The other passages of Scripture Avhich refer expressly to Nazareth, though not numerous, are suggestive and deserve to be recalled here. It was the home of Joseph and Mar}' (Luke ii, 39). The angel announced to the Virgin there the birth of the Messiah (Luke i, 26-28). The holy family returned thither after the flight into Egypt (Matt, ii, 23). Nazareth is called the native country (j) iraTpig aurov) of Jesus: he grew up there from infancy to manhood (Luke iv, 16), and \vas known through life as "The Nazarene." He taught in the synagogue there (Matt, xiii, 54; Luke iv, 16), and was dragged by his feUow-townsmen to the precipice in or- der to be cast down thence and be killed (t/f to kotu- Kpriiivi(jai avTov). "Jesus of Nazareth, king of the Jews," was written over his cross (John xix, 19), and after his ascension he revealed himself under that appel- lation to the persecuting Saul (Acts xxii, 8). The place has given name to his followers in all ages and aU lands, a name which will never cease to be one of honor and reproach. See Nazarene.
The origin of the disrepute in which Nazareth stood (John i, 47) is not certainly known. All the inhabi- tants of Galilee were looked upon with contempt by the people of Judica because they spoke a ruder dialect, were less cultivated, and were more exposed by their
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position to contact with the heathen. But Nazareth labored under a special opprobrium, for it was a Gali- hean and not a southern Jew who asked the reproachful question, whether "any good thing" could come from that source. The term '' good" (ayaSov), having more commonly an ethical sense, it has been suggested that the inliabitants of Nazareth may have had a bad name among their neighbors for irreligion or some laxity of morals. The siH)position receives support from the disposition which they manifested towards the person and ministry of our Lord. They attempted to kill him ; they cxiK-lled him twice (for Luke iv, lG-29 and Matt, xiii, 5I-08 relate (irobably to different occurrences) from their borders; they were so wilful and unbelieving that he performed not many miracles among them (Matt. xiii, 58) ; and, finally, they compelled him to turn his back upon them and reside at Capernaum (Matt. iv. lo).
'2. Location. — Nazareth is a moderate journey of three days from Jerusalem, seven hours, or about twenty miles, from Akka or Ptolemais (Acts xxi, 7), five or six hours, or eight<>cn miles, from the Sea of Galilee, six miles west from Mount Tabor, two hours from Cana, and two or three from Endor and Nain. It is situated among the hills which constitute the south ridges of Lebanon, just before they sink down into the plain of Esdraelon. The traveller, coming from the south, ascends the mountain range by a steep and rugged path, which, winding on- wards and upwards through the hills, brings him sud- denly into a small sequestered hollow among their sum- mils; and here, nestling close in at the base of the lofti- est of the encircling heights, he beholds — what must ever be to the Christian one of the most profoundly in- teresting scenes on the face of this earth — the home for thirty years of the Saviour of the world. The sur- rounding heights vary in altitude; some of them rise to 400 or 500 feet. They have rounded tops, are composed of the glittering limestone which is so common in that country, and, though on the whole sterile and unattractive in appearance, present not an unpleasing as- pect, diversified as they are with the foliage of lig-frees and wild shrubs, and witli the verdure of occasional fields of grain. Our familiar hollyhock is one of the gay flowers which grow wild there. The enclosed valley is peculiarly rich and well culti- vtlcd : it is filled with corn- fiehls, with gardens, hedges of cactus, and clusters of fruit-bear- ing trees. IJeing so sheltered liy hills, Nazareth enjoys a mild at- mosphere and climate. Hence all the fruits of the countrj- — as pomegranates, oranges, figs, ol- ives— ripen early and attain a rare perfection.
In speaking of the precise po- sition of Nazareth, there is some discrepancy among travellers: Stanley saj's, " The village stands on the steep slope of the Kinith- wesUm side of the valley" {Si- nai and PalestiriP, p. 3G5). Wil- son {Lamk of the L'ible, ii, 92) observes that "the village of Niisirali, or Nazareth, stands on the eaxteiii side of the basin in which it is situated." Tliomson (^Land and Hook, ii, 131) seems to ])lace it on the western side. Dr. Porter {llnnd-hnokfor Syria and PaleMine, ii, 359) has de- scribed Nazareth as lying at the »lone «pur ; 7. Entrance from
bottom of "the hill on the north side" of the little plain. An inspection of the accompanying plan shows tliat it lies at the foot and partly up the slope at the north-west- em angle of the valley.
Of the identification of the ancient site there can be no doubt. Tiie name of the present village is en-Nazi- rah, the same, therefore, as of old ; it is formed on a hill or mountain (Luke iv, 29); it is within the limits of the province of Galilee (Mark i, 9) ; it is near Cana (whether we assume Kana on the east or Kami on the north-east as the scei>e of the first miracle), according to the impli- cation in John ii, 1, 2, 11 ; a precipice exists in the neighborhood (LiUte iv, 29) ; and, finally, a series of tes- timonies (Heland, Pulcest. p. 905) reach back to ICusebius, the father of Church historj-, which represent the place as having occupied an invariable position.