Where was Jesus born? In the Bible, Jesus’ birthplace is identified as Bethlehem. This scene from the Arena (Scrovegni) Chapel in Padua by the Italian artist Giotto shows Mary, Joseph and Jesus in the Bethlehem stable. The three wise men, along with their caravan, and angels gather around the child. Above the stable, Haley’s comet streaks across the sky. Haley’s comet was sighted in 1301, three years before Giotto painted this scene.
The Nativity Story and the Question of Jesus’ Birthplace
Each year during the Christmas season, the story of Jesus’ birth is retold worldwide through church readings, songs, and pageants. The key biblical accounts come from the infancy narratives in the Gospels of Matthew (chapters 1–2) and Luke (chapters 1–2).
Biblical Account: Born in Bethlehem
According to the New Testament, Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea:
- Matthew 2:1 states: “Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea.”
- Luke 2:4–7 describes Joseph and Mary traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem for a census, where Jesus is born.
This aligns with Old Testament prophecy in Micah 5:2, which foretells a ruler emerging from Bethlehem, the city of David.
WHAT CHILD IS THIS? – ‘The Nativity’ by Giotto di Bondone, c 1320
The Nativity by Giotto di Bondone (c. 1320), depicting the traditional scene in a Bethlehem stable.
The traditional site of the birth is the Grotto of the Nativity beneath the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, revered since the 2nd century and marked by a silver star.
Interior views of the Grotto of the Nativity in the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem.
Scholarly Debate: Why “Jesus of Nazareth”?
Despite the Gospels’ clear statement, modern biblical scholarship has questioned Bethlehem as the birthplace. Key reasons include:
- Throughout the New Testament, Jesus is repeatedly called a Nazorean (from Nazareth) or Galilean.
- Outside the infancy narratives, no Gospel or epistle mentions Bethlehem as his birthplace.
- Nazareth, a small Galilean village, was Jesus’ hometown where he grew up and began his ministry.
This has led some scholars (e.g., Bart Ehrman and others) to argue that Jesus was likely born in Nazareth, and the Bethlehem tradition may have been added to fulfill messianic prophecy.
In contrast, Bethlehem in Judea held deep significance as the birthplace of King David and the prophesied origin of the Messiah. It was a known town in biblical times.
Views of the Bethlehem landscape in Judea, evoking its biblical setting.
Nazareth, however, was an obscure agricultural village in Galilee, unmentioned in the Hebrew Bible, Talmud, or Josephus—its fame derives solely from its association with Jesus.
Insights from Scholarship
In his 2014 Biblical Views column “Jesus’ Birthplace and Jesus’ Home” (Biblical Archaeology Review, Nov/Dec 2014), Philip J. King explores these two towns. He notes their stark contrast—Bethlehem’s royal Davidic legacy versus Nazareth’s insignificance—while affirming the Gospels’ account of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem and upbringing in Nazareth. King emphasizes that both places enrich our understanding of Jesus’ life, regardless of ongoing historical debates.
The question remains open in scholarship, blending theology, history, and tradition. For many, the Bethlehem narrative underscores Jesus’ messianic fulfillment; for others, Nazareth reflects his humble origins.
According to the Gospels, Jesus was born in Bethlehem but lived in Nazareth. While there has been a lot of scholarly discussion about whether or not he was actually born in Bethlehem,a both places are useful for teaching about the historical Jesus—regardless of any perceived conflict—and inspire us to take a deeper look at how Jesus was influenced by his environment.
The Biblical towns of Bethlehem and Nazareth are strikingly different from each other in many ways; at the same time they figure prominently in the life and ministry of Jesus. The issue to be discussed is the birthplace of Jesus. It seems clear from the infancy narratives in the Gospels that Bethlehem was the place of Jesus’ birth: “In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?’” (Matthew 2:1–2); “Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem … He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son” (Luke 2:4–7).
The infancy narratives in the Gospels give no indication that Jesus was born elsewhere.
The Gospel of John also attests that the birth of Jesus took place in Bethlehem: “Has not the scripture said that the Messiah is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?” (John 7:42).
Micah, one of the four great prophets of the eighth century B.C.E., is responsible for the classic messianic poem wherein a new David shall arise from Bethlehem, the birthplace of David, to rule in a future age: “But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2). The New Testament interprets this poem as a reference to Jesus’ birth.
The family of David was closely associated with Bethlehem. The Lord sent Samuel to Bethlehem to find a replacement for King Saul from among the sons of Jesse. When David was presented, the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one” (1 Samuel 16:12). Then Samuel anointed David in the presence of his brothers, and the spirit of the Lord descended upon David from that day on. The name Bethlehem first occurs in 1 Samuel 16:4.
Nazareth, an obscure agricultural village in Southern Galilee, is not mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), in the Talmud or by the historian Josephus. Joseph may have settled in Nazareth because of its proximity to Sepphorisb where opportunities for work were readily available when Herod Antipas was reconstructing his capital there. Jesus and his family probably spent a significant amount of time at Nazareth. Luke’s Gospel is a valuable source of information about Jesus’ childhood. For example, Luke relates that Jesus and his parents were still living at Nazareth when Jesus was 12 years old. Every year Jesus and his parents went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover festival and then returned to Nazareth. Luke relates that on one particular year Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, unbeknownst to Mary and Joseph, to engage in discussion with the teachers in the Temple. Subsequently, he went with his parents and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them (Luke 2:41–51).
During his public life, Jesus visited Nazareth infrequently because he had not been received cordially there; according to Luke 4:16–27, quite the contrary occurred: “When they heard this, all in the [Nazareth] synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff” (Luke 4:28–29). What sparked this outrage was that in the synagogue of Nazareth Jesus had declared himself the fulfillment of prophecy (Luke 4:21). The Temple in Jerusalem manifested an aversion to everything foreign—not so the synagogue.
It is obvious from the foregoing that Nazareth derives its importance entirely from its relationship to the life and teaching of Jesus.
The term “Nazarene” (the Greek word has two different spellings [see below, Matthew 2:23], both understood as references to Nazareth) is applied to Jesus in all four of the Gospels and in Acts. Otherwise the derivation and meaning of this word are surrounded by conjecture. It may be a play on Isaiah’s prophecy that “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse [that is, from the family of David’s father], and a branch [historical king; Hebrew netzer] shall grow out of his roots” (Isaiah 11:1). This passage projects into the future the expectation of an ideal king.
“After being warned in a dream, he [Joseph] went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, ‘He will be called a Nazorean’” (Matthew 2:22–23). The source of this citation is unknown.
When evaluating Biblical literature some readers are disappointed to learn what they had been reading is not fact but fiction. If the material is not a blow-by-blow description of a person or event, its value in their estimation has been compromised. For those who have been trained in mathematical precision, the presumption is that anything less is devalued. Just the facts, they say; anything less is watered down. For them this narrow approach will produce an end product that is both bland and vapid.
On the other hand, literature that is the product of creativity and imagination is rich and vibrant. It is the difference between prose and poetry.
All of us should be enriched by our environment—not untouched by it. So too in the time of Jesus. My purpose in this column is to illustrate how both Nazareth and Bethlehem influenced Jesus.
Philip J. King (d.2019) is a Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies at Boston College and is the only person to have served as the President of the three major scholarly societies: the American Schools of Oriental Research, the Catholic Biblical Association of America and the Society of Biblical Literature. His latest book is Biblical Guideposts on the Road of Life (Washington, DC: Biblical Archaeology Society, 2014).
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Bethlehem and Nazareth: Two Towns That Shaped Jesus
The Gospels present Jesus as born in Bethlehem yet raised in Nazareth. While scholars debate the historical details of his birthplace—some viewing the Bethlehem narratives in Matthew and Luke as theological affirmations linking Jesus to messianic prophecies rather than strict history—both towns hold profound significance. They highlight contrasting environments that influenced Jesus’ life, ministry, and identity, enriching our understanding of the historical Jesus.
Bethlehem: The City of David and Messianic Hope
The infancy narratives in Matthew and Luke clearly identify Bethlehem as Jesus’ birthplace:
- Matthew 2:1–2: “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea… wise men from the East came… asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?’”
- Luke 2:4–7: Joseph travels “from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem… While they were there… [Mary] gave birth to her firstborn son.”
These accounts align with prophetic expectations. The Gospel of John references a contemporary debate: “Has not the scripture said that the Messiah is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?” (John 7:42).
This connection stems from Micah 5:2, a key messianic prophecy from the 8th century B.C.E.:
“But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.”
Bethlehem, known as the “city of David,” was where Samuel anointed David as king (1 Samuel 16:1–13). David’s family roots tied deeply to this small Judean town, making it the anticipated origin for a future Davidic ruler. The New Testament interprets Micah’s words as fulfilled in Jesus, emphasizing his royal lineage despite Bethlehem’s humble status.
Nazareth: The Obscure Village of Upbringing
In contrast, Nazareth—a small agricultural village in lower Galilee—receives no mention in the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud, or Josephus’ writings, underscoring its insignificance in ancient sources.
Jesus’ family likely settled there for practical reasons. Its proximity (about 4 miles) to Sepphoris, the regional capital rebuilt by Herod Antipas in the early 1st century C.E., offered work opportunities for a craftsman like Joseph during major construction projects.
Luke provides glimpses into Jesus’ childhood in Nazareth:
- At age 12, Jesus stays behind in the Jerusalem Temple, discussing with teachers, before returning home and being “obedient to [his parents]” (Luke 2:41–51).
- The family regularly traveled to Jerusalem for Passover, then returned to Nazareth.
During his ministry, Jesus faced rejection in his hometown. In the synagogue, he declared himself the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (Luke 4:16–21), provoking outrage: the crowd drove him out and attempted to throw him off a cliff (Luke 4:28–29). Nazareth’s importance derives entirely from its association with Jesus.
The title “Nazarene” (or “Nazorean”) applies to Jesus across all four Gospels and Acts. Matthew links the family’s settlement in Nazareth to prophecy: “so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, ‘He will be called a Nazorean’” (Matthew 2:23). No single Old Testament verse matches this exactly, but scholars suggest a wordplay on Isaiah 11:1 (“a branch [netzer] shall grow out of [Jesse’s] roots”), evoking a humble shoot from David’s line, or broader prophetic themes of a despised yet holy figure.
The Influence of Environment on Jesus
Biblical literature blends history, theology, and creative expression—more like vibrant poetry than mere factual reporting. Demanding only “just the facts” risks overlooking its depth.
Both towns shaped Jesus profoundly:
- Bethlehem rooted him in Davidic messianic tradition, symbolizing royal promise from humble origins.
- Nazareth immersed him in everyday Galilean life—rural, working-class, and distant from Judean religious elites—fostering his identification with the marginalized and his rejection by some as “lowly.”
We, too, are enriched by our surroundings. Jesus’ story illustrates how divine purpose unfolds through ordinary places and experiences, inviting us to see God’s work in the contrasts of our own lives.
