[How This Jesus Is to Be Distinguished from Others.]

QUEST. FIRST. For the first, the Jesus in the text is distinguished from all others of that name.

First. By the manner of his birth; he was born of a virgin, a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph; but he ‘knew her not till she had brought forth her first-born son, and he called his name JESUS’ (Matt 1:25).

Second. He is distinguished from others of that name by the place of his birth — to wit, Bethlehem, the city of David; there he must be born, there he was born (John 7:42; Matt 2:4-6).

Third. He is distinguished by his lineage — he came ‘of the house and lineage of David’ (Luke 2:4-6).

Fourth. He is distinguished by the time of his birth — to wit, the time of the prophets prefixed (Gal 4:4).

Fifth. But his common distinction is Jesus of Nazareth; by this name he is distinguished one and twenty times in the New Testament — 1. His enemies called him ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ (Matt 26:71; Mark 14:67; John 18:5). 2. His disciples called him ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ (Matt 21:11; Luke 24:19; John 1:45; Acts 2:22). 3. The angels called him ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ (Mark 16:6). 4. And he calleth himself ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ (Acts 22:8). 5. Yea, and he goeth also by the name of ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ among the devils (Mark 1:24; Luke 4:34).

He was called ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ because he dwelt there with his mother Mary and her husband. Nazareth was his city, where he had been brought up, whither for shelter Joseph carried him when he came out of Egypt with him; in Nazareth was his common abode until the time that John was cast into prison; wherefore he might well say, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth’ (Luke 4:16; Matt 2:23, 4:12,13). Yea, though he was now in heaven, for heaven shall not make us forget what countrymen we were when we lived in the world. Jesus, you see here, though glorified in heaven, yet forgets not what countryman he was when he dwelt in the world. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,’ saith he; I am the Jesus that thou persecutest; and that thou mayest know I am he, I tell thee I dwelt once in the city of Nazareth in Galilee; Joseph and my mother Mary brought me up there, and there I dwelt with them many years. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest’ (Acts 22:8).