Gospels Part 078
“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” This was an insult for a town with no reputation. Although Nazareth was a small, out-of-the-way village in Galilee, it is the setting for several miracles that set the stage for the arrival of the Messiah—Jesus of Nazareth.
We have covered the miraculous announcement to the elderly priest Zechariah that he and his wife would bear a son in their old age and that this son was the prophesied messenger who would prepare the way for the long-prophesied Messiah. Now the scene shifts from Jerusalem to a small town about 65 miles to the north called Nazareth.
Let’s talk briefly about Nazareth because this is where our story begins a new chapter. This will be the town where Jesus grew to adulthood. Nazareth was in the region of Galilee, about 15 miles west of the Sea of Galilee, a large inland lake. This area was and still is agriculturally fertile. Nazareth was set in a bowl-shaped valley surrounded by hills where grapes were grown and harvested to produce wine. The entire region of Galilee, where Nazareth was located, was and remains today a good wine-growing area.
The village of Nazareth was like many other small villages, not particularly notable in any way. With a population of only several hundred people, it wasn’t very large (today, it’s a sizable Arab city of several hundred thousand). Not much is known about the original Nazareth because little archaeological work has been done due to its remains being buried beneath the modern city that has covered the entire area.
In biblical times Nazareth was viewed as a backwater town where nothing important ever happened. You might remember the comment one of Jesus’ own disciples made about Nazareth, when Nathaniel said, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46).
Nazareth is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible apart from being Jesus’ hometown. Being somewhat isolated and not positioned along any major roads, it’s not surprising that it was considered insignificant.
What does the name “Nazareth” mean? Many if not most of the biblical place names we’ll encounter have a Hebrew word at their root. So, what is at the root of the word Nazareth? Notice Isaiah 11:1:
“There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.”
The Hebrew word translated “Branch” here is netser, meaning a branch, shoot or sprout. “Nazareth” comes from netser, which gives us Nazareth when translated into the Greek language used by the Gospel writers.
So, Jesus, the prophesied “Branch” of Isaiah 11:1, would grow up in a town we might call in English “Branchtown” or “Branchville”! This is one of many wordplays recorded for us by the writers of the Gospels.
© 2026 Scott Ashley. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
UYA Team | uya@ucg.org
United Young Adults (UYA) primarily serves the 18–32-year age group for the United Church of God. There are three main areas of contribution to the lives of the young adults: Promoting Spiritual Growth, Developing Meaningful Relationships and Making the Most of Your Talents. The Know Your Sword series is a daily expository message introducing God’s Word from a trusted perspective.
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Scott Ashley
Scott Ashley was managing editor of Beyond Today magazine, United Church of God booklets and its printed Bible Study Course until his retirement in 2023. He also pastored three congregations in Colorado for 10 years from 2011-2021. He and his wife, Connie, live near Denver, Colorado.
Mr. Ashley attended Ambassador College in Big Sandy, Texas, graduating in 1976 with a theology major and minors in journalism and speech. It was there that he first became interested in publishing, an industry in which he worked for 50 years.
During his career, he has worked for several publishing companies in various capacities. He was employed by the United Church of God from 1995-2023, overseeing the planning, writing, editing, reviewing and production of Beyond Today magazine, several dozen booklets/study guides and a Bible study course covering major biblical teachings. His special interests are the Bible, archaeology, biblical culture, history and the Middle East.
