Helen Braun Hojt - The Story of Jesus The Christ

preacher and ten «chief seats» where the leading Jews sat.

The service was much like ours. There were prayers and

hymns, and a passage was read from the Scripture, or that part

of our Bible which we call the Old Testament. The most of what

our New Testament tells had not yet happened. Any one could

read this lesson, and could explain it afterward, if he had permis¬

sion from the ruler of the synagogue, who was the man who had

the charge of the service. It was the custom for the reader to

stand while he read the lesson, and to sit down in front of the

people when he began to talk. The hymns they sang were not

like ours, and they had no hymn books. What they usually sang

were the Psalms, which we can read in our own Bibles. One

man, standing in front of the others, led the singing, sometimes

singing alone, while the people joined in the chorus.

Soon after healing the nobleman’s son Jesus spent a Sabbath

day at his old home, Nazareth. As his custom always was, he

went to the synagogue, to read the lesson and talk to the people.

They handed him the book from which the lesson was to be read,

and he found one of the places where the prophet Tsaiah tells

about the Christ that was to come, and what he was to do to help*

the people. You can find just what Jesus read to them that day

if you look in your Bibles at the first two verses of the sixty-first

chapter of Isaiah.

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After reading a few words he handed the book to the man

who took care of it, and began to talk to the people. He told

them that these words that he had just read were even then com¬

ing true; that he was doing just the things that Isaiah said the

Christ would do.

For a little while they were glad to listen to him, for he spoke

very gently and lovingly. But soon they began to ask one

another: “ Is this not

the son of Joseph the

carpenter? We know

his father and mother,

and we know him.

He is no better than

we are. What does

he mean by saying

that he is the Christ?

How can he do all

these things?» They

wanted him to do some

miracle to prove that

he was the Christ.

When they saw he

would do no miracle,

but only wanted to

talk to them, they

grew more and more

angry, till at last they Jesus rejected at Nazareth

were too angry to

listen any longer. They rose, took hold of him, and led him out

of the room to a high hill, meaning to throw him down and kill

him. But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went

away, very sad.

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A CHILD’S STORY OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

Jesus went from Nazareth to Capernaum, and there the people

made him very welcome. As soon as they heard of his being in

the city they crowded around him to hear him talk. One morn¬

ing as the people were pressing close about him lie stood by the

Sea of Galilee. There

were two fishing-boats

on the shore of the lake

belonging to his four

disciples. The fisher¬

men were not in their

boats but were near

by washing their nets.

Jesus stepped into one

of the boats, which be¬

longed to Peter and

Andrew, and asked

Peter to push out a

little from the land.

He could talk more

easily if the people

were not so close about

him. Peter did as he

was asked. Then Jesus

sat down and taught

Christ on the Shore of the Lake

the people.

When he had finished talking he said to Peter, «Now push

out into deep water and let down your net for a haul of fishes.»

Peter had seen enough of his Master to trust him, and obeyed at

once. But when they came to the deep water he said, “ Master,

we have been out all night, and have caught nothing. Yet, be¬

cause you have asked me to do so I will let down the net.» And

he let it down. When he began to pull it in it seemed heavy.

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He looked; the net was so full of fishes that it had broken. He

and Andrew could not pull it in, and called to their friends in the

other boat to come and help them. John and James came at

once, and together the four men pulled in so many fishes that

both boats were full, and began to sink. How surprised they

were!

Peter, who had obeyed his Master because he loved him, but

who had not believed that they would catch any fish, fell down at

his Lord’s knees and

said, “ Depart from me,

for I am a sinful man,

0 Lord.» He said this,

not because he wanted

Jesus to leave him, but

because he did not feel

good enough to be the

friend of this wonderful

Christ.

Jesus knew what he

meant, and after they

had taken their boats

to land he asked Peter

and the other disciples

too, if they would not

like to go with him and

become fishers of men.

How could they be

that? By helping to Christ and the Fishermen

save men as their Mas¬

ter was doing; by throwing a net of love around them, which

would draw them away from wicked places and wicked com¬

panions; then by teaching them to love God and keep his com-

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A CHILD’S STORY OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

mandments. When Jesus asked if they would do this, they

gladly left their boats and nets and followed him. They stayed

with him all the time he was on earth, travelling through the

cities and villages with him, hearing him teach the people, and

learning many things from him in their long quiet talks. After

he left them they still

tried to teach the people

what they had learned

from him.

On the Sabbath day

they went together to

the synagogue at Ca¬

pernaum and Jesus

taught the lesson.

Most of the people of

this city loved to listen

to him; for he knew

how to explain what he

had read and made the

service very interest¬

ing.

This day an insane

man was in the syna¬

gogue. The Jews be¬

lieved that if a person

was insane it was be¬

cause a wicked spirit got into him which was stronger than he

was and so made him do these strange things. They thought

that if the evil spirit could be driven out the man would be like

other people.

The people were quietly listening to what Jesus was saying

w T hen all at once this insane man called out: “ Let us alone. What

The Cure of the Insane Man

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have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to

destroy us? I know who you are; the Holy one of God.»

Every one else was very much frightened; but Jesus looked

at the man and said to the evil spirit, “ Be quiet, and come out

of him.» The man fell to the floor where he tossed about for a

few minutes. When he stood again he was like other people.

The evil spirit had gone forever. He was insane no more.

Every person in the synagogue was filled with wonder, and

one began asking another: “ What does this mean? Where does

this nian get his power? For he commands even the unclean

spirits and they obey him.» And in all the country round about

in Galilee people talked of what had happened here.

After the service was over Jesus and his four friends went to

Peter’s house, for they were all to take dinner there. Peter’s

wife’s mother lived with him, and when Jesus reached the house