JESUS OF NAZARETH:
The Lord Jesus was commonly referred to as Jesus of Nazareth, in both the Gospels and The Acts of the Apostles. In Hebrew Yeshua ha-Notzri (notes-Ree), Jesus the Nazareth-ite. Nazareth in Hebrew is “Natzeret.”
Many theories have been proposed as to the meaning of Nazareth and of the phrase, He shall be called a Nazarene.” It has been suggested that Nazareth comes from “nazarite,” and that a Nazarene is a nazarite. Upon a close observation, however, Nazareth and nazarite come from two completely different Hebrew words. Nazarite comes from “Nazir,” which means separated, consecrated, devoted, aloof, and set apart. Some have still insisted that this describes Jesus, but in the Hebrew New Testament, Matthew 11:18 and 19 states that “…He claims not to be a Nazarite…” (emphasis added).
Others have suggested that Nazareth comes from the Hebrew word “netzer,” meaning a branch or shoot, because one of Messiah’s names is “the BRANCH…”, in Zechariah 3:8. But the word in Zechariah is not “netzer,” rather it is “tsemach.” Yet Isaiah 11:1 says, “There shall come forth a rod (do not know where the Hebrew word for “rod” comes from it has an unusual origin) out of the stem of Jesse, and a BRANCH (netzer) shall grow out of his roots.” This is obviously speaking of Jesus, and helps explain one of His New Testament Names, “Root of David.” Nazareth, however, is in the feminine, and as spelled in the Bible would not mean “branch.” Now, we are still confronted with the dilemma, What does Nazareth mean?
MEANING OF NAZARETH:
The Hebrew word “natzeret” (not-zeh-Ret) means guardian. It comes from the verb “natzar” which means to behold, watch, guard, see, preserve, and protect. It probably appeared first as the name of the hill upon which Nazareth sits, a hill affording the greatest view in all of Northern Israel. It thus came to be called Nazareth—guardian hill, the hill of one who watches (feminine).
Near the top of the hill is a secluded valley. Shielded from view, the town of Nazareth began to grow in this protected spot. It took its name from the hill it was sheltered within, and is in the feminine passive: the guarded or protected one. So, the word “Natzeret” is a perfect description, of the physical setting, of the town (see Luke 4:16-29).
THE BEAUTY OF THE NAME:
Hence, the beauty of the name Nazareth the hill (she who guards) and Nazareth the town (guarded, protected) is in its relationship to the protected childhood of Jesus and in His repeated designation “of Nazareth” throughout His ministry (John 1:46, “…Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?”).
Yet a key aspect of this name, and one which involves Messianic Prophecy, concerns Mary, the mother of Jesus. Furthermore, Mary, in Hebrew is Miriam, grew up in Nazareth and like the town itself, was guarded and to open to public view. Does not the Scripture (Luke 2:19) say that “she pondered in her heart all the great prophecies she received?” She literally guarded them; she did not spread them far and wide as others might have done. Let us never forget that Miriam was the Lord’s chosen vessel to be Jesus’ mother, that Nazareth was God’s choice of her hometown, but more importantly the hometown of His own Son (about thirty years).
A GLORIOUS SCRIPTURAL SIGN:
Thus, that brings us to a glorious scriptural sign of great importance in regard to Messiah’s first appearance. God’s plan for the redemption of Israel, through the New Covenant, is revealed in Jeremiah Chapter 31. The miraculous sign is given in verse 22 and needs some exegesis or explanation. Let us now consider this passage: Jeremiah 31:22—“…for the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man” (emphasis added).
There are several key words for our consideration: woman, compass or surround and man. First, the word woman in Hebrew is “nekebah.” Nekebah is translated “female” eighteen times in the Scriptures and “maid child” only once. It is a derivative from words meaning “pipe, pierced, and hollow,” and refers to “the shape of the female womb, in regards to it being a hollow place.”
Second, the word compass or surround in Hebrew is “sabab” and it means to completely encircle or enclose something or someone.
Third, the word man in Hebrew is “geber,” which means a champion, a mighty man of valor, and is even found in the title/name Lord God Almighty—Jehovah El Gibbor. Yes, the sign, never before or since seen in history, is that a female, a womb, will completely protect and enclose someone, a man, who is already a champion!
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