Bible Word Study
Ναζαρέτ
nazaret · Nazareth
Ναζαρέτ
Nazareth
Definition
Ναζαρέτ (Nazareth) is the name of a small town in the region of Galilee, best known as the hometown of Jesus Christ before His public ministry. It is the place where Jesus grew up (Luke 2:51), was raised by Mary and Joseph (Matthew 2:23), and from which He began His ministry (Mark 1:9). The town is also significant as the location of the Annunciation to Mary (Luke 1:26) and as the place Jesus was rejected by His own townspeople (Luke 4:16-30). In the Gospels, it is often used to identify Jesus, as 'Jesus of Nazareth' (e.g., Matthew 21:11).
Biblical Usage
The word is used exclusively as a proper noun to designate the town of Nazareth. It appears in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, but not in John. Its usage is primarily geographical and biographical, serving to locate events in Jesus' early life (e.g., Luke 2:4, 39) and to identify His origin (e.g., Mark 1:9, Matthew 21:11). The pattern shows it is a key marker of Jesus' humble, human background and His connection to Galilee.
Etymology
The Greek word Ναζαρέτ is a transliteration of the Hebrew or Aramaic place name, likely derived from a root meaning 'branch' or 'shoot' (related to the Hebrew 'netzer'). This etymological connection is referenced in Matthew 2:23, where the prophet is quoted saying, 'He will be called a Nazarene,' linking Jesus to the messianic 'Branch' prophecies (e.g., Isaiah 11:1).
Semantic Range
Nazareth holds deep theological significance as it underscores the humility and incarnation of Jesus, who came from an obscure, despised town (John 1:46). Its connection to the 'Branch' (netzer) prophecies highlights Jesus' messianic identity as the fulfillment of Old Testament promises. Understanding its cultural reputation enriches reading by showing how God often works through the lowly and unexpected. In the 1st century, Nazareth was a small, relatively insignificant village in Galilee, not mentioned in the Old Testament or by contemporary historians. It had a poor reputation, as seen in Nathanael's question, 'Can anything good come from there?' (John 1:46). This context contrasts sharply with Jesus' later glory, emphasizing the surprising nature of God's choice. Ναζαρηνός (Nazarenos, G3479) — An adjective meaning 'of Nazareth' or 'Nazarene,' used as a title for Jesus (e.g., Mark 1:24).
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). Concordance and morphology data are derived from the interlinear Bible.
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]