Jesus the Nazarene

Sermon on Matthew 2:19-23

This year, we begin a new series from the Gospel according to Matthew. Each of the four gospels has a unique perspective on understanding the significance of Jesus, likewise for Matthew. Of the four evangelists, I believe Matthew has the strongest Jewish flavor and this distinction is evident from the very beginning in Matthew’s Christmas story. In Matthew, we began the gospel with the genealogy of Jesus. In going through the many generations of names, we are also running through the history of Israel from the forefathers to Jesus’ time. The Jewish people, in 3 sets of fourteen generations, experienced the promises from God, and then the kingdom itself and finally its eventual exile. In doing this, especially after the final fourteen generations of Jews in exile, we are left with an expectation. Change is in the air. The time of kingdom downfall is coming to an end. This kingdom of Israel would soon be restored by God. The descendent of father Abraham, the very descendent of King David will once again reign in this kingdom. This expectation of the restoration of Israel surges on with the next story of Magi and King Herod. The Magi, as we know, has come to worship the king of the Jews. And true enough, Jesus is born in Bethlehem, the town of David, as foretold by the prophets. The signs are all there. The time is right. The moment has come. Christmas is the birth of Jesus Christ, who has come to be King.

But the following turn of events should come as a shock to us. This is nothing like a heroic adventure movie. We do not read of this Jesus growing up big, strong and powerful like King Arthur. He has neither conceivable military talent like David nor superior intellect like Solomon. Instead, we are confronted with a rather humbling reality. This main character, Jesus, was helpless and in some ways even cowardly. Jesus may have the perfect bloodline running from Abraham to David to him. Jesus may have both the blessings of the Jewish prophets and the Gentile astrologers. But in the face of a jealous King Herod, we are told that he is forced to flee for his life. If not for direct divine intervention through the angels and dreams, he would have died in vain along with all the boys in Bethlehem. This midnight run to Egypt would not be the last of his escapes. As it turns out, this fear of danger, this avoidance from harm continues on in our passage today. When Jesus returns to Israel after Herod’s death, he could not return to his homeland. Herod’s son, Archelaus, was reigning in Judea. Wait a minute, who did you say is reigning? Not the descendent of David? Not a Jew with noble blood? No, it is Archelaus, a brutal ruler who recently killed 3,000 Pharisees who had opposed his rule. This is why Jesus ends up in an unknown little town called Nazareth in the Province of Galilee ruled by another of Herod’s sons.

If you were expecting the rise of a young champion to defeat the forces of evil, I can understand why you were disappointed. The story of Jesus simply doesn’t fit the narrative of a courageous king bringing about the restoration of a fallen kingdom. As a consolation, I guess we should be thankful that this disappointment comes early. We would be psychologically prepared when we learn of more embarrassing retreats of Jesus. As the story goes on, we will come to know of the baptism of Jesus. There, a voice from heaven proclaims, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (3:17) Then comes the temptation of Jesus. Jesus defeats Satan with God’s word. Blow the horns! Ring the bell! We have a winner! Here is the most obvious moment that Jesus is the one we have all been waiting for. The son of God has come and he has overcome even Satan himself. So when you get to 4:12, "Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he got on his white horse and he rode to the prison and he sprang his friend John the Baptist out of prison." Indiana Jesus, wow! Except, no, that's not what it says, right? It says, "He withdrew to Galilee". The word "withdraw" here is the Greek word for "retreat." Jesus retreated to Galilee because he had heard that John had gotten arrested. "He left Nazareth, make His home in Capernaum by the sea”. From a little town, Jesus retreated even further to a fishing village. Capernaum is a place so insignificant that the Romans don’t even bother to occupy it. What is wrong with our hero? Shouldn’t he be fighting the enemies head on?

The same situation happens again and again. When Jesus was becoming highly successful in his ministry, we read this in Matthew 12: “14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. 15 Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place.” May I remind you that the word “withdrew” is just a nice way of translating the word “retreated”. Again when John the Baptist was killed, we read in Matthew 14: “12 John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. 13 When Jesus heard what had happened; he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.” Clearly, these are not isolated incidents. Matthew is demonstrating a pattern for us. But what is the message from this pattern? Is Matthew telling us to be a coward like Jesus? Is the lesson for us here to run away at the first sign of danger? Brothers and sisters, this might be a shock to you, but the answer is Yes. Matthew is using the life of Jesus as a demonstration of ministry. But the answer is also No. This withdrawal is not because of fear. This retreat is not an act of cowardice. Then why do we withdraw? We do not attack the persecutors head on, because we believe the world is not won by opposition; we believe the world is won by transformation.

I read to you a key passage for Matthew’s understanding of ministry.
Matthew 10: 16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.
22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another.
26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.

In the days when Matthew is writing the gospel, there is great persecution of the Christians. Matthew reminds them of Jesus’ words, “When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another”. In Jesus’ life, even in the time of his birth, we have seen that it is the same. But this withdrawal, this retreat is not based on fear. This command to flee is given with Jesus’ command also not to be afraid. Instead, Jesus tells them their mission is to be witnesses. Their mission is to speak and proclaim. Jesus did not win the world over with his opposition. Retaliation is not the answer. We witness instead that the world is won by his transformation. From Bethlehem to Nazareth, from Nazareth to Capernaum, from Galilee to Jerusalem, the word of God moves on till his mission is done. Likewise, we do not fight back; we do not use power or might to convert those who hate us. We withdraw from them, so that the word lives on to reach those who receive us.

The message today seem entirely counter cultural to our beliefs. We are not used to appearing weak and helpless. We want to be strong and capable. After all, the world respects a hero. We are told to put our best face forward, to demonstrate dominance so that nobody dares to trifle with us. How can we withdraw from a challenge? We must show them who is boss. Yet Jesus withdrew from Judea to Galilee, from Bethlehem to Nazareth. Doesn’t he know that in his withdrawal, his enemies are laughing at him? Brothers and sisters, perhaps you do not appreciate the full extent of this mockery. We are used to the names of these places because they have become famous biblical places. But have you wonder why even though Jesus is born in Bethlehem, he is not called Jesus of Bethlehem but Jesus of Nazareth? This is because Bethlehem is a prestigious town of David in Judea, whereas Nazareth is an unknown town in the backward province of Galilee. He is called Jesus the Nazarene, Jesus of Nazareth, as a form of mockery that he is just a country bumpkin, uneducated and uncivilized. This is why when Philip introduced Jesus of Nazareth to Nathanael, Nathanael said “Can anything good come out of Nazareth? (John 1:46)” Galilee is famous for nothing except for its anti-government revolutionaries. Nathanael must be thinking that this is yet another crazy wannabe with a savior mentality. Imagine if I introduce you to an unknown business partner from Nigeria. Oh yeah, he has “loads of money” if you would work with him. Surely your first impression is that this is yet another one of those Nigerian scam artists. Nazarene has the same bad reputation. Calling him Jesus of Nazareth, or Jesus the Nazarene is a way to put him down. When Jesus withdrew from Bethlehem to Nazareth, it is like moving from a penthouse in District 9 to an attap hut in Pulau Ubin. Hey look! Here comes Jesus the “Nazarene”. “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Snigger, snigger. LOL, LOL.

Here is an excursus for Chinese service congregation.

What seemed like a nickname for shame became a part of Jesus’ identity. He is not Jesus, son of Joseph. He is not Jesus of Bethlehem. He is Jesus of Nazareth. In many ways, this is like how we identify the cross with Jesus, even though the cross is the Roman’s way of humiliating those who dared to revolt against them. We are confronted with this reality. This is the king we were waiting for. He is Immanuel, God with us. Matthew tells us this is the fulfillment of “what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene. (v.23)” He is referring to the suffering servant in Isaiah 53.

Isaiah 53: “2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.”

Thus the word "Nazarene" carries with it an allusion to those prophecies which speak of Christ as "despised of men" (Isa. 53:3). Upon careful reflection, other Old Testament passages have also indicated that Christ will be despised, humiliated and hated: Psa. 22:6-8; 69:8; Isa 49:7. This is why Matthew says Jesus’ withdrawal to Nazareth is a fulfillment of the prophets. To say you are a Nazarene would be personally humiliating and degrading. It would cause people to look down on you, just as Isaiah 53 says. Yet, Jesus wears the name with pride. In Acts 22:8, Jesus proclaims to Paul, "I am Jesus the Nazarene." Paul may have been using the name Jesus of Nazareth, as a slur before he was converted. The Nazarenes is the mocking name for Christians at that time. But that is exactly the reason for Jesus’ proclamation to Paul. “This is who I am; the one whom you despised.” I believe this is why Paul displayed the same kind of sacrificial service when he converted. He recognized that the Lord, whom he serves, had no fear of being despised or shamed for the greater mission.

What does this mean for us? Jesus says in Matthew 10: 24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul (or in this case “the Nazarene”), how much more the members of his household!” We call ourselves the disciples of Jesus, we are his followers. Do we really know our teacher? I once thought I knew Jesus thoroughly, but as I learn more about God’s word, my knowledge is refreshed every year. There is a Chinese idiom 能屈能伸, meaning that you can endure during hardship, and you can thrive during success. This is the Jesus we follow.

I know that it is often difficult to swallow our pride. It is tough to be misunderstood as a coward or a weakling. But today, I hope to convince you that Jesus’ way is the true way. It is the way that truly transforms the world. Herod used brutality to bring security to himself. The Romans used strength and wealth to find peace. But Jesus conquered them all with love and sacrifice. Jesus even conquered death because he is willing to submit himself under the Father’s will. As the disciples of Jesus, we inherit the same spirit for our ministry. We have the courage to speak, the courage to withdraw, the courage to die and the courage to live on.

i 《落难的王子》是作家周国平在女儿天生夭折的悲痛情况下写的:
　有一个王子，生性多愁善感，最听不得悲惨的故事。每当左右向他禀报天灾人祸的消息，他就流着泪叹息到：“天哪，太可怕了！这事落到我头上，我可受不了！”
　　可是，厄运终于落到了他的头上，在一场突如其来的战争中他的父王被杀，母后受辱自尽，他自己也被敌人掳去当了奴隶，受尽非人的折磨。当他终于逃出虎口时他已经成了残废，从此流落异国他乡，靠行乞度日。
　　我是在他行乞时遇到他的，见他相貌不凡，便向他打听身世。听他说罢，我早已泪流满面，发出了他曾经有过的同样的叹息：
　　“天哪，太可怕了！这事落到我头上我可受不了！”
　　谁知他正色道——
　　“先生，请别说这话。凡是人间的灾难，无论落到谁头上，谁都得受着，而且都受得了——只要他不死。至于死，那更是一件容易的事了。”
　　落难的王子撑着拐杖远去了。有一天，厄运也落到了我的头上，而我的耳边也响起了那熟悉的叹息： “天哪，太可怕了……”

周国平对于这个故事这么说到“在这个世界上，的确每天都在发生着灾难。可是，通常的情况是，当灾难没有落到我们自己头上时，作为旁观者，我们往往不敢设想这灾难落在自己头上怎么 办。然而，事实上，一旦这种情形发生──它完全可能发生──你就必须承受，往往也就能够承受。王子说的话是一个真理：“凡是人间的灾难，无论落到谁头上， 谁都得受着，而且都受得了。”为什么呢?因为最低限度，生命本能会迫使你正视和迎战灾难，不让自己被灾难打倒。
　　所以，这篇寓言讲的是应该如何对待苦难的道理。这道理有二条：第一，苦难是人生的题中应有之义，我们切不可怀侥幸的心理，认为苦难只会落在别人头上，而应该对自己遭遇苦难有足够的精神准备；第二，一旦遭遇苦难，我们就要勇敢地面对，以有尊严的态度来承受。“
周国平曾写过以下这段话，可做理解这篇寓言的参考：“定理一：人是注定要忍受不可忍受的苦难的。由此推导出定理二：所以，世上没有不可忍受的苦难。”

耶稣逃亡到拿撒勒让我联想到他就像一个落难的王子。我们很容易同情他。也许我们还会觉得“天哪，太可怕了！这事落到我头上我可受不了。”我们认为自己很难承受这样的羞辱。我们尽量避免面对这种的潦倒的景况。但是，如果我们的感受就停留在这里，我们就失去了耶稣来到世上的意义。耶稣能够忍辱负重，就因为知道天父所交托的使命是什么。耶稣打倒恶势力的方式，不是靠权势，而是真理。耶稣所展示的是他能够，我们也能够。为着福音的缘故，什么灾难我们都受得了。

ii There are 2 other interpretations for this verse besides Isaiah 53. Some think that in this name there is an allusion to the Hebrew netser, which signifies a branch or sprout. It is so applied to the Messiah (Isa. 11:1), i.e., he whom the prophets called the Netse, the "Branch." (Easton's Bible dictionary, Nazarene) Others point to a passage in the Book of Judges which refers to Samson as a Nazirite, a word that is just one letter off from " Nazarene (Nazorean or Nazaraean)" in Greek. I disagree with these interpretations because if these passages are intended, then Matthew would have used a direct quotation with the actual name Netse or Nazirite. All other OT quotations of Matthew have been so. The lack of which indicates that Matthew is using Nazarene as a despised nickname alluding to the despised Suffering Servant.