That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
it.
Matthew 1:22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
Matthew 2:15,23 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son…
Matthew 8:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
saying.
Isaiah 9:1,2 Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations…
what was spoken
This phrase points to the verbal nature of prophecy, emphasizing that the words of the prophets were divinely inspired and authoritative. It reflects the Jewish tradition of oral transmission of sacred texts before they were written down. The reliability of these spoken words is affirmed by their fulfillment in the life of Jesus.
through the prophet Isaiah:
Isaiah is one of the major prophets in the Old Testament, known for his messianic prophecies. The specific reference here is to Isaiah 9:1-2, which speaks of a great light coming to the people living in darkness. Isaiah's prophecies are often seen as foretelling the coming of the Messiah, and Matthew frequently cites Isaiah to demonstrate that Jesus is the promised Savior. Isaiah's ministry took place in the 8th century BC, during a time of political turmoil and spiritual decline in Israel, making his messages of hope and redemption particularly poignant.
- A tiny word with enormous weight. It signals purpose—God’s purpose. Jesus’ move from Nazareth to Capernaum did not happen by chance; it happened “to” accomplish something already determined in heaven (Matthew 1:22; Acts 2:23).
- Every step the Lord takes is intentional, lining up with the Father’s redemptive plan (John 5:19).
- “Fulfill” means to bring to completion. Jesus is not merely echoing prophecy; He is finishing it, filling it up so nothing is left incomplete (Matthew 5:17; Luke 24:44).
- This underscores the reliability of Scripture—what God promises, He performs (Numbers 23:19; Isaiah 46:10).
- God’s Word was first “spoken,” reminding us that prophecy is living speech from the living God (2 Peter 1:21; Hebrews 1:1).
- Spoken words may seem fleeting, yet God records and preserves them so they stand forever (Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35).
- The Lord chooses human instruments—prophets—to transmit His Word (Amos 3:7; Acts 3:18).
- This arrangement guards God’s glory: the message is divine, even though the messenger is human (Jeremiah 1:4-9).
- The specific prophet is Isaiah, whose words in Isaiah 9:1-2 promised light dawning in “Galilee of the Gentiles.” Jesus’ ministry base in Capernaum turns that promise into visible reality (Matthew 4:15-16; John 8:12).
- Isaiah’s long-range vision highlights the Messiah’s reach beyond Israel to the nations—already hinted by the mixed population of Galilee (Isaiah 42:6; Matthew 28:19).
Matthew 4:14 shows that Jesus’ relocation served one clear goal: to bring Isaiah’s prophecy to its full, literal realization. Every detail—from the purpose word “to,” to the act of “fulfill,” to the reliability of God’s spoken Word, to His use of prophetic messengers, and finally to Isaiah’s specific promise—reminds us that Scripture is precise, trustworthy, and centered on Christ.
(14) The light in which the fact of the migration presented itself to St. Matthew was, as with other facts, that it agreed with what had been spoken by a prophet. The abode of Nazareth had thus fulfilled one prediction, that at Capernaum fulfilled another.