BIBLE DICTIONARY + WORD STUDY
How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.
GREEK · G3480
Nazōraios — Nazareth
Ναζωραῖος, -ου, ὁ (= -ρηνός, which see), a Nazarene: Mat.2:23 (LXX) Mat.26:71, Luk.18:37, Jhn.18:5, 7 19:19, Act.2:22 3:6 4:10 6:14 22:8 24:5 26:9.† (AS)
13 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →GREEK · G3479
Nazarēnos — Nazareth
Ναζαρηνός, -οῦ, ὁ (on the Semitic form, see Dalman, Gr., 141 n.) a Nazarene: Mrk.1:24 10:47 14:67 16:6, Luk.4:34 24:19.† (AS)
6 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →This epithet (Gr. Nazaraios) is applied to Christ only once (Matt. 2:23). In all other cases the word is rendered “of Nazareth” (Mark 1:24; 10:47; 14:67, etc.). When this Greek designation was at first applied to our Lord, it was meant simply to denote the place of his residence. In course of time the word became a term of reproach. Thus the word “Nazarene” carries with it an allusion to those prophecies which speak of Christ as “despised of men” (Isa. 53:3). Some, however, think that in this name there is an allusion to the Hebrew netser, which signifies a branch or sprout. It is so applied to the Messiah (Isa. 11:1), i.e., he whom the prophets called the Netse, the “Branch.” The followers of Christ were called “the sect of Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). All over Palestine and Syria this name is still given to Christians. (See NAZARETH.)
Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.
