Thirteen

So they left, but instead of going along the Jordan, they went straight through Samaria. They had reached Sychar, near Jacob's well, around noon on the second day, and Jesus said, "You go into the town to buy food. I will rest a bit beside the well here. We might stay here a night or two."

"Here? In Samaria?"

"Fear not; we will be perfectly safe. Now go."

When they returned, they found Jesus talking with a woman, who had come to the well to draw water. They were astonished, not only that he was speaking alone with a woman, something that was not done, but with a Samaritan, who in general hated the Judeans.

But before they arrived, she took one look at them as they came up and ran off, leaving her water-jar.

While they were preparing the midday meal, Jesus paced up and down, clearly excited. "Rabbi, eat something," said James, John's brother.

"I have food to eat you know nothing of," answered Jesus, continuing to pace.

"Did she give him something to eat?" they asked each other, and he stopped at looked at them. "My food," he said, "is to do the will of the one who sent me, and finish the task he has given me." He looked out at the fields, where the crops were beginning to sprout. "You would say, would you not, that it will be four months before the harvest?"

He waved his hand at the landscape, "But I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields; they are already ripe for the harvest, and already the reaper has begun collecting his pay and is gathering a crop for eternal life, so that the one who planted the crop will be just as happy as the one gathering it in!"

The others looked at him in bewilderment; the fields had barely begun to turn green. "I am sending you," he said to them, "to reap what you have not worked on; others have done the work, and you will gather the fruits."

Before they could ask him what he meant, the woman reappeared with a number of the townsfolk, some of whom the students had seen when they bought food. They begged him to stay and tell them more of what he had told the woman; and they stayed in that place two days. It seemed that Jesus had told her that he was the Prince, and also mentioned "everything that I have done," which was apparently not a catalogue of virtues. Andrew noted with amusement that Ezra had ingratiated himself with the townspeople, especially the woman, and had given a full report to John of what had happened. Apparently, his foreign appearance had made them better disposed toward him.

When they returned to Galilee, Jesus made for his home town of Nazareth, down the hill from Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. As he entered the region, everyone welcomed him, because they had been at the feast in Jerusalem and had seen his cures and the cleansing of the Temple, and had heard of cures he had made at various times in Capernaum. Some were agog at his ability to cure people, and others were overjoyed at how he had tweaked the noses of the Judeans, who did not dare, really, to denounce him, since everyone knew that what he had done is what had been crying out to be done for years.

Shortly after dawn the next day, Jesus entered the synagogue, where the men had gathered to pray. The students stood at the back, and Jesus went up to the front, and the rabbi, seeing him, asked him if he would speak. He requested the scroll of Isaiah, which he unrolled until he found the place he wished.

"We have as a guest today," said the rabbi, "Jesus, someone doubtless all of you know." Then Jesus began to read, to the astonishment of practically everyone, who knew him only as a carpenter, and had assumed he was illiterate: "The Master's spirit is upon me," he said, "and this is why he has anointed me to report the good news to the poor. He has given me a proclamation to deliver: one of freedom for prisoners of war, of new sight for the blind; he has told me to set broken people free and announce a year of the Master's favor."

It went through Andrew as a shock that this was a prophesy about Jesus himself, and that he was probably just about to announce a year of the Master's favor. Andrew's heart began to beat fast with excitement.

And sure enough, Jesus rolled up the scroll and handed it to the attendant, and sat back down, with every eye in the synagogue fastened upon him. "Today," he began, "that passage is being fulfilled as you listen to it."

Andrew had noticed in a vague kind of way that when Jesus said, "set broken people free" he had looked up from the scroll at a rather filthy man in the back, who certainly seemed "broken." He looked again at him during the pause while what he was saying was beginning to sink in. The man did not seem to be aware of his eyes on him; he was too embarrassed.

As the people began to react, someone whispered, "What is he trying to say?"

"Evidently," was the whispered answer, "he thinks that he is the Master's Anointed."

"Who, that man? But is he not the Jesus who is Joseph's son? The carpenter? What is he doing here acting like a rabbi?"

"Acting like a rabbi! He is acting as if he were the Prince who was prophesied to become David's successor!"

"Does he think we know him not? We know his father and mother and all his relatives! Why, he has lived here his whole life! Does he expect us to believe he suddenly came down from heaven or something?"

But then others began recounting what had happened in Jerusalem and Capernaum, and the murmuring grew louder, as disputes arose in the congregation. Jesus lifted up his hand, and said, mildly, but in a voice that could clearly be heard through the whole synagogue, "I know. You are all quoting me the proverb, 'Doctor, cure yourself. Do here in your own town what we have heard you do in Capernaum.'"

A few who had heard nothing about Capernaum whispered, "What? Has he done something in Capernaum?"

"They say he has cured many of all kinds of diseases, and--"

"How? Has he discovered some new medicine?"

"No, he does it with a mere word, they say."

"Nonsense!"

"--accepted in his own land," Jesus was saying. "There were many, many widows in Israel during Elijah's time--this is true, what I am saying--when the sky was shut for three years and six months, and a great famine spread through the whole country. But Elijah was not sent to any one of them; he went to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. And there were many lepers in Israel during the time of the prophet Elisha; but it was Naaman the Syrian, not one of them, who was cured."

Andrew cringed. Jesus was obviously not trying to ingratiate himself diplomatically. Doubtless he knew that the people, who had seen him for close to thirty years, would find it impossible to believe that he was anything but the carpenter, who suddenly had delusions of grandeur. He was giving them a chance to "change their way of thinking" and believe in him, but he realized from the outset that it was hopeless. Andrew looked over at the "broken man," who seemed to be trying to escape, but others were blocking the entrance, and he could not do it without calling attention to himself.

When the people realized the rebuke Jesus had delivered, Andrew heard, "Do you hear that?" from someone.

Another answered, "He is as much as saying that we are not worthy of his consideration!"

"Who does he think he is?"

"Well I will show him who he really is!" And the crowd, suddenly enraged, surged forward, grasping Jesus, pulling him out of the building, and clearly intending to take him to the cliff outside the town to throw him over.

But suddenly, everyone began milling about. "Where is he?" everyone was saying. "Who had him?" "He was here but a moment since!" "Who let him go?" They were all furious in their frustration, but it gradually dawned on them that there was nothing to be done. Jesus was simply not there. They began to disperse, shaking their heads.

As they went out, Andrew saw the "broken man" leave and slip behind a bush, with Ezra inconspicuously following him. The two disappeared for a while, and shortly afterward, Ezra returned, to Thomas, shaking his head.

"Who was that man?" asked Thomas, and Ezra answered, "I know not. But something strange is going on. I was about to follow him, and then--rather like the Master--he was nowhere. Has the Master returned?"

"No, he--"

"I expect it would be well to go down to Capernaum for the night," said Jesus, as if he had been with them and were resuming a conversation. Andrew stared. He had been looking right at them, and there was no Jesus there, and then he was with them, as if he had never left. "I have an errand to do in that vicinity tomorrow evening, and we can find places there to stay with no trouble. It seems I am not welcome here."

James expostulated violently, denouncing the Nazarenes, but Jesus cut him off with, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country and among his relatives. I expected this, but it needed to be confirmed," and then Jesus, acting as if nothing unusual had happened, gathered his group of followers and led them to the place they had been earlier, by the lake. And interestingly, no one else noticed them at all--any of them. Could he make whole groups disappear? He apparently made the "broken man" disappear with him. And where was that man now? And who was he? And what had he to do with Jesus, or Jesus with him?

Evidently, thought Andrew, as he went back to pondering the whole incident, Jesus had felt he had to give his townsfolk a chance to begin, at least, to believe in him, even though he knew that he would not succeed. Would it be the same with those in Judea? Well, there was that Nicodemus, at least, as doubtless there were some in Nazareth. The master of the synagogue seemed to have some faith in him, or he would never have invited him to read.

But the important thing was what this meant for Jesus's mission. Was his mission to restore the state before Adam, or was it to give his chosen people the chance to accept his restoration of the "natural" condition of mankind, without death and suffering? And if so, could he convince them that this was possible, or would they reject the opportunity? What a tragedy for mankind! A second fall! And if they did reject him--which to Andrew seemed likely--what would happen at this second fall of mankind?

It was not to be thought of. Andrew tried to put it out of his mind. He directed his attention to the others.

The students were still talking indignantly of the reception he had received, but it did not seem to bother Jesus; he had, as he said to James, confirmed what he had expected. "It goes to show," remarked Nathanael, "that it is not going to be all that easy to inaugurate the Reign of God in Galilee either. Cures are fine, and perhaps signs of the new state of affairs; but even those impressed by them care about them as cures, not signs."

That whole day day and the next passed in discussions that went nowhere, and in Jesus's touching and curing a growing number of people who came to him for relief. Toward evening, Jesus went with his students up to a river ford, at which there was a tax-collector's booth, where a man--the "broken man!"who looked even more broken than ever, if that were possible--was assessing the tax on the loads the farmers wished to transport, and his assistants were looking on with a mixture of horror and disbelief. He looked as if he was about to give up in complete despair, and went into the booth, taking something in his hand.

Jesus walked up and said, "Come. Follow me," and the man, who was evidently fighting within himself, after a few moments put whatever it was onto a shelf in his booth. He looked back at it, as if wondering whether he was doing the right thing in not using it. But he turned and walked toward Jesus.

So the "broken man" was a tax-collector, one of those most hated by any Judean, not least those he forced (with the help of the soldier who was nearby) into paying not only what was owed to Rome, but whatever extra he could extort from the poor farmers and tradespeople!

But if he was a tax-collector, he was not merely a "broken"tax-collector, but a completely shattered tax-collector. And Jesus wanted him to follow him! But this was a bit much, thought Andrew. He was reminded of the saying that a man was known by the company he keeps, and Jesus not only consorted with the lower classes such as fishermen, but had a notorious drunk in his retinue, and was about to add a tax-collector to it!

And Andrew was willing to wager that this tax-collector was the one Jesus was waiting for to add to the "nucleus" he was forming!

--Of course, if a man was known by the company he keeps, then that worked both ways. Presumably, if this man joined Jesus, he would be known by the one in whose company he was, because it was obvious that he was now an ex-tax-collector, just as Thomas was an ex-drunk. But still . . . .

The soldier standing by, along with the two assistants, came up to the man, and Jesus said to the soldier, "This man has decided to become a student of mine, and will no longer be working here. You will let him go, and you may tell his--friend--that he will soon be glad to have eyes and ears in the company of Jesus of Nazareth. The name is not unknown in Judea, even now."

"I will be required to confirm that." said the soldier.

"I and my followers will not be difficult to find. If you need to locate Levi, you will have no trouble." Levi, thought Andrew.

"You are leaving us, Master?" said one of the assistants, and the man, who had almost started to go back to the booth, turned instead to him and said, "No. Yes. . . .Yes. I have decided to follow this man and learn from him." Then, apparently now that the decision had been made, he continued with less confusion in his voice, "You know how to carry on what we have been doing. Use today's numbers as a guide to what Rome exacts, and add enough to earn your own keep. You will have no trouble. But be not too exacting."

Both men reacted with astonishment, apparently at the last phrase more than anything else. "But you cannot simply leave us!" said the one who had spoken.

He made no reply, and turned to follow after Jesus, who had confidently walked away, as if everything had been settled satisfactorily. The others kept expostulating, but it was as if Levi could not hear. The soldier followed for a step or two, as if he would object, and then shrugged his shoulders, and began speaking to the two assistants.

Philip came up to Thomas, and whispered, "Was he not in the synagogue this morning?" Thomas prudently replied, "I know not. The synagogue?" Andrew was convinced that he was indeed the "broken man," but it was probably a good idea not to advertise it, especially since he had apparently disappeared with Jesus earlier. What was it that happened?

Jesus was saying, "--must sleep first. And perhaps think a bit on the morrow. We will take you home and then return for you, if you keep to your intention. I should tell you that the soldier will also return. He finds it difficult to believe that you will abandon your life."

"I cannot go back. I cannot."

"But you must assure yourself that this is not simply fatigue speaking. When you are fresh, it is possible you will see things in a different light."

"You should know I will not."

"Perhaps. But it is you who should be assured of it above all."

"Whatever you say. I know not even who I am now--or what. I know nothing."

His attitude seemed to imply that he knew Jesus. Had Jesus worked for him at one time? Perhaps as a carpenter?

None of the group, of course, made any attempt to speak to the tax-collector, and were murmuring softly among themselves; they were too stunned at this development. Tax-collectors were far worse than Samaritans, and "Samaritan" was often used by the Judeans as a curse, when they needed the worst insult they could make about someone. And now a tax-collector was to be one of them! An agent of Rome!

And who was this "friend" who needed to know about them? Someone in Judea, no less. Pontius Pilate? Was Jesus actually inviting a spy into their midst?

Jesus kept him by his side, gently supporting him as he stumbled along the seemingly interminable distance to his house, a sumptuous Roman-style villa (which caused even more remarks) with a fence around it and vicious dogs patrolling inside. No one dared to say anything openly, but it was clear what everyone was thinking. A drunk--at least, a former drunk--was one thing, but a traitor to the Judean people quite another, not to mention someone who bled the last drop from the people for his own gain in addition to Rome's!

The man made some request of Jesus which no one heard; but Jesus stroked his beard and gave what seemed to be an affirmative answer.

After they left him, discussions kept going on in low tones among the students, while Jesus acted--of course--as if nothing unusual had happened.

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