Jesus' Life as a Boy in Nazareth According to Scripture
The life of Jesus as a boy in Nazareth is primarily known through the Gospel accounts, particularly Luke 2:39, which states that after Jesus' presentation in the temple, "Joseph and Mary returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth" [2]. Nazareth, a small town in Lower Galilee, is identified as Jesus' hometown and the place where he was brought up (Luke 4:16) [2].
The biblical account of Jesus' childhood is sparse, with only one incident recorded: Jesus' visit to the temple in Jerusalem at the age of twelve (Luke 2:41-52). After this event, Jesus "went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them" (Luke 2:51), indicating a period of subjection to his parents.
The town of Nazareth, where Jesus spent his boyhood, is described as being situated among the hills south of Lebanon, overlooking the plain of Esdraelon [3]. The name "Nazareth" is believed to be derived from the Hebrew word "netser," meaning "shoot" or "sprout," which is seen by some as having prophetic significance in relation to Jesus as the Messiah [4].
The period Jesus spent in Nazareth is often referred to as his "hidden life," as there is little recorded about his activities during this time. It is known that Jesus was educated and grew up in a devout Jewish family, with his parents being observant Jews [1]. The fact that Jesus was known as "Jesus of Nazareth" or "the Nazarene" indicates that his connection to Nazareth was significant to his identity [1, 6].
The significance of Jesus' life in Nazareth is highlighted in the New Testament, where it is seen as a fulfillment of prophecy. Matthew 2:23 notes that Jesus' upbringing in Nazareth was a fulfillment of the prophecy that he would be called a Nazarene [7]. The fact that Jesus was from Nazareth, a town not mentioned in the Old Testament, added to the surprise and sometimes offense that people felt towards him [5].
Jesus' life in Nazareth came to an end when he began his public ministry, being baptized by John the Baptist and then starting his preaching in Galilee, including in his hometown of Nazareth (Luke 4:14-31) [2]. The residents of Nazareth knew Jesus as a carpenter, or craftsman, and were initially offended by his claims and teachings [8].
The biblical account of Jesus' life in Nazareth provides a glimpse into his early years and sets the stage for his later ministry. The significance of Nazareth in Jesus' life is underscored by its connection to his identity and the fulfillment of prophecy [4, 7].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Jesus — (1.) Joshua, the son of Nun (Acts 7:45; Heb. 4:8; R.V., "Joshua"). (2.) A Jewish Christian surnamed Justus (Col. 4:11). Je'sus, the proper, as Christ is the official, name of our Lord. To distinguish him from others so called, he is spoken of as "Jesus of Nazareth" (John 18:7), and "Jesus the son of Joseph" (John 6:42). This is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, which was originally Hoshea (Num. 13:8, 16), but changed by Moses into Jehoshua (Num. 13:16; 1 Chr. 7:27), or Joshua. After the Exile it assumed the form Jeshua, whence the Greek form Jesus. It”
- Luke “Luke 4:16 (BSB) — Then Jesus came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. As was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath. And when He stood up to read,”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Nazareth — (the guarded one) the ordinary residence of our Saviour, is not mentioned in the Old Testament, but occurs first in (Matthew 2:23) It derives its celebrity from its connection with the history of Christ, and in that respect has a hold on the imagination and feelings of men which it shares only with Jerusalem and Bethlehem. It is situated among the hills which constitute the south ridges of Lebanon, just before they sink down into the plain of Esdraelon, (Mr. Merrill, in "Galilee in the Time of Christ" (1881), represents Nazareth in Christ's time as a city (”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Nazarene — an inhabitant of Nazareth. This appellative is applied to,Jesus in many passages in the New Testament. This name, made striking in so many ways, and which, if first given in scorn, was adopted and gloried in by the disciples, we are told in (Matthew 2:23) possesses a prophetic significance. Its application to Jesus, in consequence of the providential arrangements by which his Parents were led to take up their abode in Nazareth, was the filling out of the predictions in which the promised Messiah is described as a netser i.e. a shoot, sprout, of Jesse, a hum”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Nazareth — Separated, generally supposed to be the Greek form of the Hebrew netser, a "shoot" or "sprout." Some, however, think that the name of the city must be connected with the name of the hill behind it, from which one of the finest prospects in Palestine is obtained, and accordingly they derive it from the Hebrew notserah, i.e., one guarding or watching, thus designating the hill which overlooks and thus guards an extensive region. This city is not mentioned in the Old Testament. It was the home of Joseph and Mary (Luke 2:39), and here the angel announced to th”
- Acts ““Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in your midst, even as you yourselves know, -- Acts 2:22”
- Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 2:23: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth--a small town in Lower Galilee, lying in the territory of the tribe of Zebulun, and about equally distant from the Mediterranean Sea on the west and the Sea of Galilee on the east. Note--If, from Luk 2:39, one would conclude that the parents of Jesus brought Him straight back to Nazareth after His presentation in the temple--as if there had been no visit of the Magi, no flight to Egypt, no stay there, and no purpose on returning to settle again at Bethlehem--one might, from our Evangelist's way of speaki”
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 6:3: 6:3-4 The residents of Nazareth thought of Jesus only as a carpenter (literally craftsman). • He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary: One expects “son of Joseph”; this phrasing probably indicates that Joseph had died by this time. • brother . . . his sisters: See study note on 3:31-35. • They were deeply offended: They thought Jesus was claiming to be someone he could not possibly be.”