Hugh Ross observed:
“I’ve been asked many questions about the prophecy in Matthew 2:23, “So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: ‘He will be called a Nazarene.'” The apparent problem is that there’s no Old Testament text explicitly stating the Messiah would be called a Nazarene.
First, having conversation this fulfilled prophecy claim is found only in Matthew. Matthew’s gospel is distinct from the other 3 (Mark, Luke, & John) in that it targets Jews & others well versed in the Old Testament.
Second, Matthew refers to prophets, rather than a named prophet. If Matthew intended to refer to a particular Old Testament text, he would’ve written prophet, or named the prophet.
Third, in biblical Hebrew there’re no vowels, only consonants. In Hebrew, “Nazarene” has the same consonants as “branch” or “sprout,” a frequent reference to the Messiah in Isaiah. Also, in Aramaic, the common Galilee language, the words for “Nazareth/Nazarene” & “branch” sound the same.
Fourth, Nazarene could refer to a person who’s despised & rejected. In 1st century AD, Nazareth had a bad reputation. Nazarenes were especially despised, mocked, & rejected by Jews & Gentiles, as evidenced by Nathanael’s comment in John 1:46, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Both Psalm 22 & Isaiah 52-53 explicitly state the Messiah would be despised, mocked, & rejected by Jews & Gentiles. Thus, Matthew’s statement that Jesus shall be called a Nazarene is akin to saying that Jesus shall be despised, rejected, and mocked by his own people and also be Gentiles.”
(From Hugh Ross- Canadian astrophysicist, Christian apologist, and old-Earth creationist.)
I am intrigued by questions about Scripture that lead to thoughtful in-depth looks at texts and well-reasoned discussions that clarify situations that, to some people, appear to be points of controversy or contradiction between OT and NT texts or between intra-testamental texts.
When a reasonable case can be made that offers a resolution to a controversial or puzzling question from the biblical texts, it delights me on one hand. On the other hand I am dismayed to consider how little biblical curiosity, knowledge, and understanding many Christians have about God’s Word.
I was talking to a young man recently about his passion for Tolkien’s “Lord of the Ring” works and other similar fictional literary series. He had also been an online gaming hobby enthusiast and content creator. In his reading of numerous great series of books, he said it is extremely difficult for an author to weave all the threads of a story through multiple volumes and not encounter the occasional “untied” reference or leave a puzzling dangling plot line.
It has me thinking now about how many of those “dangling threads” and unanswered questions I have had over the last 32 years as a Christ-follower and student of the Word, with its 66 books, 2 testaments, and 40+ contributing writers. Each time I stumble on a “ponderable”, some point in the text what appears to be a loose end to me, as God would have it, I am eventually led to a source that has already addressed the question in a way that lines up with reason, tradition, my own experience, and, most importantly, with Scripture as a whole.
I am grateful for the long tradition of biblical scholarship and thoughtful writers through whom the Holy Spirit continues to work to lead generation after generation into knowledge and understanding of God’s Word and into obedience to the Lord God. (CBB 7/30/24)