Understanding the context of Matthew 2:23 Matthew 2:23 states: “And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled: ‘He shall be called a Nazarene.’” This verse comes at the end of Matthew chapter 2 which details Jesus’ early life. Joseph and Mary had taken Jesus to Egypt to escape Herod’s decree to kill all male infants. After Herod’s death, they decided to return to Israel, but were afraid to settle in Judea because Herod’s son Archelaus was ruling there. So instead, they went to the region of Galilee…