“And Jesus entered the temple and cast out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who were selling doves. And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a robbers’ den.” Matthew 21:12, 13 (Part one)

The statement by Jesus as recorded by saint Matthew is a quote from two separate Old Testament passages. 

But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men.” Ephesians 4:4-8

Here, brethren, is another Old Testament quote concerning the Christ and His church. 

“Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, ‘I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK IN THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.’ ” 2 Corinthians 6:16 (NAS)

We press on in our continuing study of Old Testament quotes appearing in the New Testament considering this week the above text penned by the apostle Paul, one of the men “moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:21b)

And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Matt 26:63-64

Remember the old commercial, “When E. F. Hutton speaks, people listen.” That was a great catch phrase, wasn’t it?

“For this reason it says, ‘Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ ” Ephesians 5:14 (NAS)

Here is another quote from the Old Testament found in the New. That’s what it means when Paul, through the Holy Spirit wrote, ‘for this reason it says”.

“Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight!'” Matt. 3:1-3

After a brief (seven week) detour to take a more intent look at the prophecies concerning Jesus being called a Nazarene and His church as the sect of Nazarenes, we return to a general study of Old Testament passages quoted in the New Testament.

“But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he departed for the regions of Galilee, and came and resided in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene.’ ” Matt. 2:22-23 (Part Eight)

This will be our last installment of our analysis of the above fulfilled prophetic statement. We could easily continue to belabor the theme but the points have been made concerning the Nazarene and His offspring, the church, called the “sect of the Nazarenes” in Acts 24:5. 

“But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he departed for the regions of Galilee, and came and resided in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene.’ ” Matt. 2:22-23 (Part Seven)

As we’ve worked our way (some might say meandered) through this study on the prophets calling Jesus a Nazarene, it’s afforded us a chance to consider Old Testament passages where the forms of this Hebrew word show up in prophetic context concerning the people (nation) of this Nazarene.

“But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he departed for the regions of Galilee, and came and resided in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene.’ ” Matt. 2:22-23 (Part Six)

Last week we started our little diversion down another trail in our study of the above text. The topic is still the transliterated forms of the Hebrew word nazer (as in Nazereth and Nazarene), however we’ve begun to look at the derivatives of this word in other Old Testament passages which would have reference to the Nazarene’s offspring, the Nazarenes.

“But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he departed for the regions of Galilee, and came and resided in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene.’ ” Matt. 2:22-23 (Part Five)

Alright, this week we will begin to study The Old Testament passages that contain the forms and derivatives of the Hebrew word Nazer (netzer), particularly those that have a prophetic sense concerning the LORD’s purpose in the church.