Page 106 - Bible Geography and Near East Studies

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 40 years just
before young Jesus arrived with Mary and Joseph. The residents of Nazareth, living just four miles away,
would have surely gotten the message about 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.

P2174#y1
How Nazareth has Changed Since the Time of Jesus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB63XtV9fb4

Sepphoris – Zippori

This small city is located 3 ½ miles north-northwest of Nazareth. After the death of Herod the Great, a
rebel named Judas attacked the garrison there and stole the treasury and weapons to arm a revolt
against Herodian rule. In response, the Roman governor of Syria burnt the city down and sold its
inhabitants into slavery.

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