These days, the name "Jesus" is being heard everywhere in Galilee. Yes, it is the name of the boy I once taught in the synagogue. He was incredibly intelligent from a young age and understood the Scriptures so well that I thought he would accomplish great things in the future. Indeed, my expectations were not misplaced. At one point, I hoped he would become a Pharisee like myself, perhaps even a great teacher, an elder, or the leader of the synagogue. I encouraged him to pursue the path of a Pharisee, but he chose a different calling—his father’s work. Since his father was a carpenter, it seemed natural for him to follow that trade, but his talent was far too exceptional for such a path. I even advised Mary to encourage him to pursue a different vocation, but she firmly refused, saying:
“Trust him and let him do what he wants. This is not something he decided on his own; he is following his Father’s will.”
Her resolute attitude made me give up, thinking I had missed out on nurturing a great talent. But now, his name is spreading far and wide. It seems that those destined to shine will do so regardless of circumstance. This must be God’s will. In my youth, I often wondered how much of life is predetermined by God. But after witnessing such events, I realize the futility of human plans. Of course, people must act within God’s plan and make efforts, but God always prepares something beyond our expectations.
Yes, if I think about it, even meeting Jesus was part of God’s guidance. I left Capernaum and came to Nazareth during a time when Akelao was exiled and the Zealots were rebelling. It was a violent era, and news of death was common every day. Nazareth, situated on a hill and surrounded by mountains, was relatively safe. That’s why I fled here and have lived here ever since.
At first, I bought land and farmed. When people discovered I was a Pharisee and well-educated, they wanted me to become an elder and leader of the synagogue. I have led the synagogue here in Nazareth for nearly twenty-five years now. Typically, synagogue leaders are elected annually, but since there are few educated people here, I have held the position almost as if it were a lifetime appointment. In retrospect, even a small synagogue like this is quite a blessing.
Yairo, whom I studied with in Capernaum, became the leader of a large synagogue. I hear it is very competitive there, and he must always be mindful of many things. It must be exhausting to constantly worry about people’s opinions. If a problem arises, he must keep it quiet, and even if his family falls ill, it is difficult to seek help openly. Such actions are not inherently wrong, but many people judge based on these things. Living among those who believe illness is a sign of God’s disfavor or a lack of faith is difficult. In that sense, the synagogue here in Nazareth is a relief, since everyone trusts and follows my words, so I do not have to worry about others’ judgments.
Originally, this place did not even have a proper synagogue building; it was just a small village. However, around the time I arrived, many people moved to Nazareth, and a formal synagogue was built, making the town more lively. Older people sometimes say the past was better, but I have not experienced that era, so I do not know. For me, things are satisfactory as they are now, so I do not feel the need to long for the past.
In any case, the greatest treasure I discovered during that time was Jesus. He was an exceptionally bright child among the many I taught. To be precise, the time I spent teaching him was quite short, and even before I taught him, he already knew much. Especially when he interpreted the Scriptures with such conviction, as if affirming God’s will, I was often amazed. Sometimes his interpretations were so bold that I would correct him, saying my own interpretations were better, but later, I realized his opinions were also valid and felt a bit sorry for my earlier reactions. Given how remarkable he was, I was quite upset when he decided to follow his father and become a carpenter. I also felt some resentment toward his father, Joseph, for not showing him a broader path. What kind of father only shows his child the way of a carpenter? I thought he was the worst.
Of course, that resentment did not last long. I already knew what kind of person Joseph was from my experiences with him, so how could I remain angry? He was not only called Joseph but also had a character reminiscent of the Joseph from Genesis. He was gentle, rarely angry, and always diligent in whatever task he was given. While it is not rare to find people with such qualities, what made him stand out was how he judged others according to the law. Typically, those who strictly follow the law tend to condemn others by its letter, but Joseph chose forgiveness over judgment. This reminded me of the Joseph from Genesis who forgave his brothers. Even more decisive was that God guided him through dreams at crucial moments in his life. I do not know the details, but from what I heard, he was led to marry Mary through a dream, and his decision to flee to Egypt and return was also guided by dreams.
Thinking about it this way, Jesus is a descendant of Judah by lineage but is also known as the son of Joseph. The southern kingdom of Judah was ruled by descendants of Judah, while the northern kingdom of Israel was ruled by descendants of Joseph. In a way, Jesus can be seen as a figure who encompasses both kingdoms. His return from Egypt as a child and the origin of his name, which means “God is salvation” and comes from Joshua, make his life remarkably intertwined with the beginnings of the Israelites. How specially did God intend to use him, guiding him through such an extraordinary journey?
* * *
“Rabbi!”
“Oh, isn’t that James? I heard Jesus has returned?”
“Yes, he came home last night.”
“How does he seem? Has he changed much? It’s understandable that he would be teaching in the synagogues, but I’ve even heard rumors of him performing miracles. There’s the story about a nobleman from Cana coming to ask him to heal his son.”
“I heard that rumor too and asked my brother about it, but he didn’t say anything.”
“He’s always been one to speak only when necessary, so maybe he really did heal the boy and is keeping it quiet.”
“It wouldn’t be right to keep it from us, though…”
“Well, he must have his reasons. By the way, I’ve heard he has many disciples. Did they come with him?”
“He does have disciples, but he sent them back to their hometowns and came alone.”
“I have many questions for them as well, but I suppose I’ll have to wait to ask. Anyway, please tell him to come to the synagogue tomorrow. I want to give him a role during the Sabbath service.”
“Understood. I’ll see you at the service.”
“Good.”
I plan to have him read and interpret the Scriptures during the service. I wonder what knowledge he has acquired since leaving my tutelage and how he will interpret the Scriptures. What is it about his teachings that astonishes people in so many synagogues? I will find out tomorrow during the service. Perhaps I might even witness one of the miracles I have only heard about.
* * *
As the Sabbath arrived, people gathered at the synagogue. The synagogue leader spotted Jesus among the crowd, still as bright and radiant as ever. It seemed he had indeed taught a fine student.
The service began with the usual rituals: reciting the Shema and offering prayers to God. Then, it was time for the Scripture reading. Everyone in the synagogue turned their attention to Jesus as he slowly rose from his seat and stepped onto the wooden platform. He was handed the scroll of Isaiah and began to read:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
After reading this passage, Jesus rolled up the scroll and returned it to the attendant. The synagogue fell silent. Everyone was eager to hear what he would say next, what teachings he would impart.
“Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Thus began his sermon. He proceeded to share various interpretations of the Scriptures, and the people were amazed and astonished by the gracious words coming from his mouth. They whispered to each other,
“Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”
They were surprised that someone they had grown up with could possess such abilities. However, Jesus’s face did not brighten as he looked at them. Some genuinely admired him, while others scoffed, thinking, “He’s just a carpenter; why should we listen to him?”
He spoke again:
“Doubtless you will tell me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ Whatever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in your hometown.”
The warm atmosphere in the synagogue suddenly turned cold and tense.
“Most certainly I tell you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But truly I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land. Elijah was sent to none of them, except to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”
The people in the synagogue became angry at his suddenly critical words. They felt as though he was condemning them, even though they had said nothing. It seemed to them that he was mocking them, making them look foolish.
“Who does he think he is?” they thought. “He’s just a carpenter, and yet he dares to preach and interpret the Scriptures?”
The synagogue leader recalled a moment from the past when Jesus had made him angry. Jesus had spoken as if he alone understood God’s word. At the time, he thought it was just the talk of a child, so he corrected him and moved on. But now, Jesus was saying such things as a grown man. It was unbelievable that people were praising him for it. If he continued like this, who knew what harm he might cause? Perhaps another zealot would arise.
The people gathered in the synagogue were furious. Each had their own reasons for anger, but they all shared the conviction that Jesus should not be tolerated. They did not notice Jesus’s brothers standing by, looking perplexed. These brothers were friends and relatives of the angry crowd, but in their rage, they saw nothing.
The people rose up, seized Jesus, and drove him out of the town. They cursed him and dragged him toward the nearby hill, where the slope was steep and white rocks jutted out sharply. His brothers tried to intervene, but the crowd could not be stopped. Even the synagogue leader was caught up in their anger, justifying their actions as if their actions were in accordance with God’s will.
* * *
Jesus stood at the edge of the cliff, gazing down at the ground below before turning to face the crowd. His eyes, filled with sorrow rather than fear of death, looked at each person’s face. The synagogue leader, meeting those deep eyes, suddenly came to his senses. What was he doing now? Today was the Sabbath. He had walked more than the allowed distance without stopping, and now he was about to commit murder on the Sabbath.
“Today is the Sabbath!”
The synagogue leader shouted loudly.
“You dare to kill someone on the Sabbath!”
The people who had been about to push Jesus off the cliff stopped short. They were finally beginning to see reality. Jews traditionally avoided fighting on the Sabbath, believing it was wrong to kill on that day. During times of war, they had suffered many casualties on the Sabbath because they refused to defend themselves. Later, it was interpreted that defending oneself on the Sabbath was acceptable, but the aversion to killing remained strong. Yet, these people were about to break the law that Jews had sought to uphold. Everyone lowered their heads in shame.
The synagogue leader said,
“Jesus, leave this place at once.”
Jesus looked at the synagogue leader once, then walked silently through the crowd without a word. The synagogue leader’s heart felt heavy as he watched Jesus depart. It was true that Jesus had spoken harshly, but it was not enough to warrant attempting to kill him. Why had they lost their minds and acted like madmen? Had their high expectations turned into a sense of betrayal? Perhaps those who did not truly know Jesus could behave that way. But he was different; he knew what kind of person Jesus was. Yet, he had almost acted alongside them. He had forgotten it was the Sabbath and was willing to break the laws given by God, laws that as a Pharisee he was supposed to uphold. The thought of himself as a synagogue leader was too shameful to bear.
The synagogue leader could not say a word, feeling that it was time for him to step down. The mood of the synagogue leader seemed to be shared by everyone, as the people returned to the village with heavy footsteps.
Jesus left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum, which is in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, on the Galilean coast. This was done to fulfill the prophecy spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people who sat in darkness saw a great light. To those who sat in the region and shadow of death, to them light has dawned.”
From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say,
“The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News. Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”
The passages from Matthew 4:15-17, Mark 1:15, Luke 4:18-27 quoted in this narrative are taken directly from the World English Bible (WEB) translation.
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