was from there: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46) This has been taken by many to mean that Nazareth was looked down upon, even by people of Galilee. (John 21:2) In addition, it is claimed by some that Nazareth was not directly on the main trade routes of the area. It was not mentioned by Josephus, though he referred to nearby Japhia as the largest fortified village of all Galilee, leading to the idea that Nazareth was eclipsed by its neighbor.

On the other hand, Nathanael may simply have been expressing surprise that Philip would claim a man from the neighborhood city of Nazareth in Galilee to be the promised Messiah, for the Scriptures had foretold that one to come from Bethlehem in Judah. (Mic. 5:2) Josephus did not mention many of the settlements in Galilee, so his not mentioning Nazareth might not be particularly significant. It is noteworthy that the Bible does not call Nazareth a village, but always a “city.” (Luke 1:26; 2:4, 39) Furthermore, closeby Sepphoris was an important, fortified city having a district court of the Sanhedrin. Scholars disagree on whether a main trade road ran by Sepphoris or down through Nazareth. Nonetheless, whatever its size and prominence, Nazareth was convenient to important trade routes and main cities and so its inhabitants would have had ready information about the social, religious and political activities of the time.—Compare Luke 4:23.

ATTITUDE OF THE PEOPLE

As Jesus grew up he progressed “in favor with God and men.” (Luke 2:52) He and his half brothers and half sisters were known by the people of Nazareth and it was his “custom” to attend the local synagogue each week. (Matt. 13:55, 56; Luke 4:16) When he was about thirty years of age, Jesus left Nazareth and was baptized by John. (Mark 1:9; Luke 3:23) Some months later, near the start of his Galilean ministry, Jesus returned to Nazareth and in the synagogue read aloud Isaiah 61:1, 2, applying it to himself. However, the people manifested a lack of faith and attempted to kill him, “but he went through the midst of them and continued on his way,” taking up residence in Capernaum.—Luke 4:16-30; Matt. 4:13.

About a year later Christ again visited Nazareth. (Matt. 13:54-58; Mark 6:1-6) Though some have thought this to be the same occasion as in Luke 4:16-30, the order of events in Matthew, Mark and Luke indicates otherwise, as does the fact that Jesus’ activities and the results were somewhat different. His fame may have grown by this time so that a somewhat more hospitable reception was granted him. Though many stumbled over the fact that he was a local man, there is no mention of the people’s trying to kill him this time. He performed some powerful works, but not many, because of their lack of faith. (Matt. 13:57, 58) Jesus then left and began his third circuit of Galilee.—Mark 6:6.

NAZIRITE

(Nazʹi·rite) [Heb., na·zirʹ, meaning dedicated, separated, singled out].

There were two classes of Nazirites: those who volunteered, and those who were such by divine appointment. The regulations governing volunteer Nazirites are found in the book of Numbers, chapter six. Either men or women could take a special vow to Jehovah to live as Nazirites for period of time. However, if a daughter’s father or wife’s husband heard the vows of their respective females, they could cancel the vows if they did not approve.—Num. 30:1-8.

There were three principal restrictions resting on those taking the Nazirite vow: (1) they were to drink no intoxicating beverage; neither were they to eat any product of the grapevine, whether unripe, ripe or dried, nor drink any of its juice, whether in the fresh or fermented or vinegar state; (2) they were not to cut the hair of their heads; (3) they were not to touch a dead body, even that of the closest relative—father, mother, brother or sister.—Num. 6:1-7.