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• Jesus of Nazareth

Jesus of Nazareth

THE ANCIENT ROAD (RIGHT) from Nazareth to Capernaum, Galilee, Israel. Matthew reports, "Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim" (Matthew 4:12–13). When Jesus traveled on this ancient and well-worn road from his boyhood home to the much larger fishing town on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, he was about thirty years of age. During the next several years his ministry would spread throughout Galilee and Judea and his message throughout the world. However, he would be forever identified with Nazareth.

When Jesus began his ministry, he called disciples to follow him. After he chose Philip, Philip in turn found Nathanael and announced. "We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" (John 1:45; emphasis added). Nathanael then asked the famous question, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46, emphasis added). Philip adroitly replied, "Come and see" (John 1:46). Providentially, Nathanael chose to accept Philip's invitation to come and see for himself. He did so and discovered that Jesus was indeed the one spoken of by all the prophets. After his brief encounter with Jesus, Nathanael testified, "Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the king of Israel" (John 1:49).

WHEN JESUS LEFT THE SMALL, INSIGNIFICANT HAMLET KNOWN as Nazareth, he began a ministry of healing and teaching that eventually brought him to the Holy City of Jerusalem for his final Passover celebration. Here, as the true "Lamb of God," he suffered and died (see John 1:29). Even in death, he was identified with the small village off the main road in the hills of Galilee: "And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS" (John 19:19; emphasis added).

Years later, following the Resurrection, Peter began to reach out beyond his Jewish brothers and sisters when he visited the Roman centurion, Cornelius, in Caesarea Maritima to share the "good news." In this momentous meeting, Peter began to realize the Jesus' mission would expand well beyond Galilee and Judea. And then he began his famous sermon that would lead to the conversion of the first Gentiles with the geographical identification of Jesus' boyhood home: "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him" (Acts 10:38; emphasis added).

The impact Jesus had on people is demonstrated by the fact that the disciples themselves left their fishing nets, boats, and simple lives; one left a toll booth and others left royal employers to follow Jesus of Nazareth. They changed from common laborers, scribes, fishermen, and members of the royal bureaucracy into disciples who were about to begin to fulfill the risen Lord's command, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19–20). As a result, people well beyond the Holy Land would learn about Jesus of Nazareth. As Matthew said about Jesus, "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" (Matthew 2:23; emphasis added).