Lord Jesus the Nazarite of Nazarites

Nazarite

 

“And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.” (Matt. 2:23).

Christ's living in Nazareth had important implications if the prophets spoke of it. Why would the holy prophets call the Messiah a Nazarene and not a Nazarite?

 

Num. 6:2 Nazarite Strong’s H5139: nâzîyr (pronounced naw-zeer’) or nazir (naw-zeer’); from 5144; separate, i.e. consecrated (as prince, a Nazirite); hence (figuratively from the latter) an unpruned vine (like an unshorn Nazirite):--Nazarite (by a false alliteration with Nazareth), separate(-d), vine undressed.

 

My contention: Nazarite “by a false alliteration with Nazareth”. What this means is that its wrong to associate Nazarite and Nazareth just because they sound similar. I believe we will see Mr. Strong to be incorrect.

 

Exo 49:22Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:

Exo 49:23 The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:

Exo 49:24But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)

Exo 49:24 But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)

Exo 49:25 Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:

Exo 49:26 The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

 

Doesn't Joseph's sound like Christ's experience?

 

Deu 33:13 And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath,

Deu 33:14 And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon,

Deu 33:15 And for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills,

Deu 33:16 And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head^H6936 of him that was separated^H5139 from his brethren.

Deu 33:17 His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.

 

Both Jesus and Joseph could be represented by "a separated one (prince)". Both were separated from their brethren. "For neither did His brethren believe in Him." (Joh 7:5). 

 

Jesus was a greater Nazarite than Sampson because His Nazarite anointing was infinite.

Judges 13:5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

 

Nazarite: consecrated (as prince) 

 

Dan 9:24 Seventy^H7657 weeks^H7620are determined^H2852 upon^H5921 thy people^H5971 and upon^H5921 thy holy^H6944 city,^H5892 to finish^H3607 the transgression,^H6588 and to make an end^H2856 of sins,^H2403 and to make reconciliation^H3722 for iniquity,^H5771 and to bring in^H935 everlasting^H5769 righteousness,^H6664 and to seal up^H2856 the vision^H2377and prophecy,^H5030 and to anoint^H4886 the most Holy.^{H6944 H6944}

 

H4886 mâshach to anoint, paint

 

Dan 9:25 Know^H3045 therefore and understand,^H7919 that from^H4480 the going forth^H4161 of the commandment^H1697 to restore^H7725 and to build^H1129 Jerusalem^H3389 unto^H5704the Messiah^H4899 the Prince^H5057 shall be seven^H7651 weeks,^H7620 and threescore^H8346 and two^H8147 weeks:^H7620 the street^H7339 shall be built^H1129 again,^H7725and the wall,^H2742 even in troublous^H6695 times.^H6256

 

H4899 mâshîyach anointed, consecrated (as a king, priest)

 

Jesus was both priest and king. His Nazarite anointing made Him both a Prince and a Savior (Acts 5:31).

 

Zec 6:13 Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

 

Num. 6:2 H5144 nâzar naw-zar to separate, devote, set apart, consecrate oneself

 

Mat_2:23 And^G2532 he came^G2064 and dwelt^G2730 in^G1519 a city^G4172called^G3004 Nazareth:^G3478 that^G3704 it might be fulfilled^G4137 which was spoken^G4483 by^G1223 the^G3588 prophets,^G4396 He shall be called^G2564 a Nazarene.^G3480

 

G3478 nazareth, nazaret nad-zar-eth, nad-zar-et

G3480 nazoraios nad-zor-ah-os

 

Mar 1:24 Saying,^G3004 Let us alone;^G1436 what have we to do with thee,^{G5101 G2254 G2532 G4671} thou Jesus^G2424 of Nazareth?^G3479 art thou come^G2064 to destroy^G622 us?^G2248 I know^G1492 thee^G4571 who^G5101thou art,^G1488 the^G3588 Holy One^G40 of God.^G2316

 

G3479 nazarenos nad-zar-ay-nos inhabitant of Nazareth

 

My point in all of this is that it is not true that by connecting Nazarite to Nazareth, and thus, calling Jesus a Nazarite, we have committed a false alliteration.

 

The Nazarite’s unshorn locks represented the spreading of Joseph’s vine that the archers couldn’t kill. The uncontrolled hair on his head also is seen by Jacob’s abundant blessing poured upon Joseph's head, and Moses’ blessing upon the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.

 

Taken altogether, the Nazarite represented Jesus, as all the Old Testament types pointed to Christ. He was the prince and priest whose head was full of anointing, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of Thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows.” (Psa. 45:6,7).

 

He was One greater than Samson, who was the greatest Old Testament Nazarite; and, by John’s own testimony (Jn. 3:30,31), He was greater than the Baptist, the greatest New Testament Nazarite (Lk. 1:15). Both Nazarites were powerful to cast out the Old Testament enemy of Israel. Jesus, a Nazarite in a new and living way, threw out the devil and saved the preserved of Israel.

 

It was not accidental that Joseph lived in Nazareth and returned there with Jesus. God had planned it that way to help show the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah, the Prince, the anointed One, separated for a holy purpose in the eternal plan of redemption. Christ was the new covenant Nazarite, whose measureless blessings His Father poured upon His head. He was a well springing up forever; out of His belly flowed rivers of living water.

 

He was the staff of life that multiplied perpetually. “The chief things of the ancient mountains, …the precious things of the lasting hills, …the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof” (Deut. 33:15,16) filled His thoughts, His parables, His daily life, and His healings. “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever.” (Jn. 6:51).

 

Jesus is our Nazarite in the heavenly sanctuary, who said, “I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” (Matt. 26:29).