Jesus Christ the Nazarene
Today, Nazareth is an Arab city in the nation state of Israel. It sits high above the Jezreel Valley, which is the most productive farmland in the country. One must traverse a very steep mountain road that zigzags all the way to the top . The only other road out of the city is to the north, leading through Gath-Hepher (the home of Jonah the prophet) and reaches around to exit east, at Mount Arbel, on the cliffs above Tiberias, on the Sea of Galilee.
The region of Galilee is rugged and quite beautiful. This is the childhood home of Jesus Christ. It is where the Angel Gabriel brought messages to Mary and Joseph (Lk 1:19, 26), regarding the supernatural conception of the Messiah, in the womb of His virgin mother (Mt 1:18–20; Is 7:14; 9:6). Famous is the Christmas story of Joseph and Mary having to travel to Bethlehem of Judea for the census (Lk 2:2). It was there that the Son of God and King of Israel was born in an animal shelter (Mic 5:2), was wrapped in swaddling cloth, laid in a manger (Lk 2:7), and where He received representatives from the lowest stations in life (shepherd) and from the highest echelons (magi).
Although Jesus was immediately worshiped by the foreign dignitaries (Mt 2:11), who had seen His star in the East (Mt 2:2, 9), He was soon hunted by Herod the Great, ruler of the nation (Mt 2:13–16). From there, the family was in Egypt, as refugees, until the death of the king and removal of the threat (Mt 2:19). Out of Egypt God called His Son (Mt 2:15), to return to Israel, and when He did, it was a return to Nazareth (Mt 2:22).
For two and a half decades, Jesus was known by the people of His hometown, and to others through connections to neighboring towns. This included, Capernaum, on the north shore of Lake Gennesaret. Capernaum, not Nazareth, became Jesus’ hub for ministry work, during the final three years of His life. Prophets do not do well in their hometowns (Lk 13:34), and one visit to Nazareth proved that fact (Lk 4:29).
Still, the titles, “Jesus the Nazarene” and “Jesus of Nazareth” were with Him throughout His ministry years (Mk 10:47; 14:67; Lk 4:34; 18:37), at His arrest (Jn 18:7), at His death (Jn 19:19), resurrection (Mk 16:6), and even in the early church years (Acts 2:22; 3:6; 10:38; 26:9). Jesus is a Greek name, derived from Jeshua in the Hebrew, which is commonly translated into English, as “Joshua” a reasonably common name even, today. Thus we see the importance of the geographical reference, to differentiate Jesus from others. Augustine of Hippo, Catherine of Sienna, and Irenaeus of Lyon would concur.
Towns have reputations, and when those reputations are foul, it can be a stereotype or stigma for one to be identified with that place. This was especially true for Nazareth. Even Nathanael recognized this when Philip summoned him to meet the One spoken of by the Law and prophets…Jesus of Nazareth (Jn 1:45). Nathanael’s rhetorical query was, “Can anything good come out Nazareth (Jn 1:46)?”
Pontius Pilate provoked the Jewish leaders, by having a placard placed over Jesus’ head, while He was being crucified. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews (Jn 19:19).” He knew they had no respect for Nazareth. They hated Jesus without a cause (Jn 15:25), and they even claimed they had no king but Caesar (Jn 19:15). The point was to defame and discredit Jesus, and Nazareth helped the defamation.
Jesus seemed to have no issues with the identifying moniker. When Jesus was being arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, He asked who the Temple guards were looking for, “Jesus of Nazareth” (Jn 18:5), was their reply. “I am He,” was His reply. Jesus knew who He was, and He knew where He came from (heaven). The stigma seemed to fulfill a prophecy that has never been placed, “He shall be called, ‘a Nazarene’ (Mt 2:23).”
In the same way that the lowly birth story scene has a purpose, so does His being raised on the proverbial, “wrong side of the tracks.” The Son of God enfleshed (Jn 1:14), emptied himself of the glory He shared with His Father, in heaven (Phil 2:5–11). He humbled Himself (Heb 2:7, 9), having no place to lay His head (Mt 8:20). Jesus’ life was a sacrifice, as much as His death.
The world was against the Prince of life (Acts 3:15), and Nazareth was the paradoxical location for royalty. Following His resurrection from the dead and His ascension to glory, Jesus’ followers continued to minister with the name and title “Jesus of Nazareth.” In those days the stigma was being reversed.
Despite the town’s rejection of its most famous Son, and despite the short-term embarrassment, for Jesus’ criminal death on a Roman cross at Golgotha, His glorious fame would reach the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8). The good news about Jesus of Nazareth, is still being preached, today (Mt 24:14; Mk 16:15), as the elect of God (Eph 1:4–5; 1 Cor 2:9; 2 Thess 2:13), who are not ashamed of their God and Savior are being gathered into His church (Mt 16:18; Titus 2:13).
Are you embarrassed by Jesus the Nazarene? You say, “It would take an act of God for me to believe that a poor carpenter from some backwater town, in a less than desirable region, of a disputed piece of property, is the Savior of the world.” Well, then, you would be right. God has chosen Nazareth to be a participating place in the Gospel of Salvation (Rom 1:16; Eph 1:13). That is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks (1 Cor 1:23), but it is the wisdom of God, and it is glorious in the sight of those who have eyes to see…the role of Nazareth of Galilee, in the greatest story ever told.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
December 12, 2022
