Jesus and the Nazareth Connection (It is awesome!)

The Humility of the King (Matt. 2:19-23)

Herod died in  4 B.C., which means that Jesus was born sometime between  6 and 5 B.C. It is impossible not to notice the parallel between Matt 2:20 and Ex 4:19, the call of Moses. As God's Son, Jesus was in Egypt and Was Called out to go to Israel. Moses was outside Egypt, hiding for his life, and he was Called to return to Egypt. But in both cases, God's Program of redemption was involved. It took courage for Joseph and his family to leave Egypt and it took courage for Moses to return to Egypt.

Archelaus was one of Herod's sons, and to him Herod had willed the title of king. However, the Jews discovered that, in spite of his promises of kindness, Archelaus was as wicked as his father. So they sent a delegation to Rome, to Protest his crowning. Augustus Caesar agreed with the Jews and made Archelaus an ethnarch over half of his father's kingdom. (Jesus may have had this bit of Jewish history in mind when He told the Parable of the Pounds in Luke 19:11-27.)

The whole episode is a good example of how God leads His children. Joseph knew that he and his family were no safer under the rule of Archelaus than they had been under Herod the Great. It is likely they were heading back to Bethlehem when they discovered that Archelaus was on the throne. Certainly, Joseph and Mary prayed, waited, and sought God's will. Common sense told them to be careful; faith told them to wait. In due tune, God spoke to Joseph in a dream, and he took his wife and her Son to Nazareth, Which had been their home earlier (Matt 2:19-20).

But even this fulfilled prophecy! Once again, Matthew points out that every detail in the life of Jesus was foretold in the Scriptures. It is important to note that Matthew did not refer to Only One Prophet in Matt 2:23, but instead says "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets" (plural).

We Will not find any specific prophecy that called Jesus a "Nazarene. 11 The term Nazarene was one of reproach - . "Can there any good thing come Out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46) In many Old Testament prophecies, the Messiah's lowly life of rejection is mentioned; and this may be what Matthew had in mind (see Ps 22; Isa 53:2-3,8). The term "Nazarene" was applied both to Jesus and His followers (Acts 24:5); and He was often called "Jesus of Nazareth" (Matt 21:11; Mark 14:67; John 18:5,7).

But perhaps Matthew, led by the Spirit, saw a spiritual connection between the name "Nazarene" and the Hebrew word
netzer
, which means "a branch or shoot." Several Prophets apply this title to Jesus (see Isa 4:2; 11:1; Jer 23:5; 33:15; Zech 3:8; 6:12-13).

Our Lord grew up in Nazareth and was identified with that city. In fact, His enemies thought He had been born there; for they said that He came from Galilee (John 7:50-52). Had they investigated the temple records, they would have discovered that He had, been born in Bethlehem.

Who ever heard of a king being born 'in a humble village and growing up in a despised city? The humility of the King is certainly something to admire and imitate (Phil 2:1-13).
(from The Bible Exposition Commentary. Copyright © 1989 by Chariot Victor Publishing, and imprint of Cook Communication Ministries. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)