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'''Nazarene''' is a title applied to [[Jesus]] (''c.'' 4 BC- ''c.'' AD 30), who grew up in [[Nazareth]], a town in [[Galilee]], now in northern [[Israel]].<ref name="Britannica">"Jesus was a Galilean from Nazareth, a village near Sepphoris, one of the two major cities of Galilee". ("Jesus Christ." ''Encyclopædia Britannica,'' Chicago, 2009.)</ref> The word is used to translate two related terms that appear in the Greek [[New Testament]]: ''Nazarēne'' (Nazarene) and ''Nazōraios'' (Nazorean). The phrases traditionally rendered as "Jesus of Nazareth" can also be translated as "Jesus the Nazarene."<ref>{{bibleverse|Luke|18:37|ESV}}</ref> So the title "Nazarene" may have a religious significance, in addition to denoting a place of origin. Both Nazarene and Nazorean are irregular in Greek and the additional vowel in ''Nazorean'' complicates any derivation from Nazareth.<ref name="Bromily">Bromiley, Geoffrey W., "Nazarene," ''The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: K-P'', pp. 499-500.</ref>

'''Nazarene''' is a title applied to [[Jesus]] (''c.'' 4 BC- ''c.'' AD 30), who grew up in [[Nazareth]], a town in [[Galilee]], now in northern [[Israel]].<ref name="Britannica">"Jesus was a Galilean from Nazareth, a village near Sepphoris, one of the two major cities of Galilee". ("Jesus Christ." ''Encyclopædia Britannica,'' Chicago, 2009.)</ref> The word is used to translate two related terms that appear in the Greek [[New Testament]]: ''Nazarēne'' (Nazarene) and ''Nazōraios'' (Nazorean). The phrases traditionally rendered as "Jesus of Nazareth" can also be translated as "Jesus the Nazarene."<ref>{{bibleverse|Luke|18:37|ESV}}</ref> So the title "Nazarene" may have a religious significance, in addition to denoting a place of origin.

The [[Gospel of Matthew]] explains that the title Nazarene is derived from the prophecy, “he would be called a Nazarene.”<ref name="Matthew223">{{bibleverse||Matthew |2:22-23|ESV}}.</ref> Unlike other prophecies that Matthew quotes, this one has no obvious [[Old Testament]] source. It may refer to a passage in the [[Book of Isaiah]],<ref name="Isaiah111">{{bibleverse||Isaiah|11:1}}</ref> with "Nazarene" a Greek reading of the Hebrew ''ne·tser'' (branch), understood as a [[messiah|messianic]] title.<ref name="Miller">Miller, Fred P., [http://www.ao.net/~fmoeller/nazer2.htm Isaiah's Use of the word "Branch" or Nazarene]"</ref>

The [[Gospel of Matthew]] explains that the title Nazarene is derived from the prophecy, “he would be called a Nazarene.”<ref name="Matthew223">{{bibleverse||Matthew|2:23|ESV}}.</ref> Unlike other prophecies that Matthew quotes, this one has no obvious [[Old Testament]] source. It may refer to a passage in the [[Book of Isaiah]],<ref name="Isaiah111">{{bibleverse||Isaiah|11:1}}</ref> with "Nazarene" a Greek reading of the Hebrew ''ne·tser'' (branch), understood as a [[messiah|messianic]] title.<ref name="Miller">Miller, Fred P., [http://www.ao.net/~fmoeller/nazer2.htm Isaiah's Use of the word "Branch" or Nazarene]"</ref>

The Greek [[New Testament]] uses "Nazarene" six times, while "Nazorean" is used 13 times. In the [[Book of Acts]], "Nazorean" is used to refer to a follower of Jesus, i.e. a [[Christian]].<ref name="Acts245">{{bibleverse||Acts|24:5|ESV}}</ref> "Notzrim" is the modern Hebrew word for Christians (''No·tsri'', נוֹצְרִי) and one of two words commonly used to mean "Christian" in Arabic (''Naṣrānī'', نصراني).

The Greek [[New Testament]] uses "Nazarene" six times, while "Nazorean" is used 13 times. In the [[Book of Acts]], "Nazorean" is used to refer to a follower of Jesus, i.e. a [[Christian]].<ref name="Acts245">{{bibleverse||Acts|24:5|ESV}}</ref> "Notzrim" is the modern Hebrew word for Christians (''No·tsri'', נוֹצְרִי) and one of two words commonly used to mean "Christian" in Arabic (''Naṣrānī'', نصراني).

[[Jerome]] (''c.'' 347 – 420) linked "Nazarene" to a messianic prophecy by Isaiah, claiming that "Nazarene" was the Hebrew reading of a word modern scholars read as ''ne·tzer'' (branch).<ref>"For in the place where we read and translate, ''There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots,'' in the Hebrew idiom it is written thus, ''There shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse and a Nazarene shall grow from his root.''" (Jerome, Letter 47:7).</ref> The text from Isaiah is:

[[Jerome]] (''c.'' 347 – 420) linked "Nazarene" to a messianic prophecy by Isaiah, claiming that "Nazarene" was the Hebrew reading of a word modern scholars read as ''ne·tzer'' (branch).<ref>"For in the place where we read and translate, ''There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots,'' in the Hebrew idiom it is written thus, ''There shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse and a Nazarene shall grow from his root.''" (Jerome, Letter 47:7).</ref> The text from Isaiah is:

{{cquote|There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.

{{cquote|There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.<ref name="Isaiah111"/>}}

''ve·ya·tza cho·ter mig·ge·za yi·shai ve·ne·tzer mi·sha·ra·shav yif·reh.''<ref name="Isaiah111"/>}}

In ancient Hebrew texts, vowels were not indicated, so a wider variety of readings was possible in Jerome's time. Here branch/Nazarene is metaphorically "descendant" (of [[Jesse]], father of King [[David]]). [[Eusebius]], a 4th-century Christian polemicist, also argued that Isaiah was the source of "Nazarene." This prophecy by Isaiah was extremely popular in New Testament times and is also referred to in [[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]] and [[Revelation]].<ref>Bauckham, Richard, ''Jude and the Relatives of Jesus in the Early Church'', p. 65. See {{bibleverse||Romans|15:12|ESV}} and {{bibleverse||Revelation|5:5|ESV}}.</ref>

In ancient Hebrew texts, vowels were not indicated, so a wider variety of readings was possible in Jerome's time. Here branch/Nazarene is metaphorically "descendant" (of [[Jesse]], father of King [[David]]).[[Eusebius]], a 4th-century Christian polemicist, also argued that Isaiah was the source of "Nazarene." This prophecy by Isaiah was extremely popular in New Testament times and is also referred to in [[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]] and [[Revelation]].<ref>Bauckham, Richard, ''Jude and the Relatives of Jesus in the Early Church'', p. 65. See {{bibleverse||Romans|15:12|ESV}} and {{bibleverse||Revelation|5:5|ESV}}.</ref>

==Matthew==

==Matthew==

Matthew consistently uses the variant "Nazorean." A link between Nazorean and Nazareth is found in Matthew:

A link between Nazarene and Nazareth is found in Matthew:

{{cquote|And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He will be called a Nazorean.”<ref name="Matthew223"/>}}

{{cquote|And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.<ref name="Matthew223"/>}}

Matthew's prophecy is often linked to one in Isaiah.<ref name="Isaiah111"/> Although only Isaiah's prophecy gives "branch" as ''ne·tser'', there are four other messianic prophecies where the word for branch is given as ''tze·mach''.<ref name="netserproph">{{bibleverse||Jeremiah|23:5-6|ESV}}, {{bibleverse||Jeremiah|33:15-16|ESV}}, {{bibleverse||Zechariah|3:8|ESV}}, and {{bibleverse||Zechariah|6:12|ESV}}.</ref> Matthew's phrase "spoken through the prophets" may suggest that these passages are being referred to collectively.<ref name="Miller"/> In contrast, the phrase "through the prophet," used a few verses above the Nazorean prophecy,<ref>{{bibleverse||Matthew|2:15|ESV}}</ref> refers to a specific Old Testament passage.<ref>Namely {{bibleverse||Hosea|11:1|ESV}}</ref>

Matthew's prophecy is often linked to one in Isaiah.<ref name="Isaiah111"/> Although only Isaiah's prophecy gives "branch" as ''ne·tser'', there are four other messianic prophecies where the word for branch is given as ''tze·mach''.<ref name="netserproph">{{bibleverse||Jeremiah|23:5-6|ESV}}, {{bibleverse||Jeremiah|33:15-16|ESV}}, {{bibleverse||Zechariah|3:8|ESV}}, and {{bibleverse||Zechariah|6:12|ESV}}.</ref> Matthew's phrase "spoken by the prophets" may suggest that these passages are being referred to collectively.<ref name="Miller"/> In contrast, the phrase "through the prophet," used a few verses above the Nazorean prophecy,<ref>{{bibleverse||Matthew|2:15|ESV}}</ref> refers to a specific Old Testament passage.<ref>Namely {{bibleverse||Hosea|11:1|ESV}}</ref>

An alternative view suggests that a passage in the [[Book of Judges]] which refers to [[Samson]] as a Nazirite is the source for Matthew's prophecy. "Nazorite" is only one letter off from "Nazorean" in Greek.<ref name="France">France, R. T., ''The Gospel of Matthew,'' pp. 92-93. See {{bibleverse||Judges|13:5-7|ESV}}. The [[Septuagint]] gives "Nazirite" as ναζιραιον, while Matthew gives Nazorean as Ναζωραῖος.</ref> But the characterization of Jesus in the New Testament is not that of a typical Nazirite, and it is doubtful that Matthew intended a comparison between Jesus and the amoral Samson.<ref name="France"/>

An alternative view suggests that a passage in the [[Book of Judges]] which refers to [[Samson]] as a Nazirite is the source for Matthew's prophecy. "Nazorite" is only one letter off from "Nazorean" in Greek.<ref name="France">France, R. T., ''The Gospel of Matthew,'' pp. 92-93. See {{bibleverse||Judges|13:5-7|ESV}}. The [[Septuagint]] gives "Nazirite" as ναζιραιον, while Matthew gives Nazorean as Ναζωραῖος.</ref> But the characterization of Jesus in the New Testament is not that of a typical Nazirite, and it is doubtful that Matthew intended a comparison between Jesus and the amoral Samson.<ref name="France"/>