Friday Notes From The Quran (24/5/2024) - The Nazarenes

 

This is short.

The arabic word 'nasara' and its derivatives appears numerous times in the Quran. Nasara literally means to help or support. Traditional commentators and translators take the word 'nasara' as referring to Christians. Today the common arabic word for Christian is 'Nasraniy'.  This is a derived understanding but literally it is not accurate and I will explain here. 

Christian comes from the Greek 'christos' which means 'to annoint with oil and fragrances'.  For example the Greeks 'anointed' their kings with oils and fragrances'.

Christos (annointed) is a translation of the Hebrew word מָשִׁיחַ (mashiyach), commonly spelled in English as messiah. The Quran also uses the same word maseeh. For example the Quran refers Jesus as 'Eesa Al-Maseeh' or Eesa the Anointed or Jesus the Christ.

However the Quran does refer to the followers of Jesus Christ as the 'ansara' or helpers. Here is Sura 3:52 -

۞ فَلَمَّآ أَحَسَّ عِيسَىٰ مِنْهُمُ ٱلْكُفْرَ قَالَ مَنْ أَنصَارِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ قَالَ ٱلْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنصَارُ ٱللَّهِ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَٱشْهَدْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ ll

When Jesus sensed disbelief (KUFFRA) from them, he asked, “Who will help me towards Allah?” The companions (HAWARIYUN) replied, “We are the helpers of Allah (ANSARALLAH). We believe in Allah, so bear witness that we have submitted.”

 

There is some history to the word nazarene (NASRANI) from Christian sources that may be of some interest. The Jews always addressed the early "christians" as 'Nazarenes'. 

Tertullian (c. 160 – c. 220) records that the Jews called Christians "Nazarenes" from Jesus being a man of Nazareth

Jerome too records that, in the synagogues, the word "Nazarenes" was used to describe Christians.

Eusebius, around 311 CE, records that the name "Nazarenes" had formerly been used of Christians.

According to Arnold Ehrhardt, just as Antioch coined the term Christians, so Jerusalem coined the term Nazarenes, from Jesus of Nazareth.

The use relating to a specific "sect" of Christians does not occur until Epiphanius (310/20–403).

By the 4th century the Nazarenes were referred by Christian writers as a "heretic sect".

The Nazarenes (4th century) :   In the 4th century, Jerome refers to Nazarenes as those "who accept the Messiah in such a way that they do not cease to observe the old Law." 

In his Epistle 75, to Augustine, he said:    "What shall I say of the Ebionites who pretend to be Christians? To-day there still exists among the Jews in all the synagogues of the East a heresy which is called that of the Minæans, and which is still condemned by the Pharisees; [its followers] are ordinarily called 'Nasarenes'; they believe that Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, and they hold him to be the one who suffered under Pontius Pilate and ascended to heaven, and in whom we also believe. But while they pretend to be both Jews and Christians, they are neither".

• The Nazarenes were similar to the Ebionites, in that they considered themselves Jews, maintained an adherence to the Law of Moses. 
• Unlike the Ebionites, they accepted the Virgin Birth. 
• They considered Jesus a prophet. (OSTB : Meaning not divine).
• As late as the eleventh century, Cardinal Humbert of Mourmoutiers still referred to the Nazarene sect as a Sabbath-keeping Christian body existing at that time.

The Nazarenes (above) from early christianity were part of the early "christology" debates about Jesus Christ.

• Was Jesus divine or not? 
• Was Jesus the son of god or not? 

The Nestorian christians, the Ebionites, the Nazarenes were part of these debates. They were called heretic sects.

So who were the Nasara of the Quran? 

Surah 2:120    وَلَن تَرْضَىٰ عَنكَ ٱلْيَهُودُ وَلَا ٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُمْ ۗ 

" Never will the Jews or Nazarenes (NASARA) be pleased with you, until you follow their ways.."

One would assume that both the Jews and the Nazarenes were monotheists.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.