Reference

Matthew 2:23

Literal FulfillmentPast Fulfillment (Historic)Single Fulfillment
“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.”
21

And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

22

But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:

23

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.

Why This Verse Was Tagged

Literal Fulfillment
Keyword Match
90% relevance

This verse contains specific terms directly associated with this theme.

Past Fulfillment (Historic)
Keyword Match
100% relevance

This verse contains specific terms directly associated with this theme.

Single Fulfillment
Keyword Match
80% relevance

This verse contains specific terms directly associated with this theme.

Counter-Arguments

The strongest case that this verse does not belong in this theme.

Literal Fulfillment

The phrase "spoken by the prophets" is general and doesn't point to a specific, identifiable prophecy in the Old Testament that explicitly states "He shall be called a Nazarene," suggesting a more thematic or symbolic fulfillment rather than a direct literal one.

Past Fulfillment (Historic)

There is no explicit Old Testament prophecy that states "He shall be called a Nazarene," leading some scholars to suggest this is a general fulfillment of prophetic themes rather than a direct quote, or a reference to a lost prophetic tradition.

Single Fulfillment

While the verse states a fulfillment, the phrase "spoken by the prophets" is plural, suggesting a broader prophetic theme or multiple prophetic utterances rather than a single, specific prophecy directly stating "He shall be called a Nazarene."

Literal Fulfillment
Literal Fulfillment

Cross-References

Isaiah 11:1Allusion

“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:”

John 1:45Thematic

“Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

Judges 13:5Thematic

“For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”

Luke 1:26Thematic

“And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,”

Matthew 21:11Thematic

“And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.”

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Thematic Connections

Literal FulfillmentPast Fulfillment (Historic)Single Fulfillment

Private Study Note