'Nazarene' definitions:
Definition of 'Nazarene'
(from WordNet)
adjective
Of or relating to the Nazarenes or their religion
adjective
Of or relating to the town of Nazareth or its inhabitants
noun
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 the Epistles of St. Paul and continued to follow Jewish law and celebrate Jewish holidays; they were later declared heretic by the Church of Rome [syn: Nazarene, Ebionite]
noun
An early name for any Christian
noun
An inhabitant of Nazareth
Definition of 'Nazarene'
From: 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]
Definition of 'nazarene'
From: 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.)