Christ in OT

[Dad of 3]

Someone asked me a question that I didn't have an answer to and couldn't find in my Bible dictionary. Was the savior foretold as being of Nazareth in the OT? If so, where? Thanks in advance.

 

[gumby]

Read the entire chapter of Psalm 22 as well as Genesis 3:15 i beleive. God bless

 

[Nomad]

Hi Dad of 3,There is no single passage in the OT that says this, but there is a plausible explanation to this Bible difficulty. Here's one that represents the majority view.

Mat 2:23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled: "He shall be called a Nazarene." Having arrived there he settled in a town called Nazareth, that what was spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, for he [Jesus] would be called a Nazarene. This can be paraphrased as follows: “Arrived in Galilee Joseph, of his own accord, yet under the direction of divine providence, returned to the place of his former residence, Nazareth (Luke 2:4), for in this act of going to Nazareth to live an Old Testament prediction was fulfilled, namely, that the Messiah would be despised and rejected of men. Nazareth was esteemed of small account, and so were its citizens, the Nazarenes.” That the Old Testament does indeed predict the Messiah’s low estate and his rejection by men is clear from some or all of the following passages: Ps. 22:6–8, 13; 69:8, 20, 21; Isa. 11:1; 49:7; 53:2, 3, 8; Dan. 9:26. That during his sojourn on earth Jesus was known as the man from despised Nazareth and not as a Bethlehemite is evident from such passages as John 1:45, 46; 7:42. He was, indeed, “scorned and abhorred by men” (Matt. 12:24; 27:21–23, 63; Luke 23:11; John 1:11; 5:18; 6:66; 9:22, 24), as were his followers, the Nazarenes (Acts 24:5).Here again, therefore, there was a definite fulfilment of prophecy; not, however, of one particular passage, but of “the prophets” in general.Hendriksen, William ; Kistemaker, Simon J.: New Testament Commentary : Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew. Grand Rapids : Baker Book House, 1953-2001 (New Testament Commentary 9), S. 188

 

[Miss Hepburn]

Hi Nomad, please tell me why of all the words, in all the Books, in all the chapters, in all the paragraphs did you chose here to place those 8 words in your signature?...no one understands; no one seeks for God.Out of context - they can be very misleading ---read in context of Romans 3 ---what a different sense of what Paul meant.I was simply surprised - I'm not attacking, as I know words can sound that way in a post.I really want to know what these 8 words mean to you - and why placed here - to what effect.Thank you, Miss Hepburn

 

[Nomad]

Hello Miss Hepburn,Thank you for your question. I appreciate your concern for the proper exegesis of Biblical texts.The text of Romans 3 demonstrates the general depravity and corruption of mankind, of the Jews as well as of the Gentiles. Verse 11, in context of course, is a very pointed declaration of this fact. Salvation, in the words of C.H. Spurgeon, is all of God, all of grace. The conclusion the Apostle Paul draws from all this is that there is no justification by the works of the law, but by the righteousness of God received by faith.

 

[Diana]

In Isaiah 11:1, the word "Branch" is netser. The prophecy of the Messiah being born in Bethlehem is told in the Old Testament in Mic. 5:2, but God may have revealed to the prophet Isaiah that the Messiah would also be a Nazarene. One theory holds that "Nazareth" is derived from the Hebrew noun ne·tser, Ne·tser is not the common Hebrew word for "branch," but one understood as a messianic title based on a passage in the Book of Isaiah.

 

[Martin W.]

Jesus came born in a barn , riding on a donkey , hanging on a cross. ....... Not very glamorous , but somewhat predicted in the OT.What the Israelites were expecting was an all powerful messiah , the king of kings , the biggest of the big guy's. Sweep the enemies of God and his people away. ....... Much more glamorous and more clearly predicted in the OT.Both these predictions are correct. It is just that the second one has not happened yet.