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Nazareth

Illustration of Nazareth

Nazareth, a modest village in the region of Galilee, was the hometown where Jesus grew up under the care of Mary and Joseph after their return from Egypt. It was there that the angel Gabriel announced to the young Mary that she would conceive and bear the Son of God through the Holy Spirit, marking the beginning of the Incarnation narrative in the Gospels. Scripture highlights Nazareth's role in fulfilling prophecies that the Messiah would be called a Nazarene, while also noting Jesus' later rejection by locals in the synagogue, which illustrated themes of unbelief amid his divine identity. This setting emphasizes the humble, ordinary origins from which Jesus launched his public ministry.

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Details

Region
Canaan
Modern Location
Nazareth, northern Israel
Strongest connections in Scripture

Journey Paths

Jesus's Journey

Bethlehem โ†’ Nazareth โ†’ Jerusalem โ†’ Capernaum โ†’ Sea of Galilee

Key Passages

The Annunciation

Luke 1:26-38

In this obscure Galilean village, Gabriel announces the incarnation to Mary - God chooses the insignificant to accomplish the extraordinary.

A26nd in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virginโ€™s name was Mary. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 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: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 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 of thee shall be called the Son of God. 36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing shall be impossible. 38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

Luke 4:16-30

Jesus' hometown rejects Him after He claims to fulfill Isaiah's prophecy - familiarity breeds contempt, and a prophet has no honor in his own country.

A16nd 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 for to read.

17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. 22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Josephโ€™s son? 23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. 24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. 25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; 26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. 27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. 28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 29 And 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. 30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way,

Did You Know?

1

Nazareth was so insignificant that Nathanael asked 'Can anything good come from Nazareth?'

2

Archaeological evidence shows Nazareth had only 200-400 residents in Jesus' time.

3

The town is never mentioned in the Old Testament, the Talmud, or by Josephus.