Nazarene

Inhabitant of Nazareth; Jesus so-called

A native of Nazareth. Joseph and Mary, when they returned from Egypt, went to reside at Nazareth, “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.” These words are not found in the Old Testament, but the thought conveyed by them is in the prophets generally, that the Messiah would be despised and reproached (Psa. 69; Isa. 53). His disciples suffered the same reproach: Paul had to hear himself called “a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes” (Matt. 2:23²³And 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); Acts 24:5⁵For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: (Acts 24:5)). Christians in some parts of Palestine are still called Nazarenes.

gentilic of Nazareth