CHAPTER V.
IT was Sabbath morning in the house of Laban the Pharisee. Joel, sittingalone in the court-yard, could hear his aunt talking to the smallerchildren, as she made them ready to take with her to the synagogue.
From the upper chamber on the roof, came also a sound of voices, for twoguests had arrived the day before, and were talking earnestly with theirhost. Joel already knew the object of their visit.
They had been there before, when the preaching of John Baptist had drawnsuch great crowds from all the cities to the banks of the Jordan. Theyhad been sent out then by the authorities in Jerusalem to see whatmanner of man was this who, clothed in skins and living in thewilderness, could draw the people so wonderfully, and arouse suchintense excitement. Now they had come on a like errand, although ontheir own authority.
Another prophet had arisen whom this John Baptist had declared to begreater than himself. They had seen Him drive the moneychangers from theTemple; they had heard many wild rumors concerning Him. So they followedHim to His home in the little village of Nazareth, where they heard Himtalk in the synagogue.
They had seen the listening crowd grow amazed at the eloquence of Histeaching, and then indignant that one so humble as a carpenter's sonshould claim that Isaiah's prophecies had been fulfilled in Himself.
They had seen Him driven from the home of His boyhood, and now had cometo Capernaum that they might be witnesses in case this impostor tried tolead these people astray by repeating His claims.
All this Joel heard, and more, as the earnest voices came distinctlydown to him through the deep hush of the Sabbath stillness. It shook hisfaith somewhat, even in the goodness of this friend of his friendPhineas, that these two learned doctors of the Law should consider Himan impostor.
He stood aside respectfully for them to pass, as they came down theoutside stairway, and crossed the court-yard on their way to themorning service.
Their long, flowing, white robes, their broad phylacteries, theirdignified bearing, impressed him greatly. He knew they were wise, goodmen whose only aim in life was to keep the letter of the Law, down toits smallest details. He followed them through the streets until theycame to the synagogue. They gave no greeting to any one they passed, butwalked with reverently bowed heads that their pious meditation might notbe disturbed by the outside world. His aunt had already gone by the wayof the back streets, as it was customary for women to go, her faceclosely veiled.
The synagogue, of finely chiselled limestone, with its double rows ofgreat marble pillars, stood in its white splendor, the pride of thetown. It had been built by the commander of the garrison who, though aRoman centurion, was a believer in the God of the Hebrews, and greatlyloved by the whole people.
Joel glanced up at the lintel over the door, where Aaron's rod and a potof manna carved in the stone were constant reminders to the dailyworshippers of the Hand that fed and guided them from generation togeneration.
Joel limped slowly to his place in the congregation. In the seats ofhonor, facing it, sat his uncle and his guests, among the rulers of thesynagogue.
For a moment his eyes wandered curiously around, hoping for a glimpse ofthe man whose fame was beginning to spread all over Galilee. It had beenrumored that He would be there. But Joel saw only familiar faces. Theelders took their seats.
During the reading of the usual psalm, the reciting of a benediction,and even the confession of the creed, Joel's thoughts wandered. When thereader took up his scroll to read the passages from Deuteronomy, the boystole one more quick glance all around. But as the whole congregationarose, and turned facing the east, he resolutely fixed his mind on theduties of the hour.
The eighteen benedictions, or prayers, were recited in silence by eachdevout worshipper. Then the leader repeated them aloud, all thecongregation responding with their deep Amen! and Amen! Joel alwaysliked that part of the service and the chanting that followed.
Another roll of parchment was brought out. The boy looked up withinterest. Probably one of his uncle's guests would be invited to readfrom it, and speak to the people.
No, it was a stranger whom he had not noticed before, sitting behind oneof the tall elders, who was thus honored.
Joel's heart beat so fast that the blood throbbed against his ear-drums,as he heard the name called. It was the friend of his friend Phineas,_the Rabbi Jesus_.
Joel bent forward, all his soul in his eyes, as the stranger unrolledthe book, and began to read from the Prophets. The words were oldfamiliar ones; he even knew them by heart. But never before had theycarried with them such music, such meaning. When He laid aside the roll,and began to speak, every fibre in the boy's being thrilled in responseto the wonderful eloquence of that voice and teaching.
The whole congregation sat spell-bound, forgetful of everything exceptthe earnestness of the speaker who moved and swayed them as the winddoes the waving wheat.
Suddenly there arose a wild shriek, a sort of demon-like howl thattransfixed them with its piercing horror. Every one turned to see thecause of the startling sound. There, near the door, stood a man whomthey all knew,--an unhappy creature said to be possessed of an uncleanspirit.
"Ha!" he cried, in a blood-curdling tone. "What have we to do with Thee,Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us? I know Thee, who thouart, the holy One of God!"
There was a great stir, especially in the woman's gallery; and thosestanding nearest him backed away as far as possible.
Every face was curious and excited, at this sudden interruption,--everyface but one; the Rabbi Jesus alone was calm.
"Hold thy peace and come out of him!" He commanded. There was one moreshriek, worse than before, as the man fell at His feet in a convulsion;but in a moment he stood up again, quiet and perfectly sane. The wildlook was gone from his eyes. Whatever had been the strange spell thathad bound him before, he was now absolutely free.
There was another stir in the woman's gallery. Contrary to all rule orcustom, an aged woman pushed her way out. Down the stairs she went,unveiled through the ranks of the men, to reach her son whom she hadjust seen restored to reason. With a glad cry she fell forward,fainting, in his arms, and was borne away to the little home, now nolonger darkened by the shadow of a sore affliction.
Little else was talked about that day, until the rumor of anothermiracle began to spread through the town. Phineas, stopping at Laban'shouse on his way home from an afternoon service, confirmed the truth ofit.
One of his neighbors had been dangerously ill with a fever that wascommon in that part of the country; she was the mother-in-law of Simonbar Jonah. It was at his home that the Rabbi Jesus had been invited todine.
As soon as He entered the house, they besought Him to heal her. Standingbeside her, He rebuked the fever; and immediately she arose, and beganto help her daughter prepare for the entertainment of their guest.
"Abigail was there yesterday," said Phineas, "to carry some broth shehad made. She thought then it would be impossible for the poor creatureto live through the night. I saw the woman a few hours ago, and she isperfectly well and strong."
That night when the sun was setting, and the Sabbath was at an end, amotley crowd streamed along the streets to the door of Simon bar Jonah.Men carried on couches; children in their mother's arms; those wasted byburning fevers; those shaken by unceasing palsy; the lame; the blind;the death-stricken,--all pressing hopefully on.
What a scene in that little court-yard as the sunset touched the wanfaces and smiled into dying eyes. Hope for the hopeless! Balm for thebroken in body and spirit! There was rejoicing in nearly every home inCapernaum that night, for none were turned away. Not one was refused. Itis written, "He laid His hand on every one of them, and healed them."
That he might not seem behind his guests in zeal and devotion to theLaw, the dignified Laban would not follow the crowds.
"Let others be carried away by strange doctrines and false prophets, ifthey will," he declared; "as for me and my household, we will cling tothe true faith of our fathe
rs."
So the three sat in the upper chamber on the roof, and discussed the newteacher with many shakes of their wise heads.
"It is not lawful to heal on the Sabbath day," they declared. "Twiceduring the past day He has openly transgressed the Law. He will lead allGalilee astray!"
But Galilee cared little how far the path turned from the narrow faithof the Pharisees, so long as it led to life and healing.
Down in the garden below, the children climbed up on the grape-arbor,and peered through the vines at the surging crowds which they would havejoined, had it not been for Laban's strict commands.
One by one they watched people whom they knew go by, some carried onlitters, some leaning on the shoulders of friends. One man crawledpainfully along on his hands and knees.
After awhile the same people began to come back.
"Look, quick, Joel!" one of the children cried; "there goes Simon benLevi. Why, his palsy is all gone! He doesn't shake a bit now! Andthere's little Martha that lives out near Aunt Rebecca's! Don't you knowhow white and thin she looked when they carried her by a little whileago? See! she is running along by herself now as well as we are!"
The children could hardly credit their own sense of sight, whenneighbors they had known all their lives to be bed-ridden invalids cameback cured, singing and praising God.
It was a sight they never could forget. So they watched wonderingly tilldarkness fell, and the last happy-hearted healed one had gone home to arejoicing household.
While the fathers on the roof were deciding they would have naught ofthis man, the children in the grape-arbor were storing up in theirsimple little hearts these proofs of his power and kindness.
Then they gathered around Joel on the doorstep, while he repeated thestory that the old shepherd Heber had told him, of the angels and thestar, and the baby they had worshipped that night in Bethlehem.
"Come, children," called his Aunt Leah, as she lit the lamp that was toburn all night. "Come! It is bed-time!"
His cousin Hannah lingered a moment after the others had gone in, tosay, "That was a pretty story, Joel. Why don't you go and ask the goodman to straighten your back?"
Strange as it may seem, this was the first time the thought had occurredto him that he might be benefited himself. He had been so longaccustomed to thinking of himself as hopelessly lame, that the wonderfulcures he had witnessed had awakened no hope for himself. A new lifeseemed to open up before him at the little girl's question. He sat onthe doorstep thinking about it until his Uncle Laban came down andcrossly ordered him to go to bed.
He went in, saying softly to himself, "I will go to him to-morrow; yes,early in the morning!"
Strange that an old proverb should cross his mind just then. "Boast notthyself of to-morrow. Thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."