Matthew 2:23 - and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
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What does "Matthew 2:23" mean?
Matthew 2:23 is a key verse in understanding how the author of Matthew is presenting Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Let's break down what it means:
"and came and lived in a city called Nazareth": This establishes the historical context. After returning from Egypt with Mary and Joseph, Jesus' family settled in Nazareth, a small town in Galilee. This is important because Jesus becomes known as "Jesus of Nazareth."
"that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets": This is the core of Matthew's intention. He sees Jesus' life as the fulfillment of prophecies found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). He's arguing that Jesus wasn't just a random person; his life was divinely orchestrated and predicted long ago.
“He will be called a Nazarene.”: This is the challenging part. There's no specific Old Testament passage that literally states, "He will be called a Nazarene." This has led to much debate and different interpretations:
Root Meaning of "Nazarene": One interpretation suggests that "Nazarene" is connected to the Hebrew word "netzer" (נֵצֶר), which means "branch" or "shoot." There are messianic prophecies that refer to the Messiah as a "branch" from the root of Jesse (David's father), such as Isaiah 11:1: "There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit." Matthew might be drawing a connection between Jesus being from Nazareth and these prophecies about the Messiah as a "branch." This is an example of interpreting prophecy typologically.
Collective Prophecy: Another idea is that Matthew isn't referring to a single, specific prophecy, but rather a collection of prophetic themes and ideas that coalesce in the idea of the Messiah being despised or insignificant. Nazareth was a backwater town, not particularly important or prestigious. To be "from Nazareth" might have carried a stigma. Some argue that prophecies about the Messiah being rejected or humble find fulfillment in Jesus' association with this obscure town.
Lost Prophecy: Some scholars have suggested that Matthew might be referring to a prophecy that was known in his time but is now lost to us. This is less likely, though.
Typological Interpretation: Matthew often uses the Old Testament in a typological way, meaning he sees parallels or patterns between Old Testament events/people and Jesus. So, the fact that Jesus grew up in a town like Nazareth could be seen as a type for his humble beginnings, despite his divine status.
In summary, Matthew 2:23 is trying to convey that Jesus' entire life, even down to the seemingly insignificant detail of growing up in Nazareth, was part of God's plan as foretold in the prophetic tradition of the Old Testament. While the exact connection to a specific prophecy is debated, the overarching message is clear: Jesus is the Messiah, fulfilling God's promises.
Matthew 2:23 - and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
What does "Matthew 2:23" mean?
Matthew 2:23 is a key verse in understanding how the author of Matthew is presenting Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Let's break down what it means:
"and came and lived in a city called Nazareth": This establishes the historical context. After returning from Egypt with Mary and Joseph, Jesus' family settled in Nazareth, a small town in Galilee. This is important because Jesus becomes known as "Jesus of Nazareth."
"that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets": This is the core of Matthew's intention. He sees Jesus' life as the fulfillment of prophecies found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). He's arguing that Jesus wasn't just a random person; his life was divinely orchestrated and predicted long ago.
“He will be called a Nazarene.”: This is the challenging part. There's no specific Old Testament passage that literally states, "He will be called a Nazarene." This has led to much debate and different interpretations:
Root Meaning of "Nazarene": One interpretation suggests that "Nazarene" is connected to the Hebrew word "netzer" (נֵצֶר), which means "branch" or "shoot." There are messianic prophecies that refer to the Messiah as a "branch" from the root of Jesse (David's father), such as Isaiah 11:1: "There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit." Matthew might be drawing a connection between Jesus being from Nazareth and these prophecies about the Messiah as a "branch." This is an example of interpreting prophecy typologically.
Collective Prophecy: Another idea is that Matthew isn't referring to a single, specific prophecy, but rather a collection of prophetic themes and ideas that coalesce in the idea of the Messiah being despised or insignificant. Nazareth was a backwater town, not particularly important or prestigious. To be "from Nazareth" might have carried a stigma. Some argue that prophecies about the Messiah being rejected or humble find fulfillment in Jesus' association with this obscure town.
Lost Prophecy: Some scholars have suggested that Matthew might be referring to a prophecy that was known in his time but is now lost to us. This is less likely, though.
Typological Interpretation: Matthew often uses the Old Testament in a typological way, meaning he sees parallels or patterns between Old Testament events/people and Jesus. So, the fact that Jesus grew up in a town like Nazareth could be seen as a type for his humble beginnings, despite his divine status.
In summary, Matthew 2:23 is trying to convey that Jesus' entire life, even down to the seemingly insignificant detail of growing up in Nazareth, was part of God's plan as foretold in the prophetic tradition of the Old Testament. While the exact connection to a specific prophecy is debated, the overarching message is clear: Jesus is the Messiah, fulfilling God's promises.