Welcome and thank you for taking a bible break to test your knowledge of God's word. This week's question:

Paul tells those of Thessalonica, "You became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to al the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything." (1 Thessalonians 2:6-8). What an example these Christians have shown of good works in motion as the have sounded forth the gospel to be heard by those in the respective communities. There are some, thought that do not hold such a respective site in the word, as those of the isle of Crete where Titus is stationed as Paul says, "For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach, for the sake of sordid gain. One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, 'Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.' This testimony is true. For this cause reprove them severely that they may be sound in the faith, not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth." (Titus 1:10-14). Now that is a sad commentary for those folks! But Titus and some sound brethren stood fast.

That brings us to our question, "Who said: "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" With all the wonderful things being spoken about that baby in the manger in Bethlehem by the magi and shepherds, Mary cherished them in her heart "And it came about as the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds began saying to one another, 'Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.' And they came in haste and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. And when they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. (Luke 2:15-19).

Then Mary and Joseph were sent by an angel of God into Egypt as Herod was enraged by being tricked by the magi who returned without telling him anything about the Messiah. He then had all the children two years and younger killed because he did not want a King raised up in Judea which fulfilled prophecy, "Out of Egypt did I call My Son." (Matthew 2:13-18). When Herod died an angel of the Lord told them, "Arise and take the Child and His mother and go into the land of Israel; And he arose and took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he departed for the regions of Galilee, and came and resided in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, 'He shall be called a Nazarene.'" (Matthew 2:20-23).

Joseph and Mary may have felt that this Child which had so many interesting things spoken about Him such as of by the magi, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?" (Matthew 2:2) maybe He should be raised close to Jerusalem and Bethlehem, but were warned to take the child where they were before the census was taken (Luke 2:1), their home place of Nazareth of Galilee (Luke 2:4 & 39).

When Jesus began His teaching and gathering His disciples, He found Philip, He said to Him, "Follow Me." (John 1:43). "Now Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, 'We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.' And Nathanael said to him, 'Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?' Philip said to him, 'Come and see.'" (John 1:45-46).

So there we have the answer to our question as it is "Nathanael", also called "Bartholomew". Nathanael, who is also from Galilee, should know the reputation of the area communities, and seems to know Nazareth and does not give it a raving revue. Others also have a negative outlook on the Messiah coming from Nazareth as they know the Christ is to come from Bethlehem (John 7:40-43). Nicodemus argues, "Nicodemus said to them (he who came to Him before, being one of them), 'Our Law does not judge a man, unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?' They answered and said to him, 'You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.'" (John 7:50-52). Yes, this Jesus, of whom Paul became "…a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes." (Acts 24:5), was the same by whose action and power Peter healed the man lame from his mother's womb at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, says to them, "Let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that by Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead-by this name this man stands before you in good health.
(Acts 4:10).

May we also become a member of the sect of the Nazarene, Jesus Christ for life eternal!