Page 108 - Advanced Bible Geography ebook

Matthew 1:20-21) in Nazareth, and upon returning from a brief stay in Egypt, Mary and Joseph decided
to return to Nazareth as they raised their own family (Matthew 2:22-23).

When Jesus began his ministry, he preached a sermon in his hometown synagogue that caused an
uproar (Matthew 13:54-58, Mark 6:1-6, Luke 4:16-30). His message included the reading of a Messianic
Promise and a brief commentary announcing that he was the promised Messiah. After surviving an
effort by the locals to throw him off the cliff, Jesus left Nazareth for good, being amazed at their
unbelief. Both Matthew and Mark include the detail that Jesus could do no miracle in Nazareth because
of unbelief.

Nazareth is a large city today, with a population of about 60,000. The church in the center of this photo marks the
traditional location of where Mary heard the news that she would be the mother of the Christ child. In the distance,
the Jezreel Valley can be seen.

Nazareth was heavily influenced by the presence of Roman soldiers and the dominion of Rome over
Israel. The enormous Roman Sixth Legion was stationed just 10 miles away, near Megiddo. Roman
garrisons were stationed throughout the land, with one on the outskirts of Nazareth. Prostitution with
the Roman soldiers was one of the ways women of the area could survive and Nazareth’s reputation for
this activity did the town little good. When Nathanael heard that a potential Messiah had come from
this village, he asked, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:45-46). In addition, the
nearby town of Sepphoris, or Zippori, had been destroyed twice because of rebellion in a 40-year span
just before young Jesus arrived with Mary and Joseph. The residents of Nazareth, living just four miles
away, would have surely gotten the message of what happens to communities that support
troublemakers. This, too, could have been a reason for rejecting Jesus. If he claimed to be the Messiah
and drew the ire of Rome, it could draw unwanted attention to his hometown.

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