Excerpt from The Yahushaic Covenant Volume 1 by Rav Sha'ul Christians vs. Nazarenes… what are you? by Rav Sha'ul   What are those that enter into The Yahushaic Covenant called?  Are they known as Christians or Nazarenes?  Christians are so named after their god Christos.  Nazarenes are so named because they are followers of The Branch. For hundreds of years before Yahusha came as The Messiah, followers of pagan “Christs” were known as “Christians”.  They were pagan followers of the various “Christs” such as Christos Mithra.  The Roman Emperor who created Christianity was a convert of Mithraism.  He was a “Christian”. Christian is not the name the Bible uses of those who follow Yahusha.  They were known as Notsris.  Those who followed John the Baptist became known as Notsris or “Nazarenes” as John was sent to prepare the way for The Branch (Notsri). John was actively preparing Israel for the coming Messiah which he knew was Yahusha his cousin. John the Great Nazarene – The Teacher of Righteousness In the Dead Sea Scrolls there is a figure called “The Great Notsri (Nazarene)” and “Teacher of Righteousness” who would be sent by Yahuah to prepare the way for the Branch. John 1:6-9 6 There was a man sent from (the predestined Plan of) Yahuah, whose name was John (John was born a miraculous birth and “sent from Yahuah” just like Yahusha). 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him (through John by being a Nazarene we) might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent (from Yahuah) to bear witness (John too was an Emmanuel a true and faithful witness) of that Light. 9 That was the true (Emmanuel) Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was said to have the proper understanding of the Torah, qualified in its accurate instruction, and be the one through whom Yahuah would reveal to the community “the hidden things in which Israel had gone astray”. He would rightfully be of the House of Zadok (a true High Priest of Israel). This was Yahusha’s mentor and teacher, John the Great Notsri who was of The House of Zadok and the “anointed High Priest” in succession to Yahusha III (see my book Melchizedek and the Passover Lamb). This description of “The Great Notsri” is found in the Damascus Document of the Dead Sea Scroll which carbon dating has placed about 44 BC, the time John was acting as High Priest in the wilderness. John was prophesied to fulfill this very role by his father Zachariah: Luke 1:76-80 Zechariah’s Song 76 “And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before Yahuah to prepare the way for him (Yahusha), 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” 80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel. The Great Notsri, founder of the Nazarenes, at that time was undoubtedly John the Baptist who was the rightful High Priest from the House of Zadok. Although there is a “debate” about who this Great Notsri was among current scholars, there should be no doubt. Yahusha told us exactly who this great Teacher of Righteousness among the Nazarenes and Essences was, it was his own mentor: Matthew 11:11 “I tell you the truth, among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist. If there was no one greater than John ever born of a woman (that includes all men) then he is The Great Notsri. So much for that debate, Yahusha, The Branch, settled it. So, we have John "the prophesied Great Nazar" and "Teacher of Righteousness (Torah)" of the Nazarenes, mentioned in the Dead Sea Scrolls, and identified by The Messiah leading the elect looking for The Branch and they were not called “Christians” they were called Notsris or Nazarenes. Yahusha the Nazarene – follower of John Nazarenes were a sect among the Jews in Israel who followed John the Baptist at the time Yahusha lived. Under John’s direction, the Nazarenes knowing the prophecies of Daniel concerning the timing of the Messiah’s coming, bathed in the Mikveh daily in expectation of the Messiah’s arrival. Yahusha and many of his disciples were first followers of John the Baptist and were all... Nazarenes. When John consecrated Yahusha as his successor, his followers then followed Yahusha “the Nazarene” and accepted him as The Messiah. What are Nazarenes? Nazarenes were spoken of as guardians of The Torah, Prophets, and Messiah. It is a mistranslation in our Bibles where it says “Jesus of Nazareth” it should read “Yahusha the Nazarene”. Not only is his name not Jesus, not only was Yahusha not from Nazareth, but the terms "sect of the Nazarenes" and "Yahusha of Nazareth" are the same. They both employ the adjective nasraya (ܐ  ܝܪܨܢܕ) or notsri meaning branch, which is referring to the prophecy in Isaiah concerning The Branch and prophecy of Zachariah concerning The Branch. The English word “Nazarene” (Greek “Nazaraios,” Aramaic “Natsraya,” or Hebrew “Notsri”) comes from the Hebrew word netser (branch), which itself is derived from the verb natsar which means “to guard, watch, keep, or preserve.” in context speaking of The Torah. http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/natsar.html The NAS Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon - Strong's Number:   5341 Transliterated Word - Natsar Definition: to guard, watch, watch over, keep (Qal) to watch, guard, keep, to preserve, guard from dangers, to keep, observe, guard with fidelity, to guard, keep secret, to be kept close, be blockaded, watchman (participle) So in context of The Torah and Prophets, Yahusha the Nazarene was to keep and observe The Torah and guard, watch over, and protect it from the lawless one Jesus Christ who is a false image designed to destroy it.  I, Rav Sha’ul, am a Notsri if you haven’t noticed by now.  All true followers of Yahusha are Nazarenes. The Apostle Paul – Leader of the Nazarenes, follower of Yahusha The Apostle Paul too was a Nazarene or Notsri. After Paul was arrested in Jerusalem; he was escorted to Caesarea to appear before the governor, Felix. Under the authority of Ananias, the “unauthorized” high priest, Tertullus brought the charges before Felix. Notice his accusation: Acts 24:5-6 “For we have found this man a pestilent fellow [a plague], and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law” Next: Where did the term "Christian" come from?

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