of as despicable, uneducated, poor and contemptible. Amos the prophet wrote, “and I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O you children of Israel? says the LORD” (Amos 2:11-12), and Isaiah the prophet wrote, “he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he has no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2). God allowed His Son Jesus to grow up in a small, nondescript town because people needed a “Savior”. Those who think through God's purpose in the plan for Jesus' upbringing will acknowledge His purpose to “seek and to save that which was lost”.

Next time we begin a new chapter and see Matthew begin to share about “John the Baptist”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.