REGENT UNIVERSITY
NAZARETH
ISRAEL - JORDAN STUDY TOUR DEVOTIONAL
SUBMITTED TO DR. MARK WILSON
DGN 689
BY
CRYSALY AVILES
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA
MARCH 6, 2010
Old Testament References
Nazareth isn’t mentioned in the Old Testament.
New Testament References
Jesus and Nazareth:
When Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael. The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me." Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip (John 1:46).
Joseph is told to escape to Egypt. After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead" (Matt. 2:19). Joseph then took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene." (Matt. 2:20-23).
Jesus leaves Nazareth to live in Capernaum and begins His preaching (Matt. 4:13).
The crowds recognize Jesus, as “the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee” (Matt. 21:11). Jesus is referred to as “Jesus of Nazareth” when Peter disowns Him (Matt. 26:71).
Evil spirits refer to Christ as “Jesus of Nazareth” (Mark 1:21-25).
Jesus returns in “the power of the Spirt” and is rejected by Nazareth (Luke 4:14). Jesus taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him (Luke 4:17-20). This is also where Jesus declares that He is God: "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:21) and when He says that: “no prophet is accepted in his hometown” (Luke 4:24).
Post-resurrection, on the road to Emmaus, Jesus is referred to as “Jesus of Nazareth” (Luke 24).
When Jesus is crucified, “Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS” (John 19:19).
After Pentecost, Peter refers to Christ as “Jesus of Nazareth: "Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know” (Acts 2:22).
When Peter heals a crippled beggar he uses “Jesus of Nazareth”: Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” (Acts 3:6)
Peter filled with the Holy Spirit before the Sanhedrin refers to Christ as “Jesus of Nazareth”: “hen know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed” (Acts 4:10).
Christ refers to Himself as “Jesus of Nazareth” when He appears to Paul: " 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,' he replied” (Acts 22:9).
During the trial before Felix, Paul is referred to as a “leader of the Nazarene sect”: “We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect” (Acts 24:5).
When Paul gives his testimony about opposing Christ, he refers to Jesus as Jesus of Nazareth: “I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth” (Acts 26:9).
Biblical Jerusalem
Nazareth was off the map. It was estimated to have a population as little as 100 people and 20 homes (Walker 30, 41). This is the village where “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:51-52). Nazareth’s significance becomes strategic, because Jesus needed to be hidden - below the radar screen - until the time was ripe (Walker 33).
Sepphoris was the capital city of Galilee during Jesus’ childhood and was only 4 miles away from Nazareth. When Herod died, Sepphoris became the focus of a Jewish rebellion which was soon put down by the Romans. Herod Antipas then decided to rebuild the city from scratch making it his capital. This means that, when Jesus was growing up, Sepphoris offered great employment prospects for people such as Joseph (Walker 34).
Jerusalem Today
Nazareth today is a large sprawling town. The population is made up of Israeli Arabs (65% Muslim, 35% Christian). The ancient village lies at the centre, on the north-west side of the busy High Street. The modern church, built by the Franciscans, stands over some ancient ruins that may well have been Jesus’ childhood home.
Spiritual Application
The story of Jesus Christ is not told. Not because it did not matter, but because without the anointing, Jesus’ life was incomplete. Similarly our lives begin as “good, bad or ugly,” but that is not the end. We begin to be known in Christ when we begin to live out our purpose like Jesus did when He left Nazareth and begun to preach. We may still be in a “nowhere” location under the radar and feel like “nobodies” but there is a point where we will also walk out of Nazareth. Like Christ said, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.” It is not about “when I am ready to leave my Nazareth,” - it’s about walking out my calling as God appoints.
I pray in silence. “Be still and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10). Let’s take 30 seconds to sit in stillness and know Him in quiet worship. Amen.
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Posted by: オテモヤン | March 26, 2010 at 12:28 PM