Nazareth

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Location

 

1. Nazareth is in the northern part of Israel in the Lower Galilee area.

 

2. It’s about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of the Sea of Galilee, about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) southwest of Cana, and about 23 miles (37 km) inland from the Mediterranean Sea.
 

Historical Background

 

1. Nazareth had an estimated population of around 300 during the time of Christ.

 

2. It’s a famous town because this is where the Angel Gabriel announced the miraculous virgin birth to Mary.

 

3. Nazareth is also the place where Jesus grew up.

 

4. It was a small farming town where everyone knew each other.

 

5. For some reason, Nazareth had a bad reputation.

John 1:43-46: The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He found Philip. And Jesus said to him, “Follow Me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
 

Places of Interest

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1. Church of the Annunciation (also known as the Basilica of the Annunciation). This church is built over the site of Mary's home.

 

2. Mary’s Well

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3. Greek Catholic Church

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4. Synagogue Church

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5. Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation ~ This church is built over the well where it's believed the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would be the mother of Jesus.

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6. St. Joseph’s Church

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7. Mensa Christi Church

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8. Greek Catholic Church

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9. The Maronite Cliff (in Nazareth) ~ The cliff where they tried to throw Jesus off to kill him.

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10. Mt. Precipice (outside of Nazareth) ~ The cliff where they tried to throw Jesus off to kill him. 

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Nazareth In the Bible

 

1. Nazareth was the home of Joseph and Mary and the place where the angel Gabriel was sent to announce to the Virgin Mary that she would be the mother of Christ, the Messiah.

 

2. Two churches have been built here to commemorate the events of the annunciation and the life of Mary.

• Church of the Annunciation: Commemorates the home of Mary and the Annunciation.

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• Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation: Commemorates the Annunciation.

 

Luke 1:26-38: In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." 34 And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" 35 And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy--the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God." 38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

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3. After living in Egypt for some time after Christ’s birth, His parents returned to Nazareth, where Jesus grew up.

Matthew 2:19-23: But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, "Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead." 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 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 in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled: "He shall be called a Nazarene.

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Luke 2:51–52: And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

 

4. Jesus lived in Nazareth until He started His earthly ministry at the age of 30. From Nazareth, Christ relocated and set up His ministry home base in Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee.

Matthew 4:13–17: And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 15 "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—16 the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned." 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

 

5. Jesus was rejected by His own townspeople at Nazareth and was unable to perform many miracles there due to their lack of faith in Him.

Luke 4:14-27: And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up.  And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18  "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." 22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, "Is not this Joseph's son?" 23 And he said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, 'Physician, heal yourself.' What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well." 24 And he said, "Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." 

 

6. Those who knew Christ best rejected Him and attempted to throw Him off a cliff near their town. Today, this place is called Mount Precipice.

Luke 4:28–30: When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, he went away.

 

Faith Lesson from Nazareth

 

1. Nazareth had a bad reputation. God often places light in the darkness so that the light can illuminate it. Are we being lights where we live?

 

2. The people of Nazareth largely rejected Christ. It shouldn’t surprise us if we, too, are rejected because of our faith in Christ and adherence to His Word.

 

3. Christ was rejected, so He understands when our close friends and family members reject us because of our faith in Him.

 

4. Do we reject Christ by refusing His offer of salvation, by refusing to be obedient to Him, or by not sharing our faith with those around us?