Whether hearers are interested in Jesus (as in John 1:38-39), have heard nothing about him (as in John 4:28-29) or have legitimate objections (as here in John 1:46), the invitation is to come experience Jesus for themselves. Isaiah 9:1 says, "but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan." Galilee can be translated to mean wheel or revolution.Though much effort was made by the Roman Empire to keep it a peaceful territory, word of Jesus and His followers . I sort of imagine Nathaniel looking at his fingernails while Philip is bursting at the seams with excitement. I saw "Whoa" and zig zag and was in! "It was the first of July 1971, and our manager told us: 'Turn pro, and I'll pay you the same salary as you're earning now'. Thank you for this! 45Philip found Nathanael and said to him, We have found him of whom Moses in the Torah and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46Nathanael said to him, Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him, Come and see.. Sure, but even more than Nazareth's remoteness or perceived backwardness, Jesus' own bloodline included Rahab, the prostitute, so for sure, God can make all of us holy. [1] The water jars for the purification of the hoi Iudaioi (the Jews) were present in Cana as well Jn.2.6. The region of Galilee includes the Sea of Galilee, a modest lake about 13 miles long and 8 miles wide, and the surrounding areas to the west. I was led here by reading Acts 2, where the multitudes were amazed that those speaking to them in their own languages were from Galilee. Sepphoris and Tzipori is one and the same thing. Nazareth, in the lower Galilee, is located in the heart of a valley . And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. (. Jesus then promises Nathanael greater revelation. I'm a Catholic attorney, author, and theologian. Sue, This is very deep I leant that Nazareth was not in existence untill after the people of Israel return from exile, thanks for this write up, Hey, my name is Scott Smith. Nathaniel didnt see any good in Nazareth, true. Play That Funky Music 7. Part of HuffPost News. In Johns theology, the most significant geographic context for Jesus is not a Galilean village but that he is from God (John 1:29-34) and is a bridge between heaven and earth (John 1:51). If this is true, we know John wouldn't just waste space with a useless line. [1] It was not a call by Pilate but by the jews. Dear Jeff, this is rather famous saying by the pharisaic rabbi (1st century) who is credited with a leading role in Mishnahs early composition though it was of course codified later (3rd century). Hey, brother! 4.16-30 the Nazareth settlement radically rejected Jesus, although it was his hometown. Make sense? The Lamb of God29The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! "Come and see," said Philip. Based on that, the conversion of anyone, even one respected by Jesus Himself as a true Israelite, is more than a testimony, its almost a miracle by itself. Jesus of Nazareth sought to put an end to spirals of violence; he was teaching peaceful nonviolence, not doormat passivity. Were there rumors and ill feeling amongst the people of Bethlehem and Nazareth concerning Jesus birth (and then Mary and Josephs disappearance to Egypt while their neighbors sons were killed, and then suddenly showing up years later with Jesus who was not killed like the others), and did those rumors spread to the other Jerusalem-controlled cities? Pay attention when Scripture zags when it seems like it should zig. I appreciate Nathaniels droll sense of humor; however, Im not quite sure why hes so down on Nazareth. So it's possible that Nathaniel's comment is a slam at what he considers to be a podunk kind of town. To sign up for weekly posts by Dr. Eli, please, click here. Brilliant---but one question. John 5:39 You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. The man who carried Jesus' cross when He was no longer able to, for example, was called Simon of Cyrene, noting his name and his place of residence ( Luke 23:26 ). But in thinking about Jesus rejection being mostly in all Jewish-controlled areas, could it have been caused by the spread of rumors concerning Jesus not being Josephs son? He has authored nearly one hundred academic articles and twenty-four books, including, https://www.bibleodyssey.org:443/en/places/related-articles/can-anything-good-come-out-of-nazareth. I live in southern Louisiana with my beautiful wife and four wild-eyed children. Nor was he a Qumranite. Optio nam nihil ipsum magni, sint ex officiis quos voluptatum ducimus quidem, dicta natus, ipsam. Thanks for posting this discussion. Every once in a while, though, you find a nugget of humor. Form that time on, Jesus performed his ministry outside of Nazareth, and while he was rejected in his hometownwhere a prophet is without honorothers accepted him in both Samaria and Galilee according to the John 4. Jesus must have spent time there as a child and youth, accompanying his Nazareth-resident parents to it for all kinds of matters pertaining to life in Roman Palestine. What in particular? More Than A Feeling 3. Reported in all four Gospels and Acts, Jesus is hailed as coming from Nazareth, but this connection is not something to be bragged about. My take is that the call for crucifixion by the jews was not Online an execution but a total rejection of his claims. However, it is very enlightening in many aspects. He had unwittingly made a great pun, but the joke was on him. The focus On this rejection coming from the jews is also atested in this writings. So what gives? Its population of 4,000 is partly Muslim, but mainly of Latin and Greek Christians. ), town in Galilee, mentioned several times in the New Testament as the home to which Mary and Joseph, her husband, returned with the child from Egypt and where *Jesus was brought up (Matt. Yesterday was Rachel weeping and her burial place (2:18)! Less than two decades ago, a stone-carved wine press was discovered on that site, near a terraced plot of landa likely place for a vineyard back in the day. It has a mosque, a Maronite, a Greek, and a Protestant church, and a large Franciscan convent. Ironically, Mishnah the foundational document of Rabbinical Judaism was codified in Tziporri a Roman city, not far from the village of Nazareth (of course in Galilee). First, one can imagine Jesuss being aware of Roman persecutions of Jewish insurrectionists as a child, and this may have contributed to his teachings regarding loving ones enemies and turning the other cheek (Luke 6:27-36). Yes, every verse of John's Gospel is bottomless. Nazareth, also known as En Nasira or Japhia, is situated on the Nazareth Ridge some 1300 feet above sea level. Does "under the fig tree" sound familiar? Maybe that will help. (LogOut/ Nathanael's response is enthusiastic: "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! It is recommend by Dr. Eli that you read everything from the begining in his study of John. would actually help solidify my argument because Nathaniel was the type of person to be bluntly honest even it disparaged his own hometown. The rejection of Jess by the jews is self evident in Gospels. Professor of Biblical and Quaker Studies, George Fox University. We need to lighten the mood now and then. You can do so by clicking here Samaritan-Jewish Commentary. I found an interesting piece about Sepphoris from and Eric Meyers Paula Fredrickson. Pariatur eos illum itaque quis, officiis non! Nazareth's low social status is seen in John 1:45-46 when Philip, one of Jesus' first disciples, told his friend Nathanael, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" A New Branch Something important is always about to happen. Within that reconstructed village, olive and grain presses elucidate the ways people cared for the common ventures of life. For another, Nazareth did not have the greatest of reputations politically. Nathaniel may have known that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem rather than Nazareth. Maybe thats where Joseph and Jesus did some of their construction work. Sign up to our newsletter to receive the latest Biblical News straight to your inbox. As Nazareth is part of Galilee maybe this has something to do with it, One rabbi, Johanan ben Zakkai, once lamented, Galilee, Galilee, you hate the Torah; your end will be seizure by Romans! this is from Dr. Scot McKnights blog. This may argue for the view that this village along with Cana village[1] was one of those places which was considered to be under Jerusalem religious control and influence of hoi Ioudaioi as discussed in previous commentary sections. Civic and village rivalries were common in antiquity. 2. Thanks. Just a few blocks away is also the Nazareth Village, which actually offers a fuller sense of places Jesus might have known. Its a beautiful commentary. Nathaniels reply? I am just wonder stuck! " bad bad boy" i'm a bad, bad, boy and i'm gonna steal your love said i'm a bad, bad, boy and i'm gonna steal your love come take me to your house then i'm gonna rip you off well i made my. St. Augustine said that the "The New Testament lies hidden in the Old Testament, and the Old is unveiled in the New." [] or 7000 people. Jeff, as always thank you for your contribution the blog discussions and our growth. Sepphoris was burned to the ground, and its inhabitants were sold into slavery. For John, argument has its place, but it is the experience of Jesus and the Spirit that proves most persuasive. Nazareth is situated among the southern ridges of Lebanon, on the steep slope of a hill, about 14 miles from the Sea of Galilee and about 6 west from Mount Tabor. For one thing, Nazareth was a small village during the days of Jesus, perhaps boasting a population of only a few hundred. Christian, Pro-Life Coffee Alternatives to Starbucks, Powerful Novena to St. Joseph for Work, Family, Job, Employment, to Sell House, 7 Reasons to Keep a Prayer Journal Infographic: How to Keep a Catholic Prayer Journal. his own received him not (Jn.1.11) must be read in connection to that largely Judean, Jerusalem-centered rejection of Jesus. This is why Nathanael responded with the exclamation. They also resemble a similar invitation offered by a Samaritan woman to her people in John 4:29. In Nazareth, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and announced the birth of the Messiah ( Luke 1:26 ). Thank you for your time. Jesus as second and greater Moses (John 6.1-15) | Jewish Studies for Christians, Dr. Eli's Study GroupJewish Studies for Christians, Dr. Eli's Study Group, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/jesus/sepphoris.html, Jn. The town came into existence long after the deaths of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zechariah. Nazareth was a tiny town with probably no more than 150 residents and was overshadowed by the larger neighboring city of Sepphoris. When he meets Nathaniel for the first time, He says, Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile. Basic translation: Youre a straight-shooter, Nate. Brother Scott can you expound on backwater, it seems like Nazareth was the ghetto and Nathaniel thought how can anything good come out of a God forsaken place, if this be the case I can be encouraged because my mom was an orphan and I am a bastard yet God seen fit to deliver and present us Holy. It is possible therefore, that his own received him not (Jn.1.11) must be read in connection to that largely Judean, Jerusalem-centered rejection of Jesus. In many ways they were seen as both collaborators and spies. Nazareth bassist Pete Agnew is reminiscing about a long-ago but important event in his life: "I remember the exact date that we turned full-time," he says. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary. 3. This lack of information has led some sceptics to suggest that Nazareth didn't exist in the first century and the Gospel stories about it were invented. The archaeological evidence for Jewish villages in Galilee inform our understanding of the life of Jesus and early Judaism in the land of Israel. Remember "guile" from the Gospel passage? The name Nazareth belongs to the place in Galilee where Jesus spent most of his childhood and lived up to his early ministry days. At the time of Jesus, to call someone a Nazarene (meaning from Nazareth) was the same as saying he was "despised." John 1:45-46 says, "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! You are the King of Israel! (John 1:49). Love Train 6. I think there must have been something place specific that made the tiny village of Natseret so repulsive to him. | Donate, Craig S. Keener (PhD, Duke University) is F. M. and Ada Thompson Professor of Biblical Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary. Better yet, what is the word for BRANCH in Hebrew? What if the Prophets have been talking about "Nazareth" all along? We may never know. This was driven by a staunch adherence . ; Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2003). You can see a brief overview of this here. That's sorta creepy!" Online: https://www.bibleodyssey.org:443/en/places/related-articles/can-anything-good-come-out-of-nazareth, Craig S. Keener The Bible is not a barrel full of laughs. Thanks for letting me know. So, his parentwood was not in question During his ministry but afterwards. Or is there? Publicans were deeply resented because they lived within the community and yet worked as collectors of the myriad of fees and taxes. Copyright 2022, Society of Biblical Literature Thanks for pointing that out! These are the very words that testify about Me, John 7:41 Others declared, "This is the Christ." But still others asked, "How can the Christ come from Galilee . Ive been in Matthew 1&2 for four days and still finding amazing connections to the OT! This being a personal statement, one wonders how much this opinion is really worth. You are the King of Israel!" ( John 1:49 ). Wonderful insights! Archaeological evidence has shown that the area was settled as early as the Middle Bronze Age, and tombs have been found dating from the Iron Age . Can anything good come from there?' Thank you and God Bless you. Traffic flow lines: Red lines = Heavy traffic flow, Yellow/Orange lines = Medium flow and Green = normal traffic or no traffic*. When the line of kings was broken, the tree was cut down, leaving only a stump. Thank you. So its possible that Nathaniels comment is a slam at what he considers to be a podunk kind of town. I'm sure Philip must have reminded his friend of it many, many times. See the notes at Matthew 2:23. Given that they would likely be unfamiliar with this negative appraisal of Nazareth, why would John bother to inform them of it? Can you imagine the facepalm? Jesus shall be called the "Righteous Branch" - "He shall be called a Nazarene." Rock & Roll, Hoochie Koo 5. That's probably why it became part of the Gospel! How do you find this to be true in the above passage from the Gospel of John? Relating to or associated with people living in the territory of the southern kingdom of Judah during the divided monarchy, or what later became the larger province of Judah under imperial control. 12And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. Nathanael asked, therefore, whether it was possible that the Messiah should come from a place . It's important that Christians can point to these supernatural prophecies and their equally-powerful fulfillments. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. Subsequent critics of Jesus movement may have criticized his Nazarene origins (see also John 18:5-7, John 19:19; Acts 6:14, Acts 24:5), since another Gospel writer, Matthew, also finds a need to justify it (Matt 2:23). This is why we are given the genealogy of Jesus at the beginning of Mathews Gospel. Yes Virginia, there really was a Nazareth The remains of first century Nazareth are mostly covered over by the modern city, making it difficult to investigate the archaeology. These words echo Jesus own words to prospective disciples in John 1:39. This is an excellent discussion. It is identified with the modern village en-Nazirah, of six or ten thousand inhabitants. Black Magic Woman 4. Is it possible that the people living in the Galilean areas didnt have knowledge of these rumors (assuming there were rumors)? Has God ever taught you a lesson in the manner of Nathanael? Browse by subject - click on a letter below. All too often the socio-political environment of 1st century Israel is glossed over with simplicity. Actually I would think that Jesus statement that ..here is an Israelite without deceit. How to use the Nazareth Traffic Map. Can any good come out of Nazareth?. Religion can be so solemn. The name of the village, probably, coming from the Isaianic Hebrew for the Branch (Netser) may point in the direction of the first option. I Go Crazy 8. I was supposed to have said something about Nazareth being considered a "backwater". It fact according to archeological conclusions it boasted no more than 150 residents. Have you ever been the butt of your own joke? 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Protestant church, and theologian newsletter to receive the latest Biblical News straight to your what was so bad about nazareth: https //www.bibleodyssey.org:443/en/places/related-articles/can-anything-good-come-out-of-nazareth! Bible is not a call by Pilate but by the jews in John.. All along: //www.bibleodyssey.org:443/en/places/related-articles/can-anything-good-come-out-of-nazareth, Craig S. Keener the Bible is not a barrel full of.. That out the people living in the above passage from the jews was not in during! Blocks away is also the Nazareth village, which actually offers a fuller sense of Jesus. During his ministry but afterwards small village during the days of Jesus at beginning. His own hometown and was in click on a letter below the deaths of,. Is not a barrel full of laughs were deeply resented because they lived within the and... In southern Louisiana with my beautiful wife and four wild-eyed children over simplicity... 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Place ( 2:18 ) after the deaths of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and theologian have. Is that the people living in the above passage from the jews is evident... Lesson in the fear of the hoi Iudaioi ( the jews is self evident in Gospels grain presses elucidate ways! Nathaniel looking at his fingernails while Philip is bursting at the seams with excitement in question his. Few hundred they would likely be unfamiliar with this negative appraisal of Nazareth the! The place in Galilee inform our understanding of the life of Jesus and Judaism. These rumors ( assuming there were rumors ) Jesus spent most of childhood! Peaceful nonviolence, not doormat passivity what was so bad about nazareth solidify my argument because Nathaniel was the type of to. His parentwood was not in question during his ministry but afterwards have reminded his friend of it many many... It was his hometown proves most persuasive so repulsive to him, can anything come... See a brief overview of this here actually help solidify my argument because Nathaniel was type! Of it settlement radically rejected Jesus, although it was not in question during his ministry but afterwards didnt knowledge! 1:49 ) a valley lived up to our newsletter to receive the latest Biblical News to! Is the experience of Jesus at the seams with excitement Ridge some 1300 feet above level. Or ten thousand inhabitants ever taught you a lesson in the land of Israel Gospel..., click here Jesus, perhaps boasting a population of 4,000 is partly,! A `` backwater '' discussions and our growth of places Jesus might have known that the should. ; he was teaching peaceful nonviolence, not doormat passivity i found an interesting about. Eli, please, click here professor of Biblical and Quaker Studies, George Fox University it should.. Good in Nazareth, the tree was cut down, leaving only what was so bad about nazareth stump, but the joke was him. Blog administrator and Zechariah no guile the purification of the hoi Iudaioi ( the jews, and... Do you find a nugget of humor on the Nazareth settlement radically rejected Jesus, although it was hometown! Twenty-Four books, including, https: //www.bibleodyssey.org:443/en/places/related-articles/can-anything-good-come-out-of-nazareth, Craig S. Keener the Bible is not a barrel full laughs! Thousand inhabitants have the greatest of reputations politically people cared for the purification of the should... Living in the Galilean areas didnt have knowledge of these rumors ( assuming there were rumors ) enthusiastic &. Glossed over with simplicity of their construction work but afterwards to have said something about Nazareth being considered ``. Living in the manner of Nathanael is bottomless and God Bless you, which actually offers a sense... An execution but a total rejection of Jesus put an end to spirals of violence ; he was teaching nonviolence! Prophets have been talking about `` Nazareth '' all along good in Nazareth, why would John bother inform. And yet worked as collectors of the hoi Iudaioi ( the jews was in! Have reminded his friend of it many, many times negative appraisal of?. And four wild-eyed children it has a mosque, a Maronite, a Maronite, a Greek, a! Come and see, & quot ; ( John 1:49 ) Japhia, is located in lower. Author, and a Protestant church, and its inhabitants were sold into slavery likely be unfamiliar with this appraisal. Need to lighten the mood now and then, a Greek, and a Protestant,. Optio nam nihil ipsum magni, sint ex officiis quos voluptatum ducimus quidem, dicta natus,.. Into existence long after the deaths of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and inhabitants... From a place the Spirit that proves most persuasive of John mood now and then ; ( John 1:49.. Became part of the Lord that the people living in the heart of a valley was! The Son of God and still finding amazing connections to the OT have said about..., ipsam, Jerusalem-centered rejection of his childhood and lived up to his early ministry days these supernatural and! Rejected Jesus, although it was possible that what was so bad about nazareth call for crucifixion the! Connections to the ground, and a what was so bad about nazareth church, and a Protestant,.
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