Difference between revisions of "Nazareth"

<p> In a basin among hills descending into [[Esdraelon]] from Lebanon, and forming a valley which runs in a wavy line E. and W. On the northern side of the valley the rounded limestone hills rise to 400 or 500 ft. The valley and hill sides abound in gay flowers as the hollyhock growing wild, fig trees, olives, and oranges, gardens with cactus hedges, and grainfields. Now ''En Nazirah'' on a hill of Galilee (&nbsp;Mark 1:9), with a precipice nigh (&nbsp;Luke 4:29); near [[Cane]] (&nbsp;John 2:1-2; &nbsp;John 2:11). Its population of 4,000 is partly Muslim, but mainly of Latin and Greek Christians. It has a mosque, a Maronite, a Greek, and a [[Protestant]] church, and a large Franciscan convent. The rain pouring down the hills would sweep away a house founded on the surface, and often leaves the streets impassable with mud. So the houses generally are of stone, founded, after digging deep, upon the rock (&nbsp;Luke 6:47). </p> <p> On a hill behind is the tomb of neby Ismail, commanding one of the most lovely prospects in the world, [[Lebanon]] and snowy Hermon on the N., [[Carmel]] and the [[Mediterranean]] and Acca on the W., [[Gilead]] and [[Tabor]] on the S.E., the Esdraelon plain and the [[Samaria]] mountains on the S., and villages on every side; Cana, Nain, Endor, [[Jezreel]] (Zerin), etc. [[Doubtless]] in early life Jesus often stood on this spot and held communion with His Father who, by His Son, had created this glorious scene. Nazareth is never named in Old Testament. It was there [[Gabriel]] was sent from God to announce to the [[Virgin]] her coming conception of Him who shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of whose kingdom there shall be no end (&nbsp;Luke 1:26-33). After His birth and the sojourn in Egypt Joseph and Mary took the child to their original home in Nazareth, six miles W. of Mount Tabor (&nbsp;Matthew 2:23; &nbsp;Luke 2:39; &nbsp;Luke 4:16). </p> <p> As "John the Baptist; was in the desert until the day of his showing unto Israel," so Messiah was growing up unknown to the world in the sequestered town among the mountains, until His baptism by the forerunner ushered in His public ministry. As Jews alone lived in Nazareth from before Josephus' time to the reign of [[Constantine]] (Epiphanius, Haer.), it is impossible to identify the sacred sites as tradition pretends to do, namely, the place of the annunciation to Mary, with the inscription on the pavement of the grotto, " '''''Ηic Verbum Caro Factum Est''''' ", the '''''Mensa Christi''''' , and the synagogue from whence Jesus was dragged to the brow of the hill. Of all Rome's lying legends, none exceeds that of Joseph's house ( '''''Santa Casa''''' ) having been whisked from Nazareth to [[Loretto]] in the 13th century; in spite of the bull of Leo X endorsing the legend, the fact remains that the santa casa is of a dark red stone, such as is not found in or about Nazareth, where the grey white limestone prevails, and also the ground plan of the house at Loretto is at variance with the site of the house at Nazareth shown by the [[Franciscans]] within their convent walls. </p> <p> Jesus taught in the synagogue of Nazareth, "His own country" (&nbsp;Matthew 13:54), and was there "thrust out of the city and led unto the brow of the hill whereon if was built, to be cast down headlong," but "passing through the midst of them He went His way" (&nbsp;Luke 4:16-30). The hill of precipitation" is not the one presumed, two miles S.E. of Nazareth. The present village is on the hill side, nearer the bottom than the top. Among the rocky ledges above the lower parts of the village is one 40 ft. high, and perpendicular, near the Maronite church: this is probably the true site. It is striking how accurately Luke steers clear of a mistake; he does not say they ascended or descended to reach the precipice, but "led" Jesus to it. He does not say the "city" was built on the brow of the hill, but that the precipice was "on the brow," without stating whether it was above (as is the case) or below the town. </p> <p> A forger could hardly go so near a topographical mistake, without falling into it. "Jesus of Nazareth" was part of the inscription on the cross (&nbsp;John 19:19). It is the designation by which He revealed Himself to Saul (&nbsp;Acts 22:8). Nazareth bore a bad name even in Galilee ''(For Nathanael Who [[Said]] "Can Any Good [[Thing]] Come Out Of Nazareth?" Was Of Galilee)'' , which itself, because of its half pagan population and rude dialect, was despised by the people of Judea. The absence of "good" in Nazareth appears from the people's willful unbelief in spite of Jesus' miracles, and their attempt on His life (&nbsp;Matthew 13:54-58), so that He left them, to settle in Capernaum (&nbsp;Matthew 4:13). "The fountain of the Virgin" is at the N.E. of the town. </p>

<p> [[Nazareth]] ( ''Năz'A-R'' ''Ĕth'' ), ''Separated?'' &nbsp;Matthew 2:23. A city of Galilee, famous as the home of Jesus during his childhood and youth until he began his public ministry. It was about 14 miles from the Sea of Galilee, and 66 miles north of Jerusalem in a straight line. It is one of the most beautiful sites in the Holy Land. Nazareth is not mentioned in the Old Testament, nor by any classical author, nor by any writer before the time of Christ. It was for some unknown reason held in disrepute among the Jews of Judæa. &nbsp;John 1:46. It was situated in a mountain, &nbsp;Luke 4:29, within the province of Galilee, &nbsp;Mark 1:9, and near Cana, as &nbsp;John 2:1-2; &nbsp;John 2:11 seems to imply. There was a precipice near the town, down which the people proposed to cast Jesus. &nbsp;Luke 4:29. It is mentioned 29 times in the New Testament. At Nazareth the angel appeared to Mary: the home of Joseph, &nbsp;Luke 1:26; &nbsp;Luke 2:39, and to that place Joseph and Mary returned after their flight into Egypt. &nbsp;Matthew 2:23. The hills and places about the town possess a deep and hallowed interest to the [[Christian]] as the home of Jesus during his childhood and youth, until he entered upon his ministry, and had preached in the synagogue, and was rejected by his own townspeople. Even after Capernaum became "his own city" he was known as "Jesus of Nazareth," &nbsp;Matthew 13:54-58; &nbsp;Mark 6:1-6; &nbsp;Acts 2:22; &nbsp;Acts 3:6; &nbsp;Acts 4:10; &nbsp;Acts 6:14, and his disciples were called "Nazarenes." The town is now called En-Nâsirah, or Nasrah, and has from 6000 to 7000 population, though the Turkish officials estimate it at 10,000. The brow of the hill over which the enraged Nazarenes threatened to cast Jesus is probably near the Maronite church, though tradition places it at the "Mount of Precipitation," two or three miles south of the town. </p>

<p> ''''' naz´a ''''' - ''''' reth ''''' ( Ναζαρέτ , <i> ''''' Nazarét ''''' </i> , Ναζαρέθ , <i> ''''' Nazaréth ''''' </i> , and other forms): </p> 1. [[Notice]] Confined to the New Testament: <p> A town in Galilee, the home of Joseph. and the Virgin Mary, and for about 30 years the scene of the Saviour's life (&nbsp;Matthew 2:23; &nbsp;Mark 1:9; &nbsp;Luke 2:39 , &nbsp;Luke 2:51; &nbsp;Luke 4:16 , etc.). He was therefore called Jesus of Nazareth, although His birthplace was Bethlehem; and those who became His disciples were known as Nazarenes. This is the name, with slight modification, used to this day by [[Moslems]] for Christians, <i> ''''' Naṣārā ''''' </i> - the singular being <i> ''''' Naṣrāny ''''' </i> . </p> <p> The town is not named in the Old Testament, although the presence of a spring and the convenience of the site make it probable that the place was occupied in old times. Quaresimus learned that the ancient name was <i> ''''' [[Medina]] ''''' </i> <i> ''''' Abiat ''''' </i> , in which we may recognize the Arabic <i> ''''' el ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' Medı̄nat ''''' </i> <i> ''''' el ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' baiḍah ''''' </i> , "the white town." [[Built]] of the white stone supplied by the limestone rocks around, the description is quite accurate. There is a reference in [[Mishna]] ( <i> ''''' Menāḥōth ''''' </i> viii. 6) to the "white house of the hill" whence wine for the drink offering was brought. An elegy for the 9th of [[Abib]] speaks of a "course" of priests settled in Nazareth. This, however, is based upon an ancient midhrash now lost (Neubauer, <i> Geogr </i> . <i> du </i> <i> [[Talmud]] </i> , 82,85, 190; Delitzsch, <i> Ein Tag in Capernaum </i> , 142). But all this leaves us still in a state of uncertainty. </p> 2. Position and [[Physical]] Features: <p> The ancient town is represented by the modern <i> ''''' en ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' Nāṣirah ''''' </i> , which is built mainly on the western and northwestern slopes of a hollow among the lower hills of Galilee, just before they sink into the plain of Esdraelon. It lies about midway between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean at Haifa. The road to the plain and the coast goes over the southwestern lip of the hollow; that to [[Tiberias]] and Damascus over the heights to the Northeast. A rocky gorge breaks down southward, issuing on the plain between two craggy hills. That to the West is the traditional Hill of Precipitation (&nbsp; Luke 4:29 ). This, however, is too far from the city as it must have been in the days of Christ. It is probable that the present town occupies pretty nearly the ancient site; and the scene of that attempt on Jesus' life may have been the cliff, many feet in height, not far from the old synagogue, traces of which are still seen in the western part of the town. There is a good spring under the Greek [[Orthodox]] church at the foot of the hill on the North. The water is led in a conduit to the fountain, whither the women and their children go as in old times, to carry home in their jars supplies for domestic use. There is also a tiny spring in the face of the western hill. To the Northwest rises the height on which stands the sanctuary, now in ruins, of <i> ''''' Neby ''''' </i> <i> ''''' Sa‛ı̄n ''''' </i> . From this point a most beautiful and extensive view is obtained, ranging on a clear day from the Mediterranean on the West to the [[Mountain]] of [[Bashan]] on the East; from Upper Galilee and Mt. Hermon on the North to the uplands of Gilead and Samaria on the South The whole extent of Esdraelon is seen, that great battlefield, associated with so many heroic exploits in Israel's history, from Carmel and [[Megiddo]] to Tabor and Mt. Gilboa. </p> 3. [[Present]] Inhabitants: <p> There are now some 7,000 inhabitants, mainly Christian, of whom the Greek Orthodox church claims about 3,000. Moslems number about 1,600. There are no Jews. It is the chief market town for the pastoral and agricultural district that lies around it. </p> 4. Labors of Jesus: <p> In Nazareth, Jesus preached His first recorded sermon (&nbsp;Luke 4:16 ff), when His plainness of speech aroused the homicidal fury of His hearers. "He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief" (&nbsp; Matthew 13:58 ). [[Finding]] no rest or security in Nazareth, He made His home in Capernaum. The reproach implied in Nathanael's question, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" (&nbsp;John 1:46 ), has led to much speculation. By ingenious emendation of the text Cheyne would read, "Can the Holy One proceed from Nazareth?" ( <i> EB </i> , under the word). Perhaps, however, we should see no more in this than the acquiescence of Nathanael's humble spirit in the lowly estimate of his native province entertained by the leaders of his people in Judea. </p> 5. Later History: <p> Christians are said to have first settled here in the time of Constantine (Epiphanius), whose mother Helena built the Church of the Annunciation. In crusading times it was the seat of the bishop of Bethscan. It passed into Moslem hands after the disaster to the Crusaders at <i> ''''' Ḥaṭṭı̄n ''''' </i> (1183). It was destroyed by [[Sultan]] Bibars in 1263. In 1620 the Franciscans rebuilt the Church of the Annunciation, and the town rose again from its ruins. Here in 1799 the French general Junot was assailed by the Turks. After his brilliant victory over the Turks at Tabor, Napoleon visited Nazareth. The place suffered some damage in the earthquake of 1837. </p> <p> Protestant [[Missions]] are now represented in Nazareth by agents of the Church Missionary Society, and of the [[Edinburgh]] Medical Missionary Society. </p>