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Nazareth
Nazareth is located in northern Israel. Biblically, it was the birthplace of Jesus. However, in modern times the population is predominantly Muslim (around 70%).
256 Questions
Why did Mary and Joseph need to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem?
Luke 2:1-7 tells the story of the Birth of Christ in Bethlehem. Bethlehem was known as the City of David because it was the hometown of King David, Joseph's ancestor. Because Caesar Augustus had demanded a census, all men had to take their families to register in their ancestral cities (this was simply how they organized the information). While they were registering in the census at Bethlehem, Jesus was born in the city of his ancestor David, whose reign as king Jesus would fulfill.
Why did josef leave Bethlehem to live in Nazareth what made him leave?
Joseph was awakened one night while in Bethlehem. An angel of the Lord told him to take Mary and the baby and go to Egypt because King Herod was coming to kill all the baby boys under the age of 2 years. After Herod died, the angel reappeared to Joseph and told him that it was safe to back to Judah, where he was originally from. However, when Joseph heard that Herod's son, Herod Antipus was ruling Judah, he went to Nazareth, fulfilling what the prophets said "And he will be called a Nazarene." Joseph was warned by God in a dream to go to a town in Galilee called Nazareth to fulfill the prophecy that Jesus would be called a 'Nazarene' :-
Mat 2:19-23 KJV But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, [v. 20] Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. [v. 21] And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. [v. 22] But when [Joseph] heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room [ie instead] of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: [v. 23] And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilledwhich was spoken by the prophets,He shall be called a Nazarene.
Joseph was (rightfully) fearful of Herod [Herod Antipas] and what he would do, as he had a deservedly nasty reputation. Adam Clarke in his 'Commentary on the Bible' for Matthew 2:22 says that:
Herod... left the kingdom of Judea to his eldest remaining son, Archelaus. This son partook of the cruel and blood-thirsty disposition of his father [Herod the Great]: at one of the passovers, he caused three thousand of the people to be put to death in the temple and city. For his tyranny and cruelty, Augustus [Emperor of Rome] deprived him of the government, and banished him. His character considered, Joseph, with great propriety, forbore to settle under his jurisdiction.
[Joseph instead went to] Galilee - Here Antipas governed, who ... endeavored, by a mild carriage and promises of considerable immunities, to entice people from other provinces to come and settle in them. He was besides in a state of enmity with his brother Archelaus: this was a most favorable circumstance to the holy family; and though God did not permit them to go to any of the new cities, yet they dwelt in peace, safety, and comfort at Nazareth.
It would also have been rather unwise to return to Bethlehem because this was both the home town of the great King David and also the town where the Messiah was prophesied to come from. Any sitting king would be aware of this and keep an eye on Bethlehem for any likely rivals. If you were a paranoid and vengeful king such as Herod (both Herod the Great and Herod Antipas were the same here) any even faintly-perceived possibilities of a threat meant instant deaths of anyone even remotely connected. Bethlehem would have been foolhardy and too dangerous: far safer to go to a little town in the remote hill country, full of despised low-class country red-neck yokels, where nobody would take any notice.
What does the sight look like going to nazareth from jeusalem?
The sight going from Nazzerath to jerusalum would be desert like and rural with little surroundings.
Why could Joseph and Mary not record their names on a Nazareth census?
Because when Joseph was from the house and family line of David, who lived in Bethlem. And when the census you had to go to the town of your family line. ****Say that you lived in MA but then moved to NY.You would have to go to MA if the census.*** I know it does not make sense to us now but it made sense to the people of that time. Because the town named Nazareth does not exist at that time.
