Hello, my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends,
When someone asks you ‘where are you from’, what is your answer? In many cases that question calls for some explanation because birthplace, infancy years, childhood years, teen years and young adult years could all be different places. Do you find it interesting that as an adult Jesus was often referred to as ‘Jesus from Nazareth’, and not “Jesus from Bethlehem’? (Matt. 21:11) WHY? That’s our Christmas question for today… WHY Nazareth?
From all indications the modern-day city of Nazareth, located in the northern Galilee region of Israel, is where the village of Nazareth was in the days of Jesus. Interestingly I find no mention of this Nazareth in the Old Testament, and we presume Nazareth, like Bethlehem, was a small village in the days of Jesus. Bethlehem you may recall is on the major north-south road leading to Jerusalem only about 6 miles south of Jerusalem. Nazareth, however, is about 90 miles by road to the northwest of Jerusalem. Nazareth would have been a quiet, hillside village out of the way and unnoticed by most people in the days of Jesus.
The Roman garrison responsible for the Galilee district was stationed in Nazareth. What reputation Nazareth had was not particularly positive, for perhaps you remember Philip, after his first encounter with Jesus, found his friend Nathaniel and told him “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth...” (John 1:45) Nathaniel apparently instinctively responded: “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” (John 1:46) There was evidently no surprise at Nathaniel’s comment and none of the disciples give any explanation of that comment, but it sure suggests Nazareth had a poor reputation in the days of Jesus.
You’ll recall Dr. Luke tells us the young virgin Mary was from Nazareth, or at least she was in Nazareth when God sent the angel Gabriel to her with the miraculous conception announcement which changed her life and our world! (Luke 1:26-28) We really don’t know anything about Mary’s parents or family, but we presume Mary had a very innocent reputation as a young virgin Jewish girl, for God’s messenger the angel Gabriel greeted her with these words: “Greetings you who are highly favored! The LORD is with you.” I find it fascinating that after Gabriel finished his shocking conversation with Mary, we have no record that she spoke with her parents or friends. Instead, Dr. Luke tells us that young Mary “…got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth…” (Luke 1:39,40)
Now unless we have an old map of Israel in front of us, that really doesn’t mean anything to us, does it? By God’s grace I’ve been there when I’ve visited Israel so may I share what I’ve seen? ‘Ein Kerem’ is the hillside village located only a few miles west of Jerusalem which has for many centuries been considered the home of Zechariah and Elizabeth. “Ein Kerem” means “Spring of the Vineyard” and has several modern-day archeological sites attributed to this visit of Mary, the birth and boyhood of John the Baptizer. Mary’s trip from Nazareth to Ein Kerem would have been about 80 miles straight south! Here’s a modern-day picture of “Ein Kerem”.
Mary spent three months with Zechariah and Elizabeth seeking to understand what God was doing, both with Elizabeth’s miraculous pregnancy and her own. Zechariah, you’ll recall, had been struck mute by his encounter with the angel Gabriel, (Luke 1:19,20) so I imagine Zechariah was very busy writing or with hand signals trying to explain to both his wife Elizabeth and young Mary what he had learned through his decades of study of all the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah’s arrival. After Elizabeth gave birth, in her very old age, to miraculous John, Mary returned home to Nazareth. (Luke 1:56)
It was likely at this time she met with Joseph and tried her best to explain to her fiancé the unexplainable Christmas miracle happening inside her womb. Now have you noticed my friends that Matthew’s account of Joseph’s struggle with Mary’s unimaginable news does not tell us WHERE Joseph was? So, when Matthew tells us “Joseph did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife…” (Matt. 1:24) it does not tell us exactly where Joseph and Mary spent those next six months until their trip to Bethlehem for the census and the birth of Jesus.
Luke 2:4 gives us this insight: “Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and lineage of David.” Does that mean Joseph and Mary were living in Nazareth or visiting her family in Nazareth when they left for the long trip to Bethlehem?
What we do know is that after Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Joseph and Mary stayed in Bethlehem for some time, perhaps thinking they could begin a new life there without all the village gossip about the assumed illegitimacy of baby Jesus, born of Mary’s inexplicable pregnancy. It was to Bethlehem that the Magi came several months later searching for the newborn King of the Jews and then you’ll recall King Herod’s slaughter of all the little boys in Bethlehem, age 2 and younger. (Matt. 2:16)
In God’s protection of infant Jesus an angel was sent to Joseph warning him of Herod’s murderous plan and instructing Joseph to flee from Bethlehem and settle in Egypt until it might again be safe for them to return to Israel. (Matt. 2:13) We don’t know exactly where in Egypt Joseph settled his little family as refugees, but we do know that when King Herod died in 4bc, another angel visited Joseph with this good news and informed Joseph it was safe for him to return to Israel with his wife Mary and her young son Jesus. (Matt. 2:19-21) Nearing his death King Herod had divided his region of authority into four sections giving one to each of his four sons. Archelaus received the region of Judea from his father Herod the Great, but his reputation was nearly as terrifying as his father’s so Joseph was afraid to return to Bethlehem or Ein Kerem or any town in Judea and instead led his little family back north to Galilee.
I’ve often wondered what those discussions must have been like as Joseph and Mary tried to decide where to settle as their new home. Joseph was a carpenter so he could take his little business anywhere. It had likely been more than three years since they left Nazareth heading for Bethlehem and the census. Matthew gives us only this simple statement: “Joseph went to the district of Galilee and settled in a town called Nazareth.” (Matt. 2:22,23)
So now we know WHY Nazareth, at least for the early years of Jesus’ life, but here the question we’ll look at tomorrow: “Why NOT Nazareth as Jesus’ permanent earthly home?“ Oh, that’s going to be very interesting, and I look forward to meeting with you right back here tomorrow.
Here’s a wonderful worship song to help us celebrate how God guided, protected and was with Joseph in particular as he led his little family through the challenges they faced in those early years with Jesus. Can you claim the same sense of God’s presence and guidance with you?
Today’s Scripture: Matt. 2:16-23.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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