Ben C Smith

There is no doubt that a town called Nazareth existed at some point before the priestly course inscription from century III, so the term fictional town here has to point to one of two scenarios:

1. Nazareth did not exist while Jesus was (purportedly) alive, but was founded sometime afterward, but before the gospel writers put plume to parchment.

2. Nazareth did not exist even when the evangelists were writing; Galilean Jews later founded a town called Nazareth, its connection in name to the town mentioned in the gospels being either purely a coincidence or an intentional back-naming of some kind.

Which scenario are you espousing?

Ben.

Magdlyn

I don't hold a firm opinion either way. That is why I said "probably." (Besides, it's a minor detail and rather off topic for this thread.)

Roger Pearse

Sorry, but I've lost track here. Which 'priestly course inscription' is this?

All the best,

Roger Pearse

Ben C Smith

I have never seen it in the original Hebrew, and I do not know its identification, but it is the inscription that first gives us the term Nazareth in non-Christian usage (and, from what I understand, the place name is spelled with a tsade, not a zayin). The Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible has this to say:

A 3rd-century C.E. synagogue mosaic inscription from Caesarea locates one of the Jewish priestly courses at Nazareth after the destruction of the temple.

(Page 951, under Nazareth.)

Ben.

Roger Pearse

Thank you.

Magdlyn

This is also off topic, but, what is meant by a 3rd century "Jewish priestly course?" Course meaning what? Reading of Torah and exegesis?

Ben C Smith

The priestly courses are laid out in 1 Chronicles 24.7-18. The inscription in question purports to tell where the priests from each course settled after 70; one of them settled in Nazareth.

Ben.

Magdlyn

So "course" is a scholarly term meaning something like descendants of each priestly family?

andrewcriddle

The personnel of the "courses" were the descendants of the 24 priestly families concerned.

The term "course" comes from the fact that from week to week ministry in the temple was carried out by a different "course" going through a cycle of 24 weeks.

There is a rather conservative discussion at
http://www3.telus.net/public/kstam/e...st_service.htm

Andrew Criddle

Magdlyn

Thank you very much, Ben and Andrew. I was ignorant of the use of this word. It appears to mean class, or division, or even "team?"

I wonder when the word "course" began to be used. It does not seem like an expected use of the word.

So, this 3rd century "Jewish priestly course" is a familial branch of kohein, now settled in Nazareth.