PAPER 145
FOUR EVENTFUL DAYS AT CAPERNAUM
145:0.1 JESUS and the apostles arrived in Capernaum
the evening of Tuesday, January 13. As usual, they made their headquarters at
the home of Zebedee in Bethsaida. Now that John the Baptist had been sent to
his death, Jesus prepared to launch out in the first open and public preaching
tour of Galilee. The news that Jesus had returned rapidly spread throughout
the city, and early the next day, Mary the mother of Jesus hastened away,
going over to Nazareth to visit her son Joseph.
145:0.2 Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday Jesus spent
at the Zebedee house instructing his apostles preparatory to their first
extensive public preaching tour. He also received and taught many earnest
inquirers, both singly and in groups. Through Andrew, he arranged to speak in
the synagogue on the coming Sabbath day.
145:0.3 Late on Friday evening Jesus' baby sister,
Ruth, secretly paid him a visit. They spent almost an hour together in a boat
anchored a short distance from the shore. No human being, save John Zebedee,
ever knew of this visit, and he was admonished to tell no man. Ruth was the
only member of Jesus' family who consistently and unwaveringly believed in the
divinity of his earth mission from the times of her earliest spiritual
consciousness right on down through his eventful ministry, death,
resurrection, and ascension; and she finally passed on to the worlds beyond
never having doubted the supernatural character of her father-brother's
mission in the flesh. Baby Ruth was the chief comfort of Jesus, as regards his
earth family, throughout the trying ordeal of his trial, rejection, and
crucifixion.
1. THE DRAUGHT OF FISHES
145:1.1 On Friday morning of this same week, when
Jesus was teaching by the seaside, the people crowded him so near the water's
edge that he signaled to some fishermen occupying a near-by boat to come to
his rescue. Entering the boat, he continued to teach the assembled multitude
for more than two hours. This boat was named "Simon"; it was the former
fishing vessel of Simon Peter and had been built by Jesus' own hands. On this
particular morning the boat was being used by David Zebedee and two
associates, who had just come in near shore from a fruitless night of fishing
on the lake. They were cleaning and mending their nets when Jesus requested
them to come to his assistance.
145:1.2 After Jesus had finished teaching the
people, he said to David: "As you were delayed by coming to my help, now let
me work with you. Let us go fishing; put out into yonder deep and let down
your nets for a draught." But Simon, one of David's assistants, answered:
"Master, it is useless. We toiled all night and took nothing; however, at your
bidding we will put out and let down the nets." And Simon consented to follow
Jesus' directions because of a gesture made by his master, David. When they
had proceeded to the place designated by Jesus, they let down their nets and
enclosed such a multitude of fish that they feared the nets would break, so
much so that they signaled to their associates on the shore to come to their
assistance. When they had filled all three boats with fish, almost to sinking,
this Simon fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, Master, for I
am a sinful man." Simon and all who were concerned in this episode were amazed
at the draught of fishes. From that day David Zebedee, this Simon, and their
associates forsook their nets and followed Jesus.
145:1.3 But this was in no sense a miraculous
draught of fishes. Jesus was a close student of nature; he was an experienced
fisherman and knew the habits of the fish in the Sea of Galilee. On this
occasion he merely directed these men to the place where the fish were usually
to be found at this time of day. But Jesus' followers always regarded this as
a miracle.
2. AFTERNOON AT THE SYNAGOGUE
145:2.1 The next Sabbath, at the afternoon service
in the synagogue, Jesus preached his sermon on "The Will of the Father in
Heaven." In the morning Simon Peter had preached on "The Kingdom." At the
Thursday evening meeting of the synagogue Andrew had taught, his subject being
"The New Way." At this particular time more people believed in Jesus in
Capernaum than in any other one city on earth.
145:2.2 As Jesus taught in the synagogue this
Sabbath afternoon, according to custom he took the first text from the law,
reading from the Book of Exodus: "And you shall serve the Lord, your God, and
he shall bless your bread and your water, and all sickness shall be taken away
from you." He chose the second text from the Prophets, reading from Isaiah:
"Arise and shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen
upon you. Darkness may cover the earth and gross darkness the people, but the
spirit of the Lord shall arise upon you, and the divine glory shall be seen
with you. Even the gentiles shall come to this light, and many great minds
shall surrender to the brightness of this light."
145:2.3 This sermon was an effort on Jesus' part to
make clear the fact that religion is a personal experience. Among other
things, the Master said:
145:2.4 "You well know that, while a kindhearted
father loves his family as a whole, he so regards them as a group because of
his strong affection for each individual member of that family. No longer must
you approach the Father in heaven as a child of Israel but as a child of
God. As a group, you are indeed the children of Israel, but as
individuals, each one of you is a child of God. I have come, not to reveal the
Father to the children of Israel, but rather to bring this knowledge of God
and the revelation of his love and mercy to the individual believer as a
genuine personal experience. The prophets have all taught you that Yahweh
cares for his people, that God loves Israel. But I have come among you to
proclaim a greater truth, one which many of the later prophets also grasped,
that God loves you -- every one of you -- as individuals. All these
generations have you had a national or racial religion; now have I come to
give you a personal religion.
145:2.5 "But even this is not a new idea. Many of
the spiritually minded among you have known this truth, inasmuch as some of
the prophets have so instructed you. Have you not read in the Scriptures where
the Prophet Jeremiah says: `In those days they shall no more say, the fathers
have eaten sour grapes and the children's teeth are set on edge. Every man
shall die for his own iniquity; every man who eats sour grapes, his teeth
shall be set on edge. Behold, the days shall come when I will make a new
covenant with my people, not according to the covenant which I made with their
fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, but according to the new
way. I will even write my law in their hearts. I will be their God, and they
shall be my people. In that day they shall not say, one man to his neighbor,
do you know the Lord? Nay! For they shall all know me personally, from the
least to the greatest.'
145:2.6 "Have you not read these promises? Do you
not believe the Scriptures? Do you not understand that the prophet's words are
fulfilled in what you behold this very day? And did not Jeremiah exhort you to
make religion an affair of the heart, to relate yourselves to God as
individuals? Did not the prophet tell you that the God of heaven would search
your individual hearts? And were you not warned that the natural human heart
is deceitful above all things and oftentimes desperately wicked?
145:2.7 "Have you not read also where Ezekiel taught
even your fathers that religion must become a reality in your individual
experiences? No more shall you use the proverb which says, `The fathers have
eaten sour grapes and the children's teeth are set on edge.' `As I live,' says
the Lord God, `behold all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also
the soul of the son. Only the soul that sins shall die.' And then Ezekiel
foresaw even this day when he spoke in behalf of God, saying: `A new heart
also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.'
145:2.8 "No more should you fear that God will
punish a nation for the sin of an individual; neither will the Father in
heaven punish one of his believing children for the sins of a nation, albeit
the individual member of any family must often suffer the material
consequences of family mistakes and group transgressions. Do you not realize
that the hope of a better nation -- or a better world -- is bound up in the
progress and enlightenment of the individual?"
145:2.9 Then the Master portrayed that the Father in
heaven, after man discerns this spiritual freedom, wills that his children on
earth should begin that eternal ascent of the Paradise career which consists
in the creature's conscious response to the divine urge of the indwelling
spirit to find the Creator, to know God and to seek to become like
him.
145:2.10 The apostles were greatly helped by this
sermon. All of them realized more fully that the gospel of the kingdom is a
message directed to the individual, not to the nation.
145:2.11 Even though the people of Capernaum were
familiar with Jesus' teaching, they were astonished at his sermon on this
Sabbath day. He taught, indeed, as one having authority and not as the
scribes.
145:2.12 Just as Jesus finished speaking, a young
man in the congregation who had been much agitated by his words was seized
with a violent epileptic attack and loudly cried out. At the end of the
seizure, when recovering consciousness, he spoke in a dreamy state, saying:
"What have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? You are the holy one of God;
have you come to destroy us?" Jesus bade the people be quiet and, taking the
young man by the hand, said, "Come out of it" -- and he was immediately
awakened.
145:2.13 This young man was not possessed of an
unclean spirit or demon; he was a victim of ordinary epilepsy. But he had been
taught that his affliction was due to possession by an evil spirit. He
believed this teaching and behaved accordingly in all that he thought or said
concerning his ailment. The people all believed that such phenomena were
directly caused by the presence of unclean spirits. Accordingly they believed
that Jesus had cast a demon out of this man. But Jesus did not at that time
cure his epilepsy. Not until later on that day, after sundown, was this man
really healed. Long after the day of Pentecost the Apostle John, who was the
last to write of Jesus' doings, avoided all reference to these so-called acts
of "casting out devils," and this he did in view of the fact that such cases
of demon possession never occurred after Pentecost.
145:2.14 As a result of this commonplace incident
the report was rapidly spread through Capernaum that Jesus had cast a demon
out of a man and miraculously healed him in the synagogue at the conclusion of
his afternoon sermon. The Sabbath was just the time for the rapid and
effective spreading of such a startling rumor. This report was also carried to
all the smaller settlements around Capernaum, and many of the people believed
it.
145:2.15 The cooking and the housework at the large
Zebedee home, where Jesus and the twelve made their headquarters, was for the
most part done by Simon Peter's wife and her mother. Peter's home was near
that of Zebedee; and Jesus and his friends stopped there on the way from the
synagogue because Peter's wife's mother had for several days been sick with
chills and fever. Now it chanced that, at about the time Jesus stood over this
sick woman, holding her hand, smoothing her brow, and speaking words of
comfort and encouragement, the fever left her. Jesus had not yet had time to
explain to his apostles that no miracle had been wrought at the synagogue; and
with this incident so fresh and vivid in their minds, and recalling the water
and the wine at Cana, they seized upon this coincidence as another miracle,
and some of them rushed out to spread the news abroad throughout the
city.
145:2.16 Amatha, Peter's mother-in-law, was
suffering from malarial fever. She was not miraculously healed by Jesus at
this time. Not until several hours later, after sundown, was her cure effected
in connection with the extraordinary event which occurred in the front yard of
the Zebedee home.
145:2.17 And these cases are typical of the manner
in which a wonder-seeking generation and a miracle-minded people unfailingly
seized upon all such coincidences as the pretext for proclaiming that another
miracle had been wrought by Jesus.
3. THE HEALING AT SUNDOWN
145:3.1 By the time Jesus and his apostles had made
ready to partake of their evening meal near the end of this eventful Sabbath
day, all Capernaum and its environs were agog over these reputed miracles of
healing; and all who were sick or afflicted began preparations to go to Jesus
or to have themselves carried there by their friends just as soon as the sun
went down. According to Jewish teaching it was not permissible even to go in
quest of health during the sacred hours of the Sabbath.
145:3.2 Therefore, as soon as the sun sank beneath
the horizon, scores of afflicted men, women, and children began to make their
way toward the Zebedee home in Bethsaida. One man started out with his
paralyzed daughter just as soon as the sun sank behind his neighbor's
house.
145:3.3 The whole day's events had set the stage for
this extraordinary sundown scene. Even the text Jesus had used for his
afternoon sermon had intimated that sickness should be banished; and he had
spoken with such unprecedented power and authority! His message was so
compelling! While he made no appeal to human authority, he did speak directly
to the consciences and souls of men. Though he did not resort to logic, legal
quibbles, or clever sayings, he did make a powerful, direct, clear, and
personal appeal to the hearts of his hearers.
145:3.4 That Sabbath was a great day in the earth
life of Jesus, yes, in the life of a universe. To all local universe intents
and purposes the little Jewish city of Capernaum was the real capital of
Nebadon. The handful of Jews in the Capernaum synagogue were not the only
beings to hear that momentous closing statement of Jesus' sermon: "Hate is the
shadow of fear; revenge the mask of cowardice." Neither could his hearers
forget his blessed words, declaring, "Man is the son of God, not a child of
the devil."
145:3.5 Soon after the setting of the sun, as Jesus
and the apostles still lingered about the supper table, Peter's wife heard
voices in the front yard and, on going to the door, saw a large company of
sick folks assembling, and that the road from Capernaum was crowded by those
who were on their way to seek healing at Jesus' hands. On seeing this sight,
she went at once and informed her husband, who told Jesus.
145:3.6 When the Master stepped out of the front
entrance of Zebedee's house, his eyes met an array of stricken and afflicted
humanity. He gazed upon almost one thousand sick and ailing human beings; at
least that was the number of persons gathered together before him. Not all
present were afflicted; some had come assisting their loved ones in this
effort to secure healing.
145:3.7 The sight of these afflicted mortals, men,
women, and children, suffering in large measure as a result of the mistakes
and misdeeds of his own trusted Sons of universe administration, peculiarly
touched the human heart of Jesus and challenged the divine mercy of this
benevolent Creator Son. But Jesus well knew he could never build an enduring
spiritual movement upon the foundation of purely material wonders. It had been
his consistent policy to refrain from exhibiting his creator prerogatives. Not
since Cana had the supernatural or miraculous attended his teaching; still,
this afflicted multitude touched his sympathetic heart and mightily appealed
to his understanding affection.
145:3.8 A voice from the front yard exclaimed:
"Master, speak the word, restore our health, heal our diseases, and save our
souls." No sooner had these words been uttered than a vast retinue of
seraphim, physical controllers, Life Carriers, and midwayers, such as always
attended this incarnated Creator of a universe, made themselves ready to act
with creative power should their Sovereign give the signal. This was one of
those moments in the earth career of Jesus in which divine wisdom and human
compassion were so interlocked in the judgment of the Son of Man that he
sought refuge in appeal to his Father's will.
145:3.9 When Peter implored the Master to heed their
cry for help, Jesus, looking down upon the afflicted throng, answered: "I have
come into the world to reveal the Father and establish his kingdom. For this
purpose have I lived my life to this hour. If, therefore, it should be the
will of Him who sent me and not inconsistent with my dedication to the
proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, I would desire to see my
children made whole -- and --" but the further words of Jesus were lost in the
tumult.
145:3.10 Jesus had passed the responsibility of this
healing decision to the ruling of his Father. Evidently the Father's will
interposed no objection, for the words of the Master had scarcely been uttered
when the assembly of celestial personalities serving under the command of
Jesus' Personalized Thought Adjuster was mightily astir. The vast retinue
descended into the midst of this motley throng of afflicted mortals, and in a
moment of time 683 men, women, and children were made whole, were perfectly
healed of all their physical diseases and other material disorders. Such a
scene was never witnessed on earth before that day, nor since. And for those
of us who were present to behold this creative wave of healing, it was indeed
a thrilling spectacle.
145:3.11 But of all the beings who were astonished
at this sudden and unexpected outbreak of supernatural healing, Jesus was the
most surprised. In a moment when his human interests and sympathies were
focused upon the scene of suffering and affliction there spread out before
him, he neglected to bear in his human mind the admonitory warnings of his
Personalized Adjuster regarding the impossibility of limiting the time element
of the creator prerogatives of a Creator Son under certain conditions and in
certain circumstances. Jesus desired to see these suffering mortals made whole
if his Father's will would not thereby be violated. The Personalized Adjuster
of Jesus instantly ruled that such an act of creative energy at that time
would not transgress the will of the Paradise Father, and by such a decision
-- in view of Jesus' preceding expression of healing desire -- the creative
act was. What a Creator Son desires and his Father wills
IS. Not in all of Jesus' subsequent earth life did another such en masse
physical healing of mortals take place.
145:3.12 As might have been expected, the fame of
this sundown healing at Bethsaida in Capernaum spread throughout all Galilee
and Judea and to the regions beyond. Once more were the fears of Herod
aroused, and he sent watchers to report on the work and teachings of Jesus and
to ascertain if he was the former carpenter of Nazareth or John the Baptist
risen from the dead.
145:3.13 Chiefly because of this unintended
demonstration of physical healing, henceforth, throughout the remainder of his
earth career, Jesus became as much a physician as a preacher. True, he
continued his teaching, but his personal work consisted mostly in ministering
to the sick and the distressed, while his apostles did the work of public
preaching and baptizing believers.
145:3.14 But the majority of those who were
recipients of supernatural or creative physical healing at this sundown
demonstration of divine energy were not permanently spiritually benefited by
this extraordinary manifestation of mercy. A small number were truly edified
by this physical ministry, but the spiritual kingdom was not advanced in the
hearts of men by this amazing eruption of timeless creative
healing.
145:3.15 The healing wonders which every now and
then attended Jesus' mission on earth were not a part of his plan of
proclaiming the kingdom. They were incidentally inherent in having on earth a
divine being of well-nigh unlimited creator prerogatives in association with
an unprecedented combination of divine mercy and human sympathy. But such
so-called miracles gave Jesus much trouble in that they provided
prejudice-raising publicity and afforded much unsought notoriety.
4. THE EVENING AFTER
145:4.1 Throughout the evening following this great
outburst of healing, the rejoicing and happy throng overran Zebedee's home,
and the apostles of Jesus were keyed up to the highest pitch of emotional
enthusiasm. From a human standpoint, this was probably the greatest day of all
the great days of their association with Jesus. At no time before or after did
their hopes surge to such heights of confident expectation. Jesus had told
them only a few days before, and when they were yet within the borders of
Samaria, that the hour had come when the kingdom was to be proclaimed in
power, and now their eyes had seen what they supposed was the
fulfillment of that promise. They were thrilled by the vision of what was to
come if this amazing manifestation of healing power was just the beginning.
Their lingering doubts of Jesus' divinity were banished. They were literally
intoxicated with the ecstasy of their bewildered enchantment.
145:4.2 But when they sought for Jesus, they could
not find him. The Master was much perturbed by what had happened. These men,
women, and children who had been healed of diverse diseases lingered late into
the evening, hoping for Jesus' return that they might thank him. The apostles
could not understand the Master's conduct as the hours passed and he remained
in seclusion; their joy would have been full and perfect but for his continued
absence. When Jesus did return to their midst, the hour was late, and
practically all of the beneficiaries of the healing episode had gone to their
homes. Jesus refused the congratulations and adoration of the twelve and the
others who had lingered to greet him, only saying: "Rejoice not that my Father
is powerful to heal the body, but rather that he is mighty to save the soul.
Let us go to our rest, for tomorrow we must be about the Father's
business."
145:4.3 And again did twelve disappointed,
perplexed, and heart-sorrowing men go to their rest; few of them, except the
twins, slept much that night. No sooner would the Master do something to cheer
the souls and gladden the hearts of his apostles, than he seemed immediately
to dash their hopes in pieces and utterly to demolish the foundations of their
courage and enthusiasm. As these bewildered fishermen looked into each other's
eyes, there was but one thought: "We cannot understand him. What does all this
mean?"
5. EARLY SUNDAY MORNING
145:5.1 Neither did Jesus sleep much that Saturday
night. He realized that the world was filled with physical distress and
overrun with material difficulties, and he contemplated the great danger of
being compelled to devote so much of his time to the care of the sick and
afflicted that his mission of establishing the spiritual kingdom in the hearts
of men would be interfered with or at least subordinated to the ministry of
things physical. Because of these and similar thoughts which occupied the
mortal mind of Jesus during the night, he arose that Sunday morning long
before daybreak and went all alone to one of his favorite places for communion
with the Father. The theme of Jesus' prayer on this early morning was for
wisdom and judgment that he might not allow his human sympathy, joined with
his divine mercy, to make such an appeal to him in the presence of mortal
suffering that all of his time would be occupied with physical ministry to the
neglect of the spiritual. Though he did not wish altogether to avoid
ministering to the sick, he knew that he must also do the more important work
of spiritual teaching and religious training.
145:5.2 Jesus went out in the hills to pray so many
times because there were no private rooms suitable for his personal
devotions.
145:5.3 Peter could not sleep that night; so, very
early, shortly after Jesus had gone out to pray, he aroused James and John,
and the three went to find their Master. After more than an hour's search they
found Jesus and besought him to tell them the reason for his strange conduct.
They desired to know why he appeared to be troubled by the mighty outpouring
of the spirit of healing when all the people were overjoyed and his apostles
so much rejoiced.
145:5.4 For more than four hours Jesus endeavored to
explain to these three apostles what had happened. He taught them about what
had transpired and explained the dangers of such manifestations. Jesus
confided to them the reason for his coming forth to pray. He sought to make
plain to his personal associates the real reasons why the kingdom of the
Father could not be built upon wonder-working and physical healing. But they
could not comprehend his teaching.
145:5.5 Meanwhile, early Sunday morning, other
crowds of afflicted souls and many curiosity seekers began to gather about the
house of Zebedee. They clamored to see Jesus. Andrew and the apostles were so
perplexed that, while Simon Zelotes talked to the assembly, Andrew, with
several of his associates, went to find Jesus. When Andrew had located Jesus
in company with the three, he said: "Master, why do you leave us alone with
the multitude? Behold, all men seek you; never before have so many sought
after your teaching. Even now the house is surrounded by those who have come
from near and far because of your mighty works. Will you not return with us to
minister to them?"
145:5.6 When Jesus heard this, he answered: "Andrew,
have I not taught you and these others that my mission on earth is the
revelation of the Father, and my message the proclamation of the kingdom of
heaven? How is it, then, that you would have me turn aside from my work for
the gratification of the curious and for the satisfaction of those who seek
for signs and wonders? Have we not been among these people all these months,
and have they flocked in multitudes to hear the good news of the kingdom? Why
have they now come to besiege us? Is it not because of the healing of their
physical bodies rather than as a result of the reception of spiritual truth
for the salvation of their souls? When men are attracted to us because of
extraordinary manifestations, many of them come seeking not for truth and
salvation but rather in quest of healing for their physical ailments and to
secure deliverance from their material difficulties.
145:5.7 "All this time I have been in Capernaum, and
both in the synagogue and by the seaside have I proclaimed the good news of
the kingdom to all who had ears to hear and hearts to receive the truth. It is
not the will of my Father that I should return with you to cater to these
curious ones and to become occupied with the ministry of things physical to
the exclusion of the spiritual. I have ordained you to preach the gospel and
minister to the sick, but I must not become engrossed in healing to the
exclusion of my teaching. No, Andrew, I will not return with you. Go and tell
the people to believe in that which we have taught them and to rejoice in the
liberty of the sons of God, and make ready for our departure for the other
cities of Galilee, where the way has already been prepared for the preaching
of the good tidings of the kingdom. It was for this purpose that I came forth
from the Father. Go, then, and prepare for our immediate departure while I
here await your return."
145:5.8 When Jesus had spoken, Andrew and his fellow
apostles sorrowfully made their way back to Zebedee's house, dismissed the
assembled multitude, and quickly made ready for the journey as Jesus had
directed. And so, on the afternoon of Sunday, January 18, A.D. 28, Jesus and
the apostles started out upon their first really public and open preaching
tour of the cities of Galilee. On this first tour they preached the gospel of
the kingdom in many cities, but they did not visit Nazareth.
145:5.9 That Sunday afternoon, shortly after Jesus
and his apostles had left for Rimmon, his brothers James and Jude came to see
him, calling at Zebedee's house. About noon of that day Jude had sought out
his brother James and insisted that they go to Jesus. By the time James
consented to go with Jude, Jesus had already departed.
145:5.10 The apostles were loath to leave the great
interest which had been aroused at Capernaum. Peter calculated that no less
than one thousand believers could have been baptized into the kingdom. Jesus
listened to them patiently, but he would not consent to return. Silence
prevailed for a season, and then Thomas addressed his fellow apostles, saying:
"Let's go! The Master has spoken. No matter if we cannot fully comprehend the
mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, of one thing we are certain: We follow a
teacher who seeks no glory for himself." And reluctantly they went forth to
preach the good tidings in the cities of Galilee.
