Loading…

Looking to help your church and family stay connected to the Word while social distancing?
Check out our free church library, church online resources, and family resources.

Learn more
Nazarenes
Excerpt from the Lexham Bible Dictionary, the most advanced Bible dictionary.
Also Nazoraeans. Used to refer to a resident or native of Nazareth, as well as to describe Jewish followers of Jesus during the early centuries ad. The term also is applied to a sect of Jewish-Christianity that some early church fathers may have classified as a heretical group (Epiphanius, Panarion, 29.5.4–6).There is confusion among the church fathers over the names of Jewish-Christian groups during the first few centuries ad. Based on later sources, it is likely that some early patristic writers wrongly equated the Nazarene sect, which apparently affirmed Jesus’ divinity, with the Ebionites, who clearly rejected it. As a result, the Nazarenes might have been a strand of Jewish Christianity that closely resembled Christian orthodoxy in its teachings (even while it differed in its observance of Torah).
Lexham Bible Dictionary
The most advanced Bible Dictionary
The most advanced Bible dictionary as a part of Biblia Plus, which includes everything you need to take your Bible study to the next level. For less than $1 a week, you'll get devotionals, Bible study guides, thematic studies, and much more!
Expand all
Dictionaries
The Lexham Bible Dictionary
Nazarenes
Nazarenes (נֹצְרִים‎, notserim; Ναζωραίοί, Nazōraioi). Also Nazoraeans. Used to refer to a resident or native of Nazareth, as well as to describe Jewish followers of Jesus during the early centuries ad. The term also is applied to a sect of Jewish-Christianity that some early church fathers may have classified
The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary
Nazarenes
NAZARENES The term “Nazarene” has been used in English for several related Greek and Semitic-language terms found in NT and later writings. Some of these terms are more accurately represented by other spellings, and the ways in which these terms became related remain to some extent a matter of debate.
Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible
Nazarene
Nazarene. Native or inhabitant of Nazareth, a NT town in lower Galilee.Nazareth was Jesus’ hometown during the first 30 years of his life. Since the name “Jesus” was a common name among the Jews and since surnames were not used, perhaps the designation “Nazarene” differentiated Jesus of Nazareth from
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised
Nazarene
Nazarene nazʹie-rēn, OF NAZARETH nazʹie-reth [Gk Nazōraios, Nazarēnos]. An appellation or adjective that occurs nineteen times in the NT, all in the Gospels and Acts. It was applied first to Jesus Christ because He spent His boyhood in the Galilean town of Nazareth, then by extension to His followers.
Tyndale Bible Dictionary
Nazarenes
NAZARENES Name given to those who followed Jesus of Nazareth. Since Jesus was known as Jesus of Nazareth or Jesus the Nazarene, it was easy to transfer that title to his followers. They were “followers of the Nazarene” or “Nazarenes.” The earliest use of the term is in Acts 24:5, where Tertullus accused
Nazarene
NAZARENE Native or inhabitant of Nazareth, a NT town in lower Galilee.Nazareth was Jesus’ hometown during the first 30 years of his life. Since the name Jesus was a common name among the Jews, and since surnames were not used, perhaps the designation Nazarene differentiated Jesus of Nazareth from others
The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (Revised and Updated)
Nazarenes
Nazarenes (naz´uh-reenz), a term used for the early Christian movement in Acts 24:5. Jesus was frequently identified as being a Nazarene (i.e., as being “from Nazareth,” Matt. 21:11; Mark 1:9; 14:67; John 1:45) so the term “Nazarenes” (which would have literally meant “people from Nazareth”) must have
The Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia
Nazarene
NAZARENE. A NT designation translates Gr. nazarēnos and nazōraios, used a number of times of Jesus and once (Acts 24:5) of His followers. Except in Mt 2:23 and Acts 24:5, it is always used with the name Jesus (in the KJV always “Jesus of Nazareth”; in the ASV “Jesus the Nazarene” six times). It was
The New Bible Dictionary, Third Edition
Nazarene
NAZARENE. According to Mk., the designation Nazarēnos was applied to our Lord by demons (1:24), the crowd (10:47), a domestic (14:67), and the messenger of the resurrection (16:6). It is used also in Lk. 4:34 (= Mk. 1:24) and Lk. 24:19 (the Emmaus disciples). But Mt., Lk. and Jn. normally employ Nazōraios
Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible
Nazarene
NazareneA gentilic (Gk. Nazarēnós, Nazōraɩ́os) normally used to distinguish someone from the city of Nazareth. In the NT “Nazarene” is used most frequently to clarify the identity of Jesus by associating him with his hometown of Nazareth (Mark 10:47; John 18:7). In the early history of the Church,
Eerdmans Bible Dictionary
Nazarene
Nazarene [năzˊə rēn] (Gk. Nazarēnos, Nazōraios). A gentilic ascribed to Jesus (Matt. 2:23; Mark 14:67) and once, by extension, to his followers (Acts 24:5). Even though the term Nazarene occurs only three times in most English versions, the Greek form occurs in all four Gospels (Gk. Nazōraios,
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels
Nazarene
Nazarene1. The Problem2. The Gospel Data3. Proposed Solutions4. A Linguistic Solution
The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church
Nazarene
Nazarene. The term has been applied in a Christian context in various senses. In several of these the form ‘Nasorean’ is also found.(1) In the NT Christ is called ‘Jesus the Nazarene’, which is usually understood as the equivalent of ‘from *Nazareth’, i.e. the place of his residence (cf. Mt. 21:11,
See also
Related
Jesus
Paul
Nazareth