But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. 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.”
Matthew 2:22-23
God tells Joseph by a dream that Herod the Great has died. The dire threat against the Child has ended. Joseph must bring God’s Son out of Egypt. Cautious of Herod’s murderous legacy being continued through his son, Joseph diverts his family to Galilee. The war of the seeds continues (Genesis 3:15; Revelation 12:4). Once again, guided by a dream he leads them to Nazareth, a city where he and Mary had lived before (Luke 1:26; 2:4, 39). They would be known and protected there. Surprisingly, this obvious safety measure fulfills a not so obvious prophecy, “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”” (Matthew 2:23).
The erroneous interpretation of this verse has led to many illustrations of Jesus wearing the long hair of Samson, a presumed fellow, life-long Nazirite (Judges 13:7). Note, however, the difference in spelling between “Nazarene” and “Nazirite.” Further, Jesus drank wine (Matthew 11:29) and touched the unclean (Matthew 8:2-3; 9:20-22) and the dead (Matthew 9:25). This does not accord with the key tenets of a Nazirite vow (Numbers 6:1-21). Jesus is not a Nazirite, but a Nazarene. He is the “Branch-Man” from “Branch-Town.” The Hebrew word for “green” is “natser” and is thus related to the word for a stem of new growth, “netser.” This term for a young branch is best applied to the toddler, Jesus. By making the noun feminine so as to name a city and adding the proper plural ending, we end up with “Nazareth.” Because Jesus is from the city of “Branches” He is a “Nazarene.” He is a branch. He is The Branch.
Matthew tells us Jesus’ hometown is a fulfillment of that “which was spoken by the prophets.” There are seven such prophecies from three different prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah and Zechariah. Of these, unsurprisingly, Isaiah proves to be most important. By speaking of the “Branch” in His youth, Matthew returns our attention to Isaiah’s early theme of “The Child” (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; 11:1) Continuing forward from the promises of Immanuel Who will reign as King, we are told of His royal heritage and divine favor, “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. 2 The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD” (Isaiah 11:1-2). We see here Messiah identified with David and called a “Rod” and a “Branch.” He is the new growth coming out of something that has been cut down. The term translated “stem” is better rendered, “stump.” Given the totality of judgment upon Judah described in the previous chapters, we are unsurprised at this metaphor (Isaiah 8:9-10; 9:19-21). Judah, under judgment, faces further judgment due her covenant transgressions (Isaiah 5:25; 9:17, 21; 10:4). She will be cut down like a tree (Isaiah 6:13; Matthew 3:8-10). Hope is found in the new growth from stump and root, a Rod, a Branch from Jesse. Interestingly, we are not invited to look at the stump and roots of “David,” but of “Jesse.” Here, as elsewhere, Messiah eclipses David entirely—He is David (Jeremiah 30:9; Ezekiel 34:23-24; Acts 2:25-33). In other prophecies, He is declared the “Son of David’ (Isaiah 9:6-7; Jeremiah 23:5; Matthew 1:1, 6, 17, 20). Often the difference is a matter of emphasis. When Messiah is prophesied as “David” He is the Savior King replacing the old regime by judgment against the transgressors (Jeremiah 30:10-11; Ezekiel 34:17-22; Acts 2:14-21, 40). When Messiah is prophesied as “The Son of David” He is the fulfillment of God’s promises to David of a seed, a continual, eternal King Who saves His people. (Isaiah 9:1-5; Jeremiah 23:1-8; Matthew 1:21).
There is another passage in Isaiah that prophesies of “the Branch.” “Isaiah 53:1-2 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him.” (Isaiah 53:1-2). This passage is found among the most famous (Isaiah 52:13-53:12) of the “Servant Songs” of Isaiah (Isaiah 40:1-55:13). Zion’s attention is directed away from the old to the new (Isaiah 51:6, 16; 52:1-9), from what is passing away to what will come to pass (56:1-66:24). Salvation will not be found in any current king of Judah (Isaiah 6:1), but in the Servant yet to come (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7; 11:1-4, 10). Salvation is not found in the nations (Isaiah 13:1-19:17; 30:1-17), or in Judah as a nation (Isaiah 1:1-31; 5:1-30), but in the King of all the Nations (Isaiah 30:18-33), Who will rule from the New Zion (2:1-5; 4:1-6; Isaiah 65:17-25). This “Servant” must capture all the attention, for His excellent reign (Isaiah 52:13, 15) and shocking suffering (Isaiah 52:14; 53:4-5) combine to atone for the transgressor (Isaiah 53:5-10), justify the sinner (Isaiah 53:11), and win the victory (Isaiah 53:12). The “Tender Shoot” Who, growing up, does not attract His own people’s adoration is none other than “the Arm of the LORD.” This “netser” is the Messiah Who saves His people from their sins.
While considering what prophecies are being fulfilled by the fact of Jesus growing up in Nazareth, it is right to begin with the passages that feature the root word, “netser”, focusing on the tender years of the Messiah. Matthew’s second chapter is all about the tender new growth of the Child. But as surely as the young child grew into a man (Luke 2:39-40, 51-52), the prophecies anticipated a maturity from the “whippersnapper” to the “great limb.” The strong Arm of the LORD started off as a weak infant. The green “switch” or “netser” (Isaiah 11:1-2; 53:1-2) matures into the mighty “branch” or “tsemach” (Isaiah 4:2; Jeremiah 23:5-6; 33:15; Zechariah 3:8; 6:12). While the first term greatly heightens nascency, the second term enjoys a broader range, which keeps maturity in view. Some interpreters may desire to curtail the semantic range of Matthew’s fulfilment formula. They are reluctant to expand the prophetic focus beyond the “netser” passages to the “tsemach” group. Perhaps we might ask if Matthew has a problem with that. He clearly states that multiple prophets, not just Isaiah, prophesied of Messiah as the “Branch.” These prophecies which speak of the childhood and the manhood of Christ are not related by phonemes, but by imagery. They don’t rhyme aurally in the original Hebrew, but they rhyme visually. A story is being told by the prophets about the Branch, who surprisingly survives as a tender shoot and then grows into a mighty tree encompassing all nations (Matthew 13:31-32; 28:18-20). Matthew confirms this prophetic trajectory and shows Jesus of Nazareth as the fulfillment (Matthew 21:1-11). There is no need to separate the prophecies of the “netser” from those of the “tsemach,” and every need to hold them together.
The five “tsemach” prophecies (Isaiah 4:2; Jeremiah 23:5-6; 33:14-16; Zechariah 3:8-10; 6:11-13) all emphasize the blessings of the New Creation and the New Covenant. With the exception of Isaiah 4:2, they all reference the “growth” of the Messiah, but all five prophecies focus on the mature culmination of His glorious ministry. The origins of “The Branch” are in God. He will raise to David a Branch of righteousness (Jeremiah 23:5), God will cause to grow up to David a Branch of righteousness (Jeremiah 33:15), God is bringing forth His Servant, the Branch (Zechariah 3:8). The scope of this King’s reign is a New Creation. The land will be fruitful (Isaiah 4:2). Justice and righteousness will soak the earth (Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15). Shiloh will bring shalom (Zechariah 3:10). The hope of this King’s reign is a New Covenant. Forgiveness of sin (Isaiah 4:4; Jeremiah 31:31, 34), justification (Isaiah 4:3; Jeremiah 23:6; 33:16), salvation from wrath (Jeremiah 23:6; 33:16), special communion with God (Isaiah 5:4-6), a new temple (Zechariah 6:12-13), and a greater anointed mediator (Zechariah 6:13): all these are the New Covenant fruit of the Branch. The Branch comes with new life. The King (Mathew 1:1-4:25) comes with a kingdom (Matthew 5:1-8:1).
