Christian reading

Does Jesus fulfill the prophecies about Messiah? (part 7)

Jesus as a Nazarene and the Branch: «And he [Joseph (with Mary and Jesus)] came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He [Jesus] shall be called a Nazarene [heb. "NZR" = nazarene, sprout, branch]» (Mt 2:23). The underlying prophecy: «And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse [father of David], and a Branch shall grow out of his roots» (Is 11:1; compare Num 6:21; Judg 13:5; 1 Sam 1:11; Jer 23:5; Am 2:11-12; Zech 3:8). Jesus also called the Branch by prophet Zachariah: «And he shewed me Joshua [Jesus] the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua [Jesus] was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by. And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua [Jesus], saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by. Hear now, O Joshua [Jesus] the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH. For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua [Jesus]; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree» (Zech 3:1-10).

(to be continued)