NAZARETH




Nazareth



Cliff where the villagers attempted to throw Jesus from.


NAZARETH [NAZ ah reth] (watchtower) - a town of lower Galilee where Jesus spent His boyhood years (Matt. 2:23). For centuries Nazareth has been a beautiful secluded town nestled in the southernmost hills of the Lebanon Mountain range. Situated in the territory belonging to Zebulon, the city must have been of late origin or of minor importance. It is never mentioned in the Old Testament.

Nazareth lay close to the important trade routes of Palestine. It overlooked the Plain of Esdraelon through which caravans passed as they traveled from Gilead to the south and west. North of the city was the main road from Ptolemais to the Decapolis, a road over which the Roman legions frequently traveled. This fact may account for the possible source of the name Nazareth in the Aramaic word meaning "watchtower."

However, Nazareth itself was situated in something of a basin, a high valley about 1,200 feet above sea level overlooking the Esdraelon valley. To the north and east were steep hills, while on the west the hills rose to an impressive 1,600 feet. Nazareth, therefore, was somewhat secluded and isolated from nearby traffic.

This apparent isolation of Nazareth as a frontier town on the southern border of Zebulon contributed to the reputation that Nazareth was not an important part of the national and religious life of Israel. This, coupled with a rather bad reputation in morals and religion and a certain crudeness in the Galilean dialect, prompted Nathanael, when he first learned of Jesus of Nazareth, to ask, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46).

Although it was not an important town before the New Testament era, Nazareth became immortal as the town of Jesus the Messiah. It was here that the angel appeared to Mary and informed her of the forthcoming birth of Christ (Luke 1:26-38). Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Luke 2). But after their sorjourn in Egypt (Matt. 2:19-22) to escape the ruthless murders of Herod the Great (Matt. 2:13-18), Joseph and Mary brought the baby Jesus to Nazareth where they had lived (Matt. 2:23). Here Jesus was brought up as a boy (Luke 4:16) and spent the greater part of His life (Mark 1:9; Luke 3:23). Aparently Jesus was well received as a young man in Nazareth (Luke 2:42; 4:16). But this changed after He began His ministry. His own townspeople twice rejected Him (Mark 6:1-6; Luke 4:28-30).

Because of His close association with this city, Christ became known as "Jesus of Nazareth" (Luke 18:37; 24:19; John 1:45). There is prophetic significance as well to His being known as a "Nazarene." Matthew records that Joseph and Mary returned to their city during the reign of Herod Archelaus (ethnarch of Judea, Idumea, and Samaria, 4 B.C. - A.D. 6) "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, 'He shall be called a Nazarene'" (Matt. 2:23).





And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
Matthew 2:23


And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith into him, Come and see.
John 1:46


And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women.
And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God.
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdon there shall be no end.
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born shall be called the Son of God.
And, behold, thy cousin Elizabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
For with God nothing is impossible.
And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
Luke 1:26-38


But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.
And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
Matthew 2:19-22


And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
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.
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeromy the prophet, saying,
In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel would not be comforted, because they are not.
Matthew 2:13-18


And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read.
Luke 4:16


And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.
Mark 1:9


And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli.
Luke 3:23


And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.
Luke 2:42


And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples followed him.
And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended by him.
But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands on a few sick folk, and healed them.
And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
Mark 6:1-6


And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,
And they rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
But he passing through the midst of them went on his way,
Luke 4:28-30


And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.
Luke 18:37


And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
Luke 24:19


Philip findeth Nathanael, and said unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
John 1:45













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