Nazarene

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Nazarene \Naz`a*rene"\, prop. n. [L. Nazarenus, Gr. ?, fr. ?
     Nazareth.]
     1. A native or inhabitant of Nazareth; -- a term of contempt
        applied to Christ and the early Christians.
        [1913 Webster]
  


     2. (Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect of Judaizing Christians in the
        first and second centuries, who observed the laws of
        Moses, and held to certain heresies.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Nazarene
       adj 1: of or relating to the Nazarenes or their religion
       2: of or relating to the town of Nazareth or its inhabitants
       n 1: a member of a group of Jews who (during the early history of
            the Christian Church) accepted Jesus as the Messiah;
            they accepted the Gospel According to Matthew but
            rejected St. Paul and continued to follow Jewish law and
            celebrate Jewish holidays; they were later declared
            heretic by the Church of Rome [syn: {Ebionite}]
       2: an early name for any Christian
       3: an inhabitant of Nazareth

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Nazarene
     This epithet (Gr. Nazaraios) is applied to Christ only once
     (Matt. 2:23). In all other cases the word is rendered "of
     Nazareth" (Mark 1:24; 10:47; 14:67, etc.). When this Greek
     designation was at first applied to our Lord, it was meant
     simply to denote the place of his residence. In course of time
     the word became a term of reproach. Thus the word "Nazarene"
     carries with it an allusion to those prophecies which speak of
     Christ as "despised of men" (Isa. 53:3). Some, however, think
     that in this name there is an allusion to the Hebrew _netser_,
     which signifies a branch or sprout. It is so applied to the
     Messiah (Isa. 11:1), i.e., he whom the prophets called the
     _Netse_, the "Branch."
     
       The followers of Christ were called "the sect of Nazarenes"
     (Acts 24:5). All over Palestine and Syria this name is still
     given to Christians. (See {NAZARETH}.)