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Boyarin, Daniel. The Jewish Gospels: The Story of the Jewish Christ. New York: New Press, 2012.

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Peter Shirokov

Nazareth (Ναζαρέτ, Nazaret; Ναζαρά, Nazara, Ναζαρέθ, Nazareth). A village in Lower Galilee that was Jesus’ childhood home; situated on a ridge 500 meters above sea level.

History of Settlement

Archaeology evidence shows that Nazareth was settled as early as the Middle Bronze Age and continued to be settled through the Iron Age. However, the city is not mentioned in literature prior to the New Testament; likewise, Josephus doesn’t mention it, even though it was located near Japha/Yaphia, a city he fortified during the First Revolt (Josephus, Vita, 230). The site appears to have been uninhabited in the centuries following the Assyrian conquest. Extensive remains have been uncovered from the second century bc, suggesting a significant population increase (possibly resettlement) under the Hasmonean rule. It is unlikely that there was any genealogical continuity between the inhabitants of the Hasmonean period and those of the Iron Age (Reed, Archaeology, 28–31).

The village had a predominantly Jewish population until at least the fourth century ad, and probably until the early seventh century. There is no evidence of any permanent Roman military presence. Inscriptional evidence from Caesarea attests that priests were present in Nazareth following the First Revolt, suggesting that the site was regarded as ritually pure.

It is unclear whether Nazareth held a Christian population in the first three centuries ad. The Jewish movement may have been pushed outside of Palestine in the wake of the First Revolt. Fourth-century sources, Eusebius, Jerome, and Epiphanius depict Nazareth as thoroughly Jewish until the Count Joseph of Tiberius, under the auspices of Constantine, constructed its first church (Epiphanius, Panarion 30.11.10). Recent scholars, however, acknowledging the fluidity of the terms “Jewish” and “Christian” as they pertain to the early centuries following Jesus, have critiqued this account.

In the 1960s, Bagatti combined archaeological discoveries with a critical reading of the ancient sources and argued that a Jewish-Christian community was present immediately following the Christ event. Bagatti claimed that Epiphanius’ report carries the bias common to late ancient (predominantly) Gentile Christianity, that “Nazarenes,” “Ebionites,” or any other Christ-believing group which maintained loyalty to Judaism were not properly “Christians.” Bagatti highlighted Eusebius’ quotations of Julius Africanus (Ecclesiastical History 1.7.14) and Hegesippus (Ecclesiastical History 4.22.4) as evidence that Jesus’ relatives (Bagatti, Excavations, 17–18):

• became Christ-believers while retaining their identity as Jews;

• maintained a family base in Nazareth;

• enjoyed esteemed positions in the Jewish-Christian community in Nazareth.

Bagatti’s Jewish-Christian theory remains influential, though not without criticism (compare Taylor, Christians, 224–65). Marian devotion may have been a characteristic practice of the village’s early Christian population.

From at least the late fourth century ad onward, Nazareth became a site for Christian pilgrimage (see Bagatti, Excavations, 20–25; Taylor, Christians, 226–30). Jewish-Christian relations seem to have been amicable until the seventh century, possibly due to the economic benefits of the pilgrim/tourist trade. However, according to Eutychius (Annales 22), Nazareth’s Jewish population during the Persian conquest of Palestine in ad 614 participated in a persecution of the Christians, for which they were punished with expulsion in ad 629 by the emperor Heraclius.

Islam became the dominant power throughout Palestine in ad 638, but Christian presence was permitted in Nazareth, as is attested by the late-seventh century French Pilgrim, Arculf, who reports about two churches (Adomnan, De Locis Sanctis 2.26). During the period of the Crusades, Nazareth experienced several shifts in control between Christian and Muslim forces. Subsequently, Islamic presence has dominated, though the continued veneration of the Christian holy sites has been tolerated. Today, Nazareth is the largest Arab city in Israel. Islam is the primary religion, but the city has a significant Christian population (approximately 1/3) representing several traditions.