Johann Quisumbing

An Adventure Story of Yeshua bar Yosef by JQuisumbing

“Brother, you have been gone for five new moons already and from what I can see, all you have accomplished so far is to preach among the offscourings¹ of our nation,” Iacob, his brother exclaimed.

“Offscourings, you say?” Yeshua asked calmly. “Are those your sentiments, Iacob or that of your mentor’s?”

“Rabbi Elon had said that you, among all he had taught in our synagogue, could rise high among the order of Pharisees. You have it in yourself to be in the Sanhedrin.² He had also said that even though we were from humble means, you could rise to the great Court in Jerusalem. So, why are you wasting yourself as a vagabond preacher?”

“My son! What a question to ask of your brother who is…” 

Yeshua reached out and gently placed his hand on hers. “Let him be, Imma. Iacob’s desire is to understand,” Yeshua said calmly. Turning to his brother, Yeshua said, “So, I will let you answer your own question.” Iacob was about to retort but Mariam put up her finger, a motherly sign that he should wait.

“Let me ask you a question, brother. To whom does Galilee and the surrounding country belong?”

“Mostly, to the Gentiles!” Iacob spat it out contemptuously.

“But then whose tribal lands did these lands once belong to?”

“Oh, I know! I know,” Yuda was excitedly raising his hands. Yeshua nodded. “Zebulun and Naphtali!”³

“Consider the words of Isaiah. ‘In the past the Lord Adonai humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali because of their transgression, but in the future He will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan – to the people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.’ ”⁴  

“Isaiah!?” Iacob’s face frowned as he pondered what was said. “Yeshua! What are you saying? Are you claiming to be the… the…”, he whispered, “… the Messiah? Have you lost your mind? This is dangerous. What would father say if he was still alive?”

“He would not object, Iacob” Yude whispered back. “I know.”

“You know! What do you know, little brother?”

“Do you not remember the story he told us never to reveal to anyone?”

Iacob blinked twice. “That story was meant for gullible children. It couldn’t have hap…” He couldn’t complete it when he turned to see his mother’s tearful face. Then, he started to shake his head in denial. “No, no, no, no. It cannot be true.”

“Iacob, look at me.” Yeshua said gently. “Look at me, brother.” As he turned from looking at their mother, their eyes met. Yeshua could see what was in his heart. There is still some pride there, tumefied by his mentor’s lip praise. 

Iacob had not been happy for this many years. Continued living in Nazareth (a very poor village) rather than in the more vibrant city of Sepphoris, took a toll on him. When their father was still alive, his crafts were desired by many in the city. His customers had tried to have him leave Nazareth and set up home and workshop in the city but he would not move. For a long time, Iacob did not understand why. That disappointment grew in time. When their father passed, Yeshua, being the eldest, took over the work. Their father’s clienteles were happy with his work but yet they stayed put. Iacob’s disappointment grew because he craved to get away from his perceived poverty. Then, when their own synagogue leader wanted to send Yeshua to the order of the Pharisees, he politely refused. The last straw was when Yeshua then left (with little or no explanation) for the Jordan to seek out the Baptist and left their father’s business to his brothers which Iacob didn’t want. Since the city was only five miles from Nazareth, Iacob (with the help from Rabbi Elon) made frequent trips to the synagogue’s academy. That was where he became one of Rabbi Tuvya’ proselytes. He should have been content, but deep down he still felt lost. Only his pride is keeping his facade up. 

Yeshua was relieved, for Iacob was far from being too lost. He smiled and said, “Iacob, is the Lord Adonai so small in your heart that he could have chosen a daughter of the bloodline of David to fulfill what Isaiah prophesied?” 

“Mother? Bloodline to David?” Iacob was surprised. Their mother nodded to him.

“And in that same prophecy, is it so far-fetched that the virgin that was spoken of is our mother?” Yeshua could see him struggle with the revelation, he said, “I will pressure you no more of this. It is all up to you. For now, I must go to where my followers have made camp.”

Yeshua and Shimon left. It was not too long until they found their encampment. They were pleased to find a trader’s tent set up, lent by Nethanel’s father who happened to own the grove of figs and nut trees they were camping under. Though it was only the eighth hour of the day, the coolness of Fall can be felt in the air. Some of the followers were sitting around a fire nibbling on some nuts. He noticed that not all were there.

“Where are Nethanel and the women?”

“Nethanel is in the house with his father,” Andraus answered as he tossed an unshelled walnut to his brother. “Taddai accompanied the women to pick figs for the wedding, Master. Shall I fetch them?” 

“No, no. I’ll go search for them, but the rest of you stay. I need to walk anyway. Come on, Shimon.”

They went through the grove and soon found Shoshannah carrying two baskets full of fruit and nuts. When asked where Taddai and Mariam were, she said that they were approached by some children begging for help. Apparently, one of their companions fell from a tree and broke something. Mariam and Taddai went with them while she was going to get more help. Yeshua told her not to worry and she led the way to where the child fell. As they approached the edge of the grove, they followed the sound of wailing children. Then, they saw a large tree with six children closely gathered around two crouching adults. When they came near, they found a little girl lying on the ground under the overhanging branch which she fell off. The little girl’s eyes were wide open and her breathing sounded heavy.  Her head was resting on Mariam’s lap, but her lower back was precariously resting on a protruding root on a leaf strewn ground. 

Mariam’s tear stained face looked up. “Master, This is Nethanel’s niece,” she said somberly. “She cannot feel her legs.”

“Taddai… you and Shoshannah bring the children over there.” Yeshua instructed, pointing to another tree some twenty feet away. Then, he knelt by the child and gently lifted her arched lower back off the protruding root onto level ground. She was breathing heavier but she made no sound.

“Mariam, place your hand over her eyes and sing to her a psalm.”

Smiling down at her fearful eyes, she gently laid her hand on them, then softly sang, “I will exalt Thee, O Lord, my Adonai, I called to Thee for help, and Thou hath healed me. Thou hast turned my wailing into dancing; Thou hath removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing Thine praises and not be silent. O Lord my Adonai, I will praise Thee forever.”⁵

While she sang, Yeshua could see in his mind’s eye the break in the child’s lower back as well as a bad fracture in her pelvis with internal bleeding. He can feel her pain and see this little girl’s fears that she may not be able to again jump into her imma’s and abba’s arms to plant loving kisses on them. Then, his spirit filled with healing knowledge and power. He willed her broken body to mend. Like a spectator, he was fascinated as her severed spinal cord was intricately woven back whole, showing no sign of tearing. Her vertebrae were pushed back into place. The bad fractures in her pelvic bone were so regenerated that it looked as if nothing happened. He opened his eyes and saw that her breathing was easier and her toes were moving.

“Stand, little one,” said Yeshua calmly. “Your parents are probably wondering why you have not come home yet.”

“I… ah… I can feel my legs… my feet!” She sat up. Mariam helped her up. The little girl started to hop on her feet gleefully. The other children rushed to her, surprised and amazed. Then, they were off running toward the big house, chattering away on what had happened.

Yeshua found four sets of eyes staring at him. “Before we head back, you must keep what you have seen here to yourselves. It is still not my time.”

“But master, what of the children?” asked Shimon, gesturing towards the retreating children.

Yeshua smiled and said, “There is much I would accept from the mouths of babes, but the world, on the other hand, will only perceive flights of fancy. It is a shame. For they can learn much from children.”  

TO BE CONTINUED

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Footnotes: [1] Offscourings – outcasts, dregs or lawless; [2] The Sanhedrin – the ruling council of the Jews made up of the priestly order, Pharisees and the Sadducees; [3] Zebulun and Naphtali – tribal ancestors of two of the twelve tribes of Israel of which these northern territories were allotted to them during Joshua time; [4] based on Isaiah 9:1–2 NLT; [5] Psalm 30:2,11,12

Character names: Adonai [God]; Yeshua [Jesus]; 

Twelve Disciples: Yohanen [John]; Iacob [James]; Shimon ben Yonah [Simon son of Jonah]; Andraus [Andrew]; Nethanel of Cana [Nathanael aka Bartholomew]; Toam [Thomas Didymus]; Taddai [Thaddeus]; Philippos of Bethsaida

Mariam of Magdala [Mary Magdalene]; Shoshannah [Susanna]; Chuza [Herod Antipas’ household steward]; Ioanna [Joanna, wife of Chuza]; Mariam [Mary, Jesus’ mother]; Iacob & Yehudah or ‘Yuda’ [James & Jude, brothers of Jesus]

Fictional names: Mare & Iliana [Jesus’ sisters]; Rabbi Tuvya [a Pharisee of Sepphoris]; Rabbi Elon [Synagogue leader of Nazareth]

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