Devotions in Matthew #30

We are but at the end of chapter 2, and Matthew has made use of much of the Old Testament prophets. So who is he quoting in 2:23, “So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene”? It isn’t Isaiah, or Hosea, or Micah or Jeremiah – all of whom he’s quoted before. Nor is it Ezekiel, or Daniel or Zephaniah – or any of them actually. In fact, if you do a word search, the idea of Nazareth does not come up till this point in the New Testament.  This fact alone tells us that what Matthew is saying the prophets referred to is not Jesus’ geographic hometown, but an idea associated with the place.

Well respected scholar DA Carson puts it this way, “Nazareth was a despised place (John 7:42, 52), even to other Galileans (cf. John 1:46). Here Jesus grew up, not as “Jesus the Bethlehemite,” with its Davidic overtones, but as “Jesus the Nazarene,” with all the opprobrium of the sneer. When Christians were referred to in Acts as the “Nazarene sect” (24:5), the expression was meant to hurt. First-century Christian readers of Matthew, who had tasted their share of scorn, would have quickly caught Matthew’s point. He is not saying that a particular OT prophet foretold that the Messiah would live in Nazareth; he is saying that the OT prophets foretold that the Messiah would be despised.”^[1]

We all have our backstory – the place and people we grew up around. For the few, backstory is pedigree – it speaks honor and privilege into their lives.  For most, it means little or nothing, it is just a fact. But for some, it is a hinge on which hangs much discrimination and prejudice, a weight around our necks we wish we could let go but cannot.

God directed Joseph to pick Nazareth for his young family. In so doing, He purposed that Jesus would grow up in the flesh on the ‘wrong side of the tracks’ so to speak. Christ would need to overcome inequity and bias right from the get go. This was His mark of privilege. It would provide the greatest contrast. In later years, God would be so obviously upon Him, that His birthplace would add to the wonder at all He became and did.

What looked like a random choice by one

What looked to the many like a matter of scorn

Was actually a blessing to all who see

It was for the honor of The One.

·      Praise God, He ultimately makes every obstacle into a help.

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^[1] Carson, D. A. (1984). Matthew. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, p. 97). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House. “(cf. Pss 22:6–8, 13; 69:8, 20–21; Isa 11:1; 49:7; 53:2–3, 8; Dan 9:26). The theme is repeatedly picked up by Matthew (e.g., 8:20; 11:16–19; 15:7–8)”.