Jesus – Nazarene
Matthew 2:23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
Herod had put out a decree to have all the male children in Bethlehem killed who were two years and under. An angel warned Joseph in a dream to flee to the land of Israel. Joseph and Mary fled, not knowing where they would end up. They ended up in Nazareth.
The country of Galilee at this time was divided into three parts: Galilee, Judea, and Samaria. Nazareth was a small, secluded city in the lower part of Galilee. This is where Jesus would grow up.
The Jewish Judeans thought very little of their northern Galilean brethren. The northern kingdom of Galilee was distinct in it’s culture, history, and political status. It had a more mixed population. It was separated from the holy city by Samaria. They were considered country bumpkins as they were thought to lack Jewish sophistication.
Jesus was considered a foreigner. He most likely stuck out like a Texan in New York City or an Englisher in Ireland. His accent would definitely give him away (John 7:40-44).
Jesus’ humble childhood in Nazareth reminds us that He came for all of us, Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, admired and despised. He was doing something for the benefit of all mankind. It was about forgiveness not about Jewish laws.
