Matthew 2:23

Berean Standard Bible

and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”

King James Bible

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.

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Matthew 2:23 reads: “And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.” This verse concludes the infancy narrative in Matthew’s Gospel and, though brief in its structure, it is dense with theological meaning, subtle literary design, and far-reaching implications for Christology, prophetic fulfillment, and the nature of God’s redemptive plan.

At the surface level, the verse recounts Joseph’s final relocation of the Holy Family. Having received divine warning not to settle in Judea due to the reign of Archelaus, Joseph instead leads Mary and the young Jesus to Galilee, specifically to Nazareth, a small and relatively obscure village in the northern region of Israel. This final destination is not presented as an arbitrary or merely pragmatic choice, but as a purposeful act within the unfolding plan of God, guided by revelation and anchored in prophetic fulfillment.

Nazareth was, in the first-century Jewish context, an unremarkable town, never mentioned in the Old Testament or in rabbinic writings of the time. It held no special religious or historical significance and was generally considered culturally and spiritually marginal. This is confirmed in John’s Gospel, where Nathanael famously asks, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” This rhetorical question captures the cultural disdain that surrounded the town—insignificant, overlooked, and likely seen as spiritually inferior by those in more prestigious regions such as Judea or Jerusalem.

It is precisely this kind of place, however, that God chooses for the upbringing of His Son. The theological weight of this decision is immense. From His birth in a lowly stable in Bethlehem to His upbringing in a disregarded village in Galilee, the trajectory of Jesus' early life reveals the divine reversal of human expectations. The Messiah, the Son of David, the Savior of the world, is not raised among the elite or the well-educated scribes of Jerusalem, but among ordinary, poor, working-class people in an obscure Galilean town. This is not incidental but essential to the Gospel's message. God's glory is revealed in humility. His power is perfected in weakness. He confounds the wisdom of the world by exalting the lowly and choosing the despised.

Matthew interprets this move to Nazareth as a fulfillment of prophecy, stating, “so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.” Here, we encounter one of the more complex and debated textual notes in the Gospel. Unlike Matthew’s earlier references to prophecy—such as the virgin birth (Isaiah), the Bethlehem birth (Micah), and the flight to Egypt (Hosea)—there is no direct Old Testament passage that says the Messiah “shall be called a Nazarene.” This has led scholars and theologians across centuries to explore the meaning and intent behind Matthew’s use of this quotation.

Importantly, Matthew uses the plural, “prophets,” suggesting not a single citation but a thematic summary or a composite idea derived from multiple prophetic voices. Rather than quoting a specific text, Matthew appears to be invoking the broader prophetic witness about the Messiah’s identity, especially in relation to His rejection, humility, and marginalization. The term “Nazarene” was likely a term of derision, a label that carried social and religious contempt. In calling Jesus a “Nazarene,” Matthew ties Jesus to the prophetic theme that the Messiah would be “despised and rejected by men,” “a man of sorrows,” and one from whom people would hide their faces. This resonates with Isaiah’s suffering servant imagery, with the Psalms’ portrayal of the righteous sufferer, and with Zechariah’s presentation of the humble king.

In this sense, “He shall be called a Nazarene” does not point to a geographical prophecy but to a prophetic typology. To be called a Nazarene was to be associated with the lowly, the outcast, the insignificant. Thus, in embracing this identity, Jesus fulfills the prophetic pattern of the one who would not come in worldly splendor but in lowliness and humiliation. His entire life would bear the mark of divine condescension—God with us, not clothed in royal garments but wrapped in human frailty.

Some interpreters have also noted a potential wordplay between “Nazarene” and the Hebrew word netzer, meaning “branch,” used in Isaiah 11:1: “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch (netzer) will bear fruit.” While not a direct quotation, it is possible that Matthew was drawing on this messianic image, seeing in the town of Nazareth an intentional echo of the prophetic hope that the Messiah would be a new growth out of David’s broken line. This may offer an additional layer of fulfillment—Jesus, raised in Nazareth, is the “Branch” who springs forth from the remnant of Israel, the true heir to David’s throne.

Moreover, Matthew’s wording—“so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled”—invites us to reflect on the nature of prophetic fulfillment. It is not always about direct, one-to-one correspondence between ancient prediction and historical event. Rather, Matthew shows us that fulfillment is also thematic and typological. The life of Jesus embodies the patterns, trajectories, and hopes of the Hebrew Scriptures. He does not merely check off prophecies; He embodies the entire prophetic vision of a suffering, rejected, yet divinely anointed servant who will bring salvation to His people.

Finally, this verse prepares the reader for the broader narrative arc of Jesus’ ministry. From the moment of His early obscurity in Nazareth, Jesus is on a path marked by misunderstanding and rejection. He will be dismissed by His own townspeople, slandered by religious authorities, and ultimately crucified by political powers. Yet this path of rejection is not a detour from messianic identity—it is the very means by which He fulfills it. Matthew is laying the groundwork for a cruciform Messiah, a King whose glory is revealed not in conquest but in the cross.

Matthew 2:23, then, is not a mere geographical note but a theological declaration. It tells us that God intentionally placed His Son in a town that symbolized rejection and obscurity. It tells us that Jesus’ identity as “Nazarene” is a prophetic sign—not just of where He came from, but of who He came to be: the lowly, the despised, the Savior who identifies with the outcast, who comes to redeem not the exalted but the humble. In this, we are invited to see not only the fulfillment of Scripture but the very heart of God’s redemptive mission—a mission that turns the world’s values upside down and offers grace where the world offers only shame.

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To all who are beloved of God, called to be saints, exiles in the world but citizens of the kingdom of heaven, grace and peace be multiplied to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was born of a virgin, wrapped in humility, raised in obscurity, yet exalted above all names in heaven and on earth. I write to you with a heart stirred by the Spirit, concerning the mystery and majesty found in these words of Scripture: “And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.”

Beloved, consider carefully the path of our Lord, and let it instruct your soul. He who is the eternal Word, through whom all things were made, did not choose the courts of kings nor the palaces of the proud as the place of His upbringing. No, He was raised in Nazareth—a town so small, so uncelebrated, so disregarded by the world that its name became a byword of insignificance and scorn. Can anything good come out of Nazareth? So they asked, and so many still ask. Yet it was in such a place that the glory of God was hidden, and from such a place that salvation flowed like a river from the throne of grace.

The Scriptures declare that this was not accident but fulfillment. The prophets, in manifold ways and with many voices, spoke of a Messiah who would be lowly, despised, and rejected—one who would not be esteemed by men, but would be chosen and precious in the sight of God. The promise was not only of a King, but of a suffering Servant. Not merely a ruler in power, but a Redeemer clothed in humility. So it was fitting that He should be called a Nazarene—not just in geography, but in identity. For to be a Nazarene was to be counted among the overlooked, the poor, the mocked, the ordinary. And this, my brothers and sisters, is the road our Savior chose.

Let your hearts take comfort and your minds be renewed by this truth: that the Son of God did not rise from celebrity, nor grow up in grandeur, but lived among those whom the world forgets. This is the mystery of grace—that the High One made Himself low, that the glorious One took on shame, that the eternal One entered time and wrapped Himself in obscurity. If this is the path of Christ, why should we expect another path for ourselves?

Are you living in a Nazareth? Do you find yourself in places that feel small, unseen, forgotten? Have you been dismissed by others because of where you come from or what you lack? Then you are in holy company. For Nazareth is the training ground of Messiah; it is the hidden soil where the seed of divine purpose grows in silence. Do not despise your Nazareth. God has planted you there with intention. It is not a place of delay, but of preparation. It is not punishment, but positioning.

And more than this—being called a Nazarene is not merely a description of location, but a mark of identity. Christ bore it. Will you? Will you take on His name not only in baptism, but in likeness? Will you walk the path of lowliness, content to be misunderstood, even mocked, because you are His? The world is drawn to power, to recognition, to status—but you, beloved, are called to the better way. You are called to be conformed to the image of the Nazarene: humble, obedient, patient in suffering, hidden yet holy.

Let none among you measure their worth by visibility or applause. Let no one say, “God has forgotten me,” because their life unfolds in quiet corners or behind closed doors. The Lord of glory lived thirty years in the shadows before the world saw His face. Do not rush to be seen. Be faithful where you are. Nazareth may not be the place of public ministry, but it is the place of formation. It is where character is forged, where love is tested, where obedience is proven.

And let us not forget, dear saints, that what seems obscure to man is never hidden from God. The prophets saw it long before Joseph chose it. Matthew tells us that the move to Nazareth was the fulfillment of what the prophets had spoken. Though the exact phrase is not written in any single passage, its meaning is written on every page of prophecy—the Messiah would be lowly, the Redeemer would be disregarded, and from such a one salvation would spring forth.

So now, as those who bear the name of Christ, we too must embrace the calling to be Nazarene in spirit. Let us be willing to be overlooked by the world if we are seen by God. Let us be content with the low place if it is where God dwells. Let us rejoice in humility, knowing that it is the path to exaltation in due time.

And let us be assured, as Joseph was, that every step of obedience, even those that seem insignificant, are woven into the tapestry of God’s eternal purpose. Joseph brought Jesus to Nazareth because of danger in Judea—but heaven saw a prophecy fulfilled. You may think your steps are small, your decisions unnoticed, but if you walk by faith, you are walking in the fulfillment of God’s purposes.

Therefore, take courage. Walk in the footsteps of the Nazarene. Be faithful in the hidden place. Bear with patience the scorn of the proud. Live quietly, love deeply, serve humbly. For in due time, He who sees in secret will reward openly. And the One who was called a Nazarene will return in glory, and we who are lowly with Him shall be raised.

Now to Him who was born in Bethlehem, raised in Nazareth, crucified in Jerusalem, and seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high—to Him be honor, power, and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

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O Lord God of Heaven and Earth, our Sovereign and our Redeemer, holy and exalted, yet near to the lowly and brokenhearted, we lift our voices to You with trembling and with trust. For You are the One who orders the footsteps of Your people, who writes their days before one of them comes to be, who plants Your Son in obscurity so that He might rise in glory. We praise You, Father, for the wisdom of Your ways, which confound the proud and exalt the humble, for the fulfillment of Your word, which never returns void but always accomplishes what You have spoken.

We worship You for the mystery of Christ, born of a virgin, cradled in Bethlehem, called out of Egypt, and raised in Nazareth. O how deep are Your thoughts, O God! How unsearchable are Your judgments and how perfect is every unfolding of Your will. That the King of glory would be called a Nazarene—this is the wonder of Your grace, that the highest would dwell among the lowest, that the infinite would inhabit the insignificant, that the despised would be the Chosen One. You, O Lord, are not bound by human greatness, nor moved by the applause of men. You choose what is rejected, and You dwell where men would never think to look.

We marvel, O Father, that Your Son was not raised in the courts of kings, nor trained in the schools of the scribes, but brought up in the dusty streets of Nazareth, a town forgotten by the world yet remembered in eternity. We thank You that You are the God of Nazareth, the God who dwells with the poor and makes His home among the lowly. You do not choose by strength, beauty, or fame, but by grace. You do not build upon human pride, but upon humility. And in this we rejoice—for we too are weak, we too are small, we too are unworthy of the great things You have done for us in Christ.

O Lord, we confess that we have often despised the Nazareths in our own lives. We have murmured in the seasons of hiddenness. We have grown restless in the places that seem forgotten. We have sought the spotlight of Jerusalem rather than the workshop of Galilee. Forgive us, Lord. Teach us to honor the places You plant us, however obscure they may be. Let us see Nazareth not as a sign of abandonment, but as a sign of preparation. For You raise Your servants in secret before You reveal them in power.

Grant us, O God, the grace to embrace lowliness, to walk as Jesus walked—unnoticed, yet faithful; misunderstood, yet steadfast; rejected by men, yet beloved by You. Form in us the mind of Christ, who though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing. Let us not chase worldly elevation, but desire instead the place of obedience, the place where Christ is formed in us, the place where we are conformed to His humility and shaped by His Spirit.

Help us, Lord, to live in the shadow of Nazareth with joy. Let us rejoice in the hidden years, in the slow growth, in the unnoticed faithfulness. Let us believe that You see us, even when no one else does. Let us believe that You are working all things, even in obscurity, for Your glory and for our good. For if Your Son was called a Nazarene, then let us be content to bear the same name. Let us be called fools by the world, so long as we are called faithful by You.

And when we are tempted to doubt Your purpose in the quiet seasons, remind us that every step was foretold by the prophets, every delay ordained by Your wisdom, every corner of our lives touched by Your sovereign hand. Nazareth was no accident. Nor is the path You have chosen for us. Let our hearts be still under Your hand, trusting that what seems forgotten to the world is remembered by Heaven.

We pray, Father, for all Your children who now dwell in their own Nazareths—those who labor without recognition, who raise children in obscurity, who serve without applause, who walk through trials that no one else sees. Encourage them with the truth of this word. Let them know that they are not forgotten. Let them find in Christ their companion, their example, and their hope.

And we ask, Lord, that You would be pleased to do in us what You did in Your Son: grow us in wisdom and stature and favor with You. Prepare us, as You prepared Him, for the hour of Your revealing. Hide us until the time appointed, and then send us where You will, for Your glory and for the praise of Your great name.

Now to Him who was born in Bethlehem, raised in Nazareth, crucified at Calvary, risen from the grave, and seated at the right hand of the Father—to Him be glory and honor and dominion forever and ever. Amen.