Matthew 2:19-23
After the death of King Herod, an angel of the Lord once again appeared to Joseph in a dream instructing him to take the Child Jesus and His mother, and return to Israel (Matthew 2:19-20). Joseph, once again, acted immediately on the instructions in which he was given from the LORD. But this time we learn that Joseph was afraid (Matthew 2:22) as he learned that Herod’s son was the new king, and he feared that the same result would be governed by the new king as was with the previous king. But once again God intervenes as His ways are greater than our ways and He leads Joseph and his family to Galilee in fulfilling yet another prophecy concerning Jesus in that “He shall be called a Nazarene” (Matthew 2:23, NKJV). This prophecy, being found nowhere in the Old Testament Scriptures, is believed to be related to a later fulfillment as is stated in John 1:46 of Nathanael’s reply to Philip of, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”, when Philip declared, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (John 1:45, NKJV). I believe that Philip is declaring to Nathanael, “Hey Nathanael, we know this guy, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
This, I believe, is twofold as in one case the coming of the Messiah (Jesus) is prophesied in the Old Testament Scriptures by the prophets, and secondly, Jesus lived (at least for a time) in Nazareth and was referred to as such in His description on the cross in John 19:19. This inscription on the cross of Jesus is not to be in contradiction of that which is stated in Matthew 27:37; Mark 15:26; and Luke 23:38 as these three accounts are of the “accusation” of Jesus. The inscription on the cross as described in John 19:19 is the “title” that was put on the cross by Pilate (John 19:20). It is to my belief that the accounts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are intended to show the accusation “part” of the inscription while John intended to show the entire title as it theologically relates Jesus to the redemptive plan of God in saving those in which He has been attached by His accusers. Coming from Nazareth indicates what the secular community believed Him to be, “nothing good.”
This is a connection to, and fulfillment of the mission of Jesus as stated in Matthew 9:13 (ESV) as Jesus states, “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
We are beginning to see how God has connected the Old Testament to the New Testament in the life and ministry of Jesus; of how God has connected the relationship of sin to the purpose of sending His one and only Son to be the Savior of the world (John 3:16-17).
To be our true Savior, Jesus must feel our pain and suffering within Himself to have the ability to take our sins to the cross and pay for them in His purity being sinless – feeling our sins but not falling victim to them. In this is our true Savior displaying the love of God in His purpose for His human life on this earth – to die in our place so that we may live through Him as we learn and grow in His righteousness and put our faith in Him.
Dear LORD,
We cannot follow in completeness Your great plan of salvation for humanity, but You have given us enough in Your word to learn the things which will lead us to the cross and to our salvation in our Savior Jesus. Please open our eyes that we may see Your true, great love for us in Your Son Jesus, that we may live eternal through Him. In Jesus name I pray, amen.