A Branch in Nazareth
What was Jesus' childhood town like?
So Nazareth becomes the childhood home of Jesus, being the hometown of Joseph and Mary (Bethlehem is Joseph’s family’s hometown and the reason for which they had to travel for the census).
Some scholars point out that the name Nazareth itself may be in part derived from the Hebrew word netzer, which means “branch.” Luke could be drawing allusions here to the prophecy in Isaiah 11 you’ll read below.
Nazareth is believed to have been a small town of 200-400 people in the 1st century, surely an agrarian town. This could explain Jesus’ preference those agrarian images deeply-embedded in his parables and teachings. (Though much of the whole of Galilee would be quite familiar with farming illustrations.)
Jesus came for the whole world - urban and agrarian alike. Yet, there might be some things to consider in that Jesus was raised and formed as a human in the agrarian Nazareth. Do you have any thoughts?
Luke 2:39-40
When Mary and Joseph had completed everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to their hometown, Nazareth in Galilee. The child grew up and became strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.
Isaiah 11:1-2
A shoot will grow up from the stump of Jesse; a branch will sprout from his roots. The Lord’s spirit will rest upon him, a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of planning and strength, a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.
Prayer
God,
Yet again I’m reminded of the humanity of our Lord Jesus who grew up in Nazareth. Knowing of his placement within a town, in a neighborhood, with a local economy and a street, makes his role all the more powerful to me.
My prayer is simply one of gratitude today on this 6th day of Christmas: Thank you for sending Jesus as you did, as one of us.
By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.
I’ve been reading this book “Jesus” by Fr James Martin and it’s structured based on Jesus’ life chronologically, juxtaposed with scenes from Martin’s own pilgrimage to sites described in the story. That kind of specific, embodied, like neighborhood/village/place/economy quality really came alive for the author, and does for the reader as well.
I thought of the word agargian and thought it has something to do with farming, but decided to go look it up for a more accurate and complete definition. When I did, I thought, "how appropriate is this definition as it relates to Jesus!" According to dictionary.com, when used as a noun, the word agargian means:
a person who advocates a redistribution of landed property, especially as part of a social movement.
Jesus certainly came to bring about social change through love. It is an ongoing movement. He cultivated the change with seeds of love, joy, hope, peace and all the fruit of the Spirit. This is also our calling as we go and fulfill the Great Commission.