Nazareth Village - Where it happened

Calling the Holy Land itself 'the fifth gospel,' Church Father Jerome left the tension of Rome to spend the rest of his ministry studying and translating the scriptures in Bethlehem. The Land and its people were vital to Jerome's work, as he insisted on translating the Old Testament from 'Hebrew Truth.'

A trip to Nazareth Village affirms the wisdom of his choice. The visit begins at the visitor's center, which offers a sweep of history with a special focus on Jewish life under Roman occupation. The introduction sets the stage for the 'hands-on' experience of rural life in a first-century Jewish village.

The biblical epic changes from grayscale to color as views of harvested olives, shepherded flocks, biblical foods and hospitality add shades, hues and tints to the text.

’We want to provide a sensory experience,’ says director Shirley Roth. ’We want people to see the land, touch and hear the animals, taste and smell the food.’

Wine and olive presses, a watchtower, threshing floor, carpenter’s shop and weaving room combine with authentically dressed villagers who talk about their lives and work. When the shepherd says of one of the sheep: ’This one is always getting in trouble,’ one remembers the parable of the lost sheep.

The village carpenter, suitably called Joseph, works on the plow which is hitched to donkeys at the site and used to plow the fields. First-century Joseph and his apprentice no doubt knew that technique.

Passing by the village well, Jesus and the woman at the well in John 4 immediately come to mind, as do stories of other ’well’ meetings: Abraham’s servant and Rebecca, Jacob and Rachel, Moses and Zipporah, and Joseph and the Midianites.

Other stories illumined by the Nazareth Village experience include the parables of the Good Samaritan, Sower, Prodigal Son and Tenants.

Located in the middle of modern Nazareth, the fields of Nazareth Village are within the area of the first- century town Jesus would have known.

’We consider it a miracle that these fields were never sold or developed,’ said Nancy, a guide from the United States. She explains that ancient Nazareth was a small town with no more than 1,000 people — ’perhaps as few as 400.’

Consequently it is reasonable to think Jesus would have explored those very terraces, trails and trees.

A highlight of the trip is the village synagogue, an accurate replica of a first-century house of worship. ’The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He has appointed me to preach good news to the poor,’ Luke records Jesus’ reading from Isaiah upon his return to his hometown synagogue. The puzzled Nazarenes are easily envisioned.

’We want people to see how the parables represented real life — to see the biblical text in context,’ explains Roth. ’We want them to see how the land and the people here are part of the story.’