Followup to Nazarean vs Nazarite - signficance of Jesus being a Nazarean?

[catechizeme]

Hey guys- thanks for your answers to my Nazarean vs. Nazarite question. You all are great!

I have one follow-up question I was also asked in relation to this sermon…why was it important for Jesus to be a Nazarean? I know this was prophesied, but beyond that, is there a significance/symbolism to him being from Nazareth? (For example, it’s telling that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and Bethlehem means “House of Bread”).

Thank you!

 

[NotWorthy]

I recall Scott Hahn claiming that no one is sure, but he thought it may be a play on the word “Nazir”. I’ll see if I can find it.

Unfortunately, many Hebrew play-on-words don’t translate very well at all.

 

[catechizeme]

I recall Scott Hahn claiming that no one is sure, but he thought it may be a play on the word “Nazir”. I’ll see if I can find it.

Unfortunately, many Hebrew play-on-words don’t translate very well at all.

I think “Nazir” translates into “vow” (at least based on my last google!)

 

[chaunceygardner]

Hey guys- thanks for your answers to my Nazarean vs. Nazarite question. You all are great!

I have one follow-up question I was also asked in relation to this sermon…why was it important for Jesus to be a Nazarean? I know this was prophesied, but beyond that, is there a significance/symbolism to him being from Nazareth? (For example, it’s telling that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and Bethlehem means “House of Bread”).

Thank you!

Matthew’s Gospel says that the Holy Family settled in Nazareth to fullfill a prophecy. Unfortunately, no such prophecy has been found; it may be something from a now unknown prophet or an error in understanding a prophecy that was passed down orally. So in reality Nazareth isn’t important biblically. But it may have been important in what followed with John the Baptist and the ministries of John and Jesus.

 

[NotWorthy]

Matthew’s Gospel says that the Holy Family settled in Nazareth to fullfill a prophecy. Unfortunately, no such prophecy has been found; it may be something from a now unknown prophet or an error in understanding a prophecy that was passed down orally. So in reality Nazareth isn’t important biblically. But it may have been important in what followed with John the Baptist and the ministries of John and Jesus.

Here’s what I got from AgapeBibleStudy.Com

***He will be called a Nazarene****.  *St. Matthew records that these ***words spoken through the prophets*** were fulfilled when the Holy Family settled in Nazareth.  However, this quotation is somewhat of a mystery.  There is no verse from the writings of the prophets where these words can be found.  Some Bible scholars have suggested that the prophecy may be an allusion to the *nazir,* the “consecrated one,” like the title of Samuel in Judges 13:5 and 7.  Other scholars believe the reference alludes to the origin of the name of the town of Nazareth which may be from the Hebrew word *netzer, * which means “branch,” a Messianic title used by many of the prophets (see Isaiah 11:1-2) making the fulfillment a summation of all the prophases which refer to the Messiah as “The Branch.”

 

[Linda_Marie]

I found this site which has some information on it.

Cities of Ancient Israel
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Meaning

NAZARETH pronounced nad-zar-et and possible means “the guarded one.” Harpers defines it separated; crowned; sanctified
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To be called a “Nazarene” was having an evil reputation (Matthew said this was in accord with the prophecy of Isaiah 53) and pictures the Messiah as a “root springing up out of the dry ground.”

• One of the most well known names for the Messiah among the Jews was Tsamech or Branch, based on Isaiah’s prophecy (Isa 11:1). The word Netzer is the exact equivalent. The title Nazarene not only stood for the reproach which Jesus bore, but was a fulfillment of Messianic prophecy. He was a Branch (Netzer) sprung out of David’s roots.
  <…>
  The evil reputation attached to Nazareth (John 1:46) has generally been attributed to the Galileans’ lack of culture and rude dialect. Nathanael, who asked, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” was himself a Galilean. He may have said that because Nazareth was such a common term of contempt among the more “righteous” Jews in Judea.

 

[StrawberryJam]

Someone beat me to the “can anything good come from Nazereth?”