A Nazarene? How Did This Fulfill The Prophets? Matthew 2:23
He Shall Be Called A Nazarene
Matthew 2:23 says that Jesus “came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: ‘He shall be called a Nazarene.’” A friend in Christ spent some time looking for the reference in the Old Testament but couldn’t find what Matthew said was fulfilled. They reached out to me because they believe in the inspiration of Scripture but it also seems like Matthew is saying Jesus fulfilled something that isn’t in the Scriptures.
What Old Testament passage did Jesus fulfill in Matthew 2:23? Matthew is not quoting the Old Testament directly. There is not any single individual passage being referred to here. Some may think this means Matthew was mistaken or that this is an error in the Bible. That’s a false conclusion. Other interpretive options include emending the text or suggesting passages that are a stretch to be the fulfillment. None of these options are necessary. A solid conclusion can be reached by paying close attention to the fact that Matthew is recording a bigger fulfillment than any individual passage. The Gospel of Matthew is recording a fulfillment of multiple passages that must be taken all together to make sense of the fulfillment. This interpretation of the passage does not require going beyond Matthew 2. Everything we need to see the point being made is contained in the immediate context of the passage we are looking at (Matthew 2:23).
I am always excited to see people taking Bible study seriously. The details are important and the pursuit of understanding God’s word is always worth the effort. The answer to this question involves noticing a small detail in the text which yields a big difference in our approach to understanding what Matthew is telling us. Let’s dig a little deeper.
Through the Prophet(s)
There is an important phrase used nine times in the New Testament: through the prophet(s). Some translations render this phrase as according to the prophet(s). Paying attention to this phrase will help us to better understand what Matthew is communicating in Matthew 2:23.
Here is a list of all nine passages which use the phrase “through the prophet(s)”:
Matthew 1:22
Matthew 2:5, 15, 23
Matthew 13:35
Matthew 21:4
Luke 18:31
Acts 2:16
Romans 1:2
Three different biblical authors used this phrase: Matthew, Luke, and Paul. Matthew used it the most. Six of the nine New Testament passages are found in Matthew’s Gospel. Half of those are in Matthew 2, which is the chapter we’re looking more closely at.
If you read through all of these references, you’ll see that this phrase introduces some form of fulfillment. It is a technical expression that tells us something was done to fulfill what was recorded and prophesied in the Old Testament.
While the phrase itself is used nine times, an important detail separates these usages into two different categories. Of those nine, three are plural (prophets) while the remaining six are singular (prophet). These three are plural:
Matthew 2:23
Luke 18:31
Romans 1:2
The first of these is the passage we are trying to understand. It is the only time Matthew uses the plural form of this phrase.
The singular phrase is always followed by a direct citation of the Old Testament Scriptures because there is a specific prophesy and passage in mind. The three plural references are not followed by a direct citation. They are building off a general teaching of the Scriptures as a whole.
In that sense, it is best (in my opinion) to read Matthew 2:23 in light of the what Matthew recorded for his readers leading up to this statement. The statement recorded in Matthew 2:23 is not just about Jesus being from Nazareth. It is about the entire fulfillment of all the circumstances (and direct verses cited) leading up to that point.
If we fail to understand this point, we will mistakenly skew what Matthew is telling us.
A related phrase should also be mentioned, which includes the name of a specific prophet in the formula. We see an example in Matthew 2:17, where it was through Jeremiah the prophet. Here is a list of the usages of the phrase including the name of a specific prophet.
Matthew 2:17
Matthew 3:3
Matthew 4:14
Matthew 8:17
Matthew 12:17
Matthew 24:15
Matthew 27:9
Acts 28:25
As you can see, Matthew was very comfortable using the more specific formula. He demonstrated his knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures that were being fulfilled. When he uses the more general phrase, he doesn’t do so because he lacks clarity. He does so with purpose. If we fail to notice this nuance, we will misinterpret Matthew’s intent.
To Quote or Not to Quote?
When studying Scripture, I urge people to compare translations. If you’re interested in a related article, you may enjoy my post from our other ministry site (fourthyearministries.com): A Note on Translations.
A major reason that comparing translations is important is because punctuation isn’t inspired. Translators make judgment calls such as breaking up long sentences, where paragraphs should begin and end, and what types of punctuation to employ in particular verses. My primary Bible that I use for studying, devotional reading, preaching and teaching is the NASB. I think it is a good translation. (If you want to support missionaries and get a beautifully leather bound version, you can check out Scriptura.)
However, I believe the NASB translators made an incorrect judgment call in their punctuation for Matthew 2:23 that muddies the waters. Other translations, like the KJV and CSB, read a little differently. They translated this particular passage without the ending quotation marks:
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. (Matthew 2:23, KJV)
Then he went and settled in a town called Nazareth to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets, that He will be called a Nazarene. (Matthew 2:23, CSB)
By not making the last clause the quotation – “He will be called a Nazarene” – the sense comes through better and clearer, in my opinion. The original Greek doesn’t have quotation marks, so the inclusion of them in the NASB, NIV, NKJV, and NLT is a judgment call by the translators. It’s a call that I disagree with. By comparing translations and by paying close attention to the immediate context, I am confident that the NET, KJV, and CSB (among others) have rendered this phrase into modern English with punctuation that is more representative of what Matthew was inspired to write.
What Did Jesus Fulfill in Matthew 2:23?
In Matthew 2, the Gospel records how God sovereignly orchestrated all of the movements of Christ’s family. This was to fulfill all of the various aspects prophesied about the Messiah from three specific Old Testament references. All three passages are directly cited earlier in the chapter. You are encouraged to read the first two chapters of Matthew to get the fuller context. Here are the references from Matthew 2 for quick reference.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: ‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’” (Matthew 2:5-6)
So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.” (Matthew 2:14-15)
Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH, WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING, RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN; AND SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED, BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE.” (Matthew 2:17-18)
In Matthew 2, three specific verses are cited. These verses are Micah 5:2, Hosea 11:1, and Jeremiah 31:15. Each of these verses refer to different geographical locations. It is not entirely clear that all of these passages were originally understood in their context as referring to the Messiah. The first passage, Micah 5:2 cited in Matthew 2:5-6, was clearly Messianic. Matthew applies the other passages to be fulfilled by Christ, too.
What Matthew is recording is the sovereign working of God to bring these passages together in the historical life of Jesus of Nazareth. Since all of these things were fulfilled by all of these specific circumstances, Jesus will be called a Nazarene.
That’s not a quotation of a verse. It is the implication of the fulfillment of the other specific passages that were just demonstrated.
In other words, Matthew is not saying there is a verse that says the Messiah will be called a Nazarene. Instead, he is summarizing the information he just communicated immediately prior in the chapter. Matthew is saying that Jesus fulfilled Micah 5:2, Hosea 11:1, and Jeremiah 31:15 — all of them — by being called a Nazarene. Through all the movements that happened, Jesus was able to fulfill all the prophets who referred to different geographical places (all mentioned in Matthew 2) like Bethlehem, Egypt, and Ramah.
Prior to the specific fulfillment by Jesus and the movement of His family in accordance with these particular circumstances, it would have been difficult to understand how all of these differing geographical Scriptures could have been fulfilled in the same Messiah. Yet, Matthew 2 weaves them all together. The Gospel shows how Christ fulfilled what the prophets said. As a result, in His own day, Jesus will be called a Nazarene because that’s where their movement eventually settled. In this way, Jesus fulfilled what was spoken by the prophets (plural).
Related Questions
What is the difference between a Nazarene and a Nazarite? A Nazarene is someone from the geographical region called Nazareth. It is primarily a geographical term, like being a Michigander (someone who comes from Michigan). A Nazarite, on the other hand, is someone who has taken the vow from Numbers 6. Taking the Nazarite vow is not a matter of geography but is religious in nature.
Which prophet said, “I called my son out of Egypt”? Matthew 2:15 quotes a prophecy that was originally made in Hosea 11:1, “When Israel was a youth I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son.” This prophecy referred to the nation of Israel and was ultimately fulfilled by the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth.