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Jesus and Nazareth

Jesus and Nazareth. It seems there was a general misunderstanding among the people of Israel, concerning Jesus, because everybody thought Jesus was from Nazareth, e.g. that Nazareth was His city of birth:

"Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip." (John 1:45-46)

"Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, "Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?" They replied, "Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee."" (John 7:50-52)

The interesting fact was that Jesus was not from Nazareth in Galilee, but from Bethlehem in Judea. At some point of His childhood, His earthly father Joseph, after returning from Egypt, went and settled with his family in Nazareth. Probably that confused the people of Israel to think that Jesus and Nazareth or Jesus of Nazareth, would meant that Jesus was born there.

On the other hand, it is true, that Jesus made exactly Nazareth the Headquarters of His ministry, so much so that even today, we use the phrase: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth in our prayers, worship and conversations. So, yes - Jesus was Jesus of Nazareth, but what amazes me the most is how all the Pharisees and Saducees and the other religious leaders had missed to check thoroughly the information about Jesus birth. They had connections in every sphere of the Roman empire and they should have found out about the tax degree that was issued at the time of Ceasar Augustus in Luke 2:1-4. That was a very seriuos omission on their part, as that caused their getting offended at Jesus, because they knew the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem of Judea - they themselves told King Herod about that (Matthew 2:6).

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