Martin Fieber - He Who Returned

Joshua looked around. He could see that the eyes of the listeners were wide with surprise. In fact they all looked as if they had just seen a lion.

Joseph continued: “the presents that they brought served to create a holy vibration. Frankincense and myrrh were burnt to protect the birth, for as the wise told me, demons do not like those smells. Others brought some coins that we would need at some point they said. One wise man had brought a goat and another a donkey who was to bring us and especially the Messiah back to Nazareth in good health, which it did as you can all see.” Joseph smiled when he had finished telling the story. Yeshua gave him an intense look, and everyone looked at Yeshua.

Then a silence fell over the place Nazareth in the countryside of Galilee. At first it was a silence of wonder, yet just a few moments later it turned cold as ice. And then this wonderful evening of celebration was over abruptly. Discussions, arguments, curses and verbal attacks erupted. Samuel sought to gain allies in the shepard Jeroham and the potter Jacob, who shared in his indignation. Some of the men went to their wives and children in distress, pulling by away by the arms and quickly leaving.

Joshua had understood and was happy. Sarah had also understood and gave Miriam a smile and a nod, who now knew that she at least had one friend in the village. There was still silence until Joseph turned to Samuel.

“Samuel, Rabbi of Nazareth, didn’t anyone of you here in the village have a dream that announced the birth of Yeshua?”

Samuel was so stunned that at first he did not seem to know whether to hate, or damn Joseph or merely laugh at how naive he was.

“Joseph, do you realize that you are presuming to be the father of the future Messiah? The saviour of Israel? And what is worse, that you are pulling your son into this nonsensical and false story? Do you truly believe that your son, a son of a small construction craftsman in Galilee, is the king of the Jews? Are you so presumptuous or so dumb?”

Joshua was angry about the arrogance of his father. He knew that if he opened his mouth now he would be getting a beating for it. But he could simply not remain still. Up until know he had always carefully considered when he should say something in order to avoid being beaten for it, but now, gazing into the telling eyes of Yeshua, all of that did not matter to him. Joshua saw from the corner of his eyes that Sarah wanted to stop him, but it was already too late.

“Father, is it not written in the book of Micah: “But from you oh Bethlehem in Ephrata, tiny among the districts of Judah, shall one come forth who is to be ruler in Israel. His origin reaches far back, into the days of the beginning. Thus …“

Joshua did not get any further for Samuel had just given him such a hard slap in the face that he fell into Jacobs lap.

“Now you will go to bed and lie down. We will talk soon. Then I will show you who is your lord.”

Three days later Joshua still had difficulty hearing and two weeks later the wounds that Samuel’s rod had left on his bottom were still not fully healed. Would he ever be able to love Samuel as a son should love his father?

O, God. Where have I landed here? Today was the celebration in honor of our arrival. It was very heart-warming until Joseph opened up his mouth again and got into his story-telling mood, as we had to experience so often in Egypt. Then I experienced the rabbi, with whom I probably will have to deal more often. What a rigid and brutal man! The bad entities that I saw in his vicinity seemed to be very delighted that they are able to influence this man so much. Unfortunately he is one of the most important people in Nazareth and his influence is very large

I feel very sorry for his son Joshua. I do not want to have that kind of a father. I even prefer Joseph to that ... Maybe I should give Joshua a gift. I am sure that will make him feel better. He does not seem to have received many presents yet. Father, please take away the sadness from the hearts of the people and let them recognize your love. And let the Rabbi soon recognize how you really are! Amên.

∞

How dare that damned construction craftsman! Samuel cursed. The Rabbi was still upset even a couple days after the welcome celebration. Did this useless Joseph really believe his son could be the long awaited Messiah?

Since the family of Joseph had arrived in Nazareth, Samuel was not able to form a clear thought. But worst of all was that his own son, Joshua, his first born son, whom he in his innermost core regarded very highly, had exposed him, the rabbi of the village, the head of Nazareth’s, in front of other people. Why did that dreamer do this to him? Sarah had not spoken a word to him since that event and spent much time with Joshua in bed, who was still whimpering in pain. At least his son now had enough time to think about his impertinence. He, Samuel would take him on later.

Samuel often wandered about the area alone after school these last few days. He loved to walk around without a goal while delving into his conscience. Today he met the potter Jacob at the well. They greeted each other exuberantly. Together they walked across the meadow. Samuel was pleased that he had just met his friend Jacob for they often had the same opinion. And this was considerably easier than always having to deal with some know-it-all.

“Samuel, try not to be too upset about Joseph“, Jacob began, after they had walked side by side in silence for quite a ways. “There is no point in that and it does not serve you well. Joseph is a naive man. He does not know what he says. He is not intelligent enough to damage our village nor its reputation. He will be working in Sepphoris a lot in the future and due to this you will not see him often. Samuel, don’t let this get to you anymore.”

Samuel stopped and turned around in order to look at Nazareth, which was nestled up against the fertile hill like a cat. Truly a lovely village.

“Jacob, how can you remain so calm regarding this insolence! Do you truly believe that the saviour of our race is currently playing with kids his age in this backwater?”, he ranted. “And even with girls, who normally belong next to their mothers in order to learn how to cook and bake?” Samuel was in full swing now.

“Calm down, Samuel.”

“Don’t you think that we could be able to recognize him if he were the saviour? By his nobility, by his intelligence? Doesn’t Yeshua instead look rather like flour, so pale and sunken in? Believe me, this boy doesn’t even dare to say anything in school. Whenever I ask him the simplest of questions he says that he can’t make much sense of my explanations and that he still has to get used to his new home some. Very well, I am going to give him some more time, but soon I will tend to him more closely.” Samuel spat on the ground. “And besides he is a bastard, as anyone can see. That in and of itself should be proof that he can not be the saviour.”

“Samuel, you are right of course. “ Jacob took his arm from Samuel, who always walked as if he was running from a desert storm. “He truly can not be the Messiah. Besides, I believe that our saviour will grow up in Jerusalem and perhaps be one of the descendents of the noble priesthood, the Sadducees, if he ever comes at all. However, unlike you and your strong faith, may the Lord bless you Samuel, I do not believe that the Messiah will ever come.” Jacob took a big step in order to avoid some cow dung.

“Where were we?” Jacob looked at Samuel questioningly.

“Speaking of your lack of faith.”

“Ah yes, the Messiah. If there truly were a Messiah, then he would have already arrived long ago and saved us from the bondage of the Romans. You know how things look in Sepphoris. First came the Greeks, then the Romans. What once was the most beautiful city in Galilee was completely destroyed months ago.”