If you are confused between the words "Nazareth" and "Nazarene" maybe this will clarify it.   For Mike W to state "So to say he took a Nazarite vow before he died is crazy." is rather thoughtless.  Then WHY did He refuse to drink the wine with them?  He ate and drank with everyone (except the Jewish leaders) up until that time.  Why did He stop now?  There is a perfect reason for every single thing He did, or did not, do.  We are supposed to find out why.

And Gino, I appreciate your study into this as well.  I'm glad that some are paying attention to details given to us.

The Nazrite vow can be a TEMPORARY one (as Jesus took at the last supper).  From this time and onward,  He would not partake of the wine nor the grape products He was offered while on the Cross for pain relief.  OR, the Nazarite vow can be a PERMANENT one from bi! rth, as was the case with Sampson, Samuel, and John the Baptist (which they all failed to keep).  If you had fully read the reason for His having to take this vow (in the article I sent in), you would have understood that it was extremely important for the requirements of God.

This article explains who else took the Nazarite vows....on a temporary basis:

http://www.biblicalhorizons.com/biblical-horizons/no-43-leviticus-27/


And being a Nazarene has nothing to do with Nazarite vows.  Being called a "Nazarene" relates to Jesus growing up and coming from the town of Nazareth (Matthew 2:23).  Did you know that the name Nazareth means ! "Branch"?  This is a very powerful Messianic title used by some OT prophets...see Isaiah 4:2, 11:1, 60:21 as well as Jeremiah 23:5, 33:15...and the really important references in Zechariah 3:8..."Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee:  for they are men wondered at:  for behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH." and in Zechariah 6:12.."And speak unto him, saying 'Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord."

If the Jews had fully understood what Zechariah, and the other prophets, were saying, they would have known that "Jesus of Nazareth" was the same as calling Jesus, The BRANCH named in the OT.  And during the duration of the Nazarite vow, cutting of the hair was forbidden.  Jesus did not cut His hair bet! ween the Last Supper and the Crucifixion except for possibly it's being! pulled out by the perpetrators.  He fulfilled everything that was necessary.

Arlene