Nazarene (sect)
Nazarene and Nazarene is a New Testament and synonym often used epithet of Jesus of Nazareth and the name of religious, mostly Christian groups.
Between the two forms of the word are not distinguished in the several translations of the Christian Bible and in many cases also in Christian literature and common parlance, is the " Nazarene " in the Western European languages most commonly occurring form.
- 2.1 occurrences of the terms in the Bible
- 2.2 Etymology of the terms
Nazarene as a designation of religious affiliation
In the first century
In the New Testament the followers of Jesus of Nazareth are called three times Christianoi ( "Christians" ), according to Acts 11:26 EU first in Antioch. The word Nazoraioi ( " Nazarenes " ) is used only once. In Acts 24.5 Elf handed the New Testament author that Jewish leadership circles of Jerusalem the Hellenistic Jewish Christians Paul of Tarsus sued. The plaintiff Tertullus insulted here to Paul as a leader of the Nazarene, the pins unrest among the Jews:
Nazarenes in the Jewish use
The antiochische pagan name, and later Christian self-designation, Christianoi was of course problematic for Jews who could not name Jesus as ho Christos. Tertullian speaks of a constant habit of Jews, Christians refer to as " Nazarenes ". This is confirmed by Eusebius. In the Hebrew language was a Nazarene ( נצרים nōṣrīm ) today, the common name of Christians and Jesus himself in the Hebrew New Testament of Franz Delitszch but is Christianoi Acts 11:26 Elb that the disciples first called " Messianic " ( משיחיים meschijkhijjim ) were called in Antioch.
Nazarenes in the patristic use
To 395: Jerome quoted from a Nazarenerevangelium sanded of " Nazarene " in Berea in Syria. Epiphanius of Salamis tries, non- heretical looked nasaraioi from heretical looked nazoraioi, or to distinguish the Ebionites. The only mention of a religious sect that this name ( as Νασαραῖοι Nasaraioi ) in pre-Christian times to have worn, is in Epiphanius ( Haereses XVIII): It there had been a Jewish group that later became the Mandaeans to have emerged. To 404 AD Jerome writes in one of his letters to Augustine, that the Nazarene in Jesus Christ, His birth by Mary and the crucifixion and resurrection believed, but at the same time followed Jewish rules.
In the 4th century Epiphanius of Salamis writes about a Jewish group called a Nazarene (Greek Ναζωραιοι ) that existed in Syria, Decapolis ( Pella ) and Batanaea ( Kochabe ). This group saw itself in direct succession of Jews who had escaped from Jerusalem shortly before the destruction of the Temple in the year 70. Your Messianic (Christian) doctrines, however, were not in contradiction to their Jewish religion, they continued to follow.
The traces of the Nazarene can be traced to the fifth century AD.
In the Arab world
In addition, năṣrajā ʿ until today the designation of the Christians in the Qur'an and the Arabic language used ( نصرانى naṣrānīj, pl: نصارى Nasara, fua Sura 2.110; نصرانيا naṣrānīyan, Sura 3.67. ). In Haran Gawaitha Nazarene has been handed down as a term of the Mandaeans. Among the Syrian and Arab Christians, the self-designation massijanij ( مسيحي ) is used.
Since the 18th century, of Free Churches
The name Nazarenes used in recent times by evangelical free churches.
Terms: Nazarene, Nazareth, Nazara, Nazaret
Especially in the English-speaking is often the term Nazarene (English Nazarene ) used by Bible translators, regardless of whether in the Greek texts Nazarene (Greek Ναζωραῖος ) or Nazarene (Greek Ναζαρηνός ) is written. This translation practice affects both biblical and church history texts. Contrast Literal Translation distinguish between the two forms of the name.
Occurrences of the terms in the Bible
According to the established text of the Novum Testamentum Grace comes throughout the New Testament the term Nazarene Nazarene six times and three times before - of which seven times in Acts. With the single exception of Acts 24.5 EU, where be called a Nazarene the followers of Jesus, the word is always used as an attribute for Jesus. In Matthew and the Gospel of John, only the term Nazarene is used. The term Nazarene is only in Mark and in Luke used ( Mk 1.24 EU par: Lk 4,34 EU, Mk 10,47 EU, Mk 14,62 EU, Mk 14,62 EU cf. Lk 24:19. EU). On the other hand, the term Nazarene is never used in the Gospel of Mark. Markus stresses probably aware of the origin of Jesus from the house of David ( the scion of Jesse ) according to Isaiah 11:1-10 Elf. Jesus is also because many a time, the son of David addressed ( Mk 10,47 Elbf, Mk 11,10 Elf, Mk 12:35 NIV).
The name of the city, had grown up in Jesus, in the New Testament twice - given as Nazara ( Ναζαρά ) - Mt 4,13 EU and in the parallel passage Lk 4,16 EU. In both places it is the name of the village, which is first mentioned in the reports from the ministry of Jesus. Origen used in reference to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke the name Nazara. Everywhere else in the name of the village is given as Nazareth ( Ναζαρέτ or Ναζαρέθ ). It is assumed in general that Naz ( a) rā with the Hebrew form of the name main נַצְרַת ( Nasrat ) was related and that the name of the city several secondary forms - had - among other נָצֶרֶת ( nāṣæræt ).
Etymology of the terms
The etymological derivation of the terms Nazarene and Nazarene is rooted in the literature in different ways and is not yet fully understood. Two Hebrew Basic concepts apply as a starting point: The Hebrew verb Nasar (Hebrew נצר ) and the noun formed from this root næṣær (Hebrew נֵצֶר ), which is identical consonants in the inventory with the verb
The Hebrew verb Nasar means " watch ", " watch, guard ". This corresponds to the Hebrew term nōṣrī (Hebrew נצרי ) ( "guard", " guardian, keeper " ) and with the same meaning the Aramaic natsaraya.
The Hebrew term næṣær means "sprout, shoot, shoot " and is sometimes used as a messianic term ( as in Isa 11.1 EU; 4QIs 3.15 et seq.) Much more frequently encountered in the use of the same significance צֶמַח ṣæmaḥ. After a few artists had næṣær of the name and its reference to the messianic prophecy in Isaiah 11.1 the name of the city of Nazareth, to explain, which was founded in the 2nd century BC, by members of the Davidic family ( new).
It is noticeable also that the town or appellations Nazareth, Nazara, Nazarene and Nazarene can all be traced back Nasar and næṣær on the stem of the Hebrew terms. This similarity of the terms allows puns (such as in Mt 2:23 NIV), which are widely known from the biblical and rabbinic Jewish tradition elsewhere.
Individual authors also have a connection to the term Nazarite (Heb. נָזִיר, Nazir ) considered. A Nazarite is a devotee who followed strict rules (Ri 13.5 to 7 NIV). Abstinence is one with it. Mainly for two reasons one can rule out the derivation of the word Nazarene from the term Nasir: First, Nasir Nasar ( awake ) and næṣær ( shoot) writes in Hebrew with Sajin, however, write with Zade. In Greek Sajin be reproduced with Zeta and Zade with Sigma. As an exceptional case, the terms Nazara, Nazarene and Nazarene be transcribed into Greek Zeta ( they should actually be transcribed with Sigma). Second, the descriptions of Jesus in the Gospels do not agree with the features of a Nazarite.
Nazareth / Nazareth as the name of Jesus
According to the traditional view, which is followed in many of the newer research, Nazarene and Nazarene are verbs used to refer to the origin of Jesus and thus the expression " from or out of Nazareth " (Mt 21,11 EU; Jn 1,45 EU, Acts 10.38 EU) are equated. For the form of " Nazarenes ", the derivation of the place name Nazareth is considered secured, while the descent has been suggested from a secondary form naṣōr from the same local name for " Nazarene ". A direct reference to this meaning of the Nazarene / Nazarene is taken explicitly in (2.23 EU) Gospel of Matthew:
Many interpreters see in this passage an allusion to Isaiah 11.1 EU, where the Messiah "sprout " ( Modena ) David is called. It is not excluded that there could be a reference to several prophecies, with other parts of the books of Isaiah (Isa 42.6 EU; 49.6 EU, etc.) and Jeremiah ( Jer 31.6 f EU) have been used.
According to one view expressed by many commentators, it is possible that the Gospels have a time disparaging intentioned foreign denomination tries to reinterpret Jesus as " Nazoraios " (eg Mt 26,71 EU; Jn 19,19 EU). That this epithet in the context of the evangelists in turn had a reference to Nazareth, John 1:46 EU am suggesting:
A similar approach was proposed in the early 20th century Mark Lidzbarski. After Lidzbarski the Aramaic name נאצוראיא ( naṣōraijē ), to a form that otherwise mainly in the names of representatives of specific teaching activities - such as Amora and Saboraim for Talmud teacher - occurred. Only the evangelists would deliberately or mistakenly referred him to Nazareth, to explain the term " Nazoraios ".