CHAPTER – 4
JESUS CHRIST – A NAZARENE.
“And he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.” (Matt 2:23)
Nazareth is located on a steep hillside among Lebanon's southern ridges, approximately 14 miles from the Sea of Galilee and approximately 6 miles west of Mount Tabor. It corresponds to the modern village of en-Nazirah. It is situated "as in a hollow cup" lower down the hill than the ancient city. The main route for traffic between Egypt and the interior of Asia passed through Nazareth near the foot of Tabor, and then northward to Damascus.
In the New Testament, Gabriel, an angel of God, visited a woman named Mary in the town of Nazareth to inform her of the birth of the Holy Child Jesus Christ. The angel told Mary that she would bear the foretold Messiah through the power of the Holy Spirit. Many young girls skipped marriages back then because they believed the prophecy about a virgin delivering the messiah would come true through them. Mary, on the other hand, was engaged to Joseph, a young man from the same town. Following her conversation with the angel, Mary surrendered to God and prepared to carry the child. When Joseph learned that Mary was pregnant, he decided to call off the marriage in private so as not to embarrass her. While he was contemplating how to proceed, an angel of God appeared to him in a dream and told him not to abandon the child because it is holy. Therefore, he married her by obeying God’s word.
When Mary's due date approached, the government ordered all citizens to return to their home country for a census. As a result, they traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, and then back to Nazareth. Jesus was raised in Nazareth until he began preaching publicly. Nazareth was where he spent his childhood and adolescence. (Matt 4:16)
Micah, prophesied, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” (Micah 5:2) As an outcome, the Jews believed that the Messiah would be born only in Bethlehem.
The phrase "Jesus of Nazareth" is used for the first time in the Bible by Phillip, who told Nathaniel after being called by Jesus to follow Him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" (John 1:45). Nathaniel was not amused and replied, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Nathaniel made his statement because the people of Nazareth were reviled and condemned by their neighbors.
As previously stated, Jews believed that the Messiah would come to them with sovereignty and authority, destroying their enemies and ruling over them. As a consequence, the location of a king would undoubtedly be Jerusalem rather than Nazareth. Nathaniel had the same thought. Going back to the time of Jesus' birth, the wise men went straight to the palace after seeing the star that indicated the birth of a new ruler. However, much to their surprise, the star led them to a humble manger where the King of Kings was born.
Jesus was born to humble parents in modest circumstances. Throughout his ministry, he stated that he was sent to seek the lost, the needy, the sick, and the community that had been rejected by others. Even though he lived a simple life, he is the king of all kings. When Jesus revealed himself to Nathaniel, Nathaniel declared that he is indeed the chosen Messiah.
The name Nazareth perhaps means ‘a watch tower’ (now en-Nasrah), but is connected in the New Testament with Netzer, ‘a branch’. Prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zechariah all predicted that a branch or a shoot would grow in the House of David, Son of Jesse, and rule the people righteously. This meant that even if Judah was destroyed and taken into captivity in Babylon, a shoot would grow to show that Judah would be rebuilt and redeemed. The prophecy was fulfilled with the birth of Jesus Christ.
Because of their lack of faith in him, Jesus preached in Nazareth's synagogues and performed only a few miracles there. In his town, he stated, a prophet is not respected.
Today, God's people are called to care for the needy, assist the poor, and love and guide the lost. Many times, we judge people based on their outward appearance and fail to look into their hearts. However, when we examine Jesus' life, we see that he never condemned anyone, even when he was aware of their sins. He loved them and was compassionate enough to forgive them, and he dined with them together. We are to love each other as much as we love ourselves as a result of his life. God created each of us uniquely and with a purpose in mind. Rejecting and confronting another creator is equivalent to causing harm to his or her creator.
Jesus was not ashamed to be referred to as a "Nazarene," nor was he ashamed of his parents or his social standing. He was only there to complete the task for which he had been assigned. Similarly, you should never be afraid of other people's opinions or criticism.
May the Lord Jesus of Nazareth be with you, guide you, and bless you abundantly.
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