The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. - John 1:43-46
When you read this what an amazing response Nathanael gave to Philip. These words from Nathanael were laced with skepticism about a Messiah who would come from Nazareth. A statement like that should make you wonder why Jesus being from Nazareth was so derogatory? To answer this question, I want to consider two things. The problem with Nazareth and the problem with Nathanael’s expectations.
Nazareth was a place that had no real attention paid to it and only became famous for one reason. It was the hometown of Jesus. Outside of that Nazareth was a small, non-descript village that has no mention in the Old Testament. In case you are wondering how small Nazareth was, population estimates range between 200 and 400 people. This was one of those towns where everybody knows your name. This was the village where Jesus grew up and when he began his public ministry, Nazareth was one of the first places he went.
In the account of Jesus’ visit to Nazareth in Luke 4, you can see the small community aspect to the town by the way they referred to Jesus.
"All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. 'Isn’t this Joseph’s son?' they asked." – Luke 4:22
In his hometown Jesus wasn’t thought of as Messiah or Lord. They didn’t even call Jesus by his own name but by the name of his father, “Isn’t that Joseph’s son? His hometown never made the transition to seeing Jesus as Messiah and they ultimately rejected him.
As to the town of Nazareth, it was not held in high esteem by the Galileans which is evident by the question Nathanael asks. There were different things about Nazareth that could easily put Nazareth in the derogatory category. The people of Nazareth were not wealthy or well off, at best they earned a modest living. This was not a happening place or the type of destination that would draw many visitors. According to the Hollman Illustrated Bible Dictionary not only was the place held in low regard but so were the people. Here is what it says about Nazareth.
“Nazareth did not possess a good reputation, as reflected in the question of Nathanael, himself a Galilean (John 1:46). The early church received similar scorn as the Nazarene sect (Acts 24:5). Such lack of respect was likely due to an unpolished dialect, a lack of culture, and quite possibly a measure of irreligion and moral laxity.” (Jerry W. Batson, “Nazareth, Nazarene,” ed. Chad Brand et al., Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary)
If you were to put the opinions of Nazareth and its people together like a puzzle, you can begin to see why Nazareth was derogatory and why Nathanael’s question was right in line with how people viewed Nazareth.
There is another truth in Nathanael’s question that is worth exploring. Clearly many of the Jews were looking for the Messiah to come but how is it possible that a Messiah would come out of Nazareth? Clearly if Jesus is the Messiah, he is going to come from a better place than Nazareth. Nathanael was falling victim to his own expectations. It would be okay if the Messiah came from somewhere noble, maybe from some other town in Galilee, but there is no way Nazareth would be the place because it was too small, the people were too poor, and no one really cared about Nazareth anyway.
Nathanael made a common mistake. He tied the value of something or someone in the present to where they came from. He simply believed there was no way the Messiah could come from such a place. When you think about it this is exactly how God has always worked. Though he could have had Jesus born in a palace he was born in a manger. He could have come from the best town in Galilee instead he came from Nazareth. I believe Paul words this idea of what God does in his letter to the Corinthians.
"Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong." – 1 Corinthians 1:26-27
Jesus coming from a place like Nazareth was something that confused Nathanael and probably many others as well.
For a moment I want you to understand why Jesus being from Nazareth, a derogatory place, should be an encouragement to you. Consider this verse in Hebrews.
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin." – Hebrews 4:15
What I love about Jesus and what makes him such a wonderful savior is he has walked in our shoes. Not many of us were born with influence, nobility, or some level of distinction. Most of us were born in a very non-distinct manner and while the people around us celebrated, the whole world wasn’t put on notice because you arrived. The beauty of Jesus coming from Nazareth tells me that where you are from has no bearing on where you are going or how much God can use you and work through you. God has a history of using the low things and raising them up so that when he does, he is the one who gets the glory.
It is possible people may have said the same thing about you that Nathanael said when you mention where you are from. Can anything good come from (insert your hometown here)? The good news is the answer to the question is yes and when you look at this verse in John I love Philip’s response, “Come and see.” You and I are the come and sees that God uses. The weak and despised things of this world that he uses to shame the wise. I guess you could say that coming from Nazareth was not a curse but a blessing. For you coming from where you are is the same. Just like Jesus you can impact the world and you can do it coming from a place where no one would ever expect. So yes, something good can come from Nazareth.
For further reading:
What Are Prophets in the Bible? Do Prophets Still Exist Today?
Is it Biblical ‘Where God Guides, He Provides’?
What Is a Profession of Faith?
Why Is the Gate of Salvation Narrow?
Does God Have a Sense of Humor?
Who Is to Blame for Jesus’ Death?
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