Matthew 2:23 says that Joseph, Mary, and the young child Jesus “came and resided in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene.’” This verse has troubled many Bible students because the statement, “He shall be called a Nazarene” is not found anywhere in the Old Testament. What are we to make of this?
One clue is Matthew’s use of the plural “the prophets.” The gospel writers often quote from Old Testament prophets, but the typical wording is: “that what…