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March 15th, 2002
Received by H.
Cuenca, Ecuador.
My dear H___, now we are going to focus on the
year 26.
When I spoke of important events, I was referring to events in
Jesus' family environment and on the political level. First we will
analyze what happened in the Master's family.
It is not necessary to repeat the whole history of Jesus' family,
from their exit from Nazareth, to their stay in Egypt and the events
that lead to the separation of the Master from his parents and brothers,
but I want to explain everything in the correct perspective.
The events in Bethlehem, that is to say, the declarations of the
astrologers from Sippar and Herod's violent reaction, ordering the
slaughter of the children of Bethlehem, did not leave place for
the least doubt in Joseph that his son would be the Messiah. But
throughout all his vain intentions of educating his son according
to his own ideas and rules those doubts did arise... and fears,
because although the fact of declaring oneself to be the Messiah
was not considered a crime, everybody in Palestine knew that God
would punish such arrogance - and the punishment would be death.
Joseph suffered hellish tortures because he thought that if Jesus
actually was not the Messiah, and that all that had happened many
years ago in Bethlehem was nothing else but some fatal coincidence,
then part of the blame also fell on him, because he had tried to
educate his son as the Messiah.
And now, when he had almost lost the hope that the Savior of the
Jews had been born of his family, his son declared openly that he was
the Messiah, but he did so in such an incomprehensible way that
Joseph feared the worst. He was confused, and his cry that his son
was a “lunatic", really reflected what he thought at that
moment: A crazy son, an impossible Messiah, and the great danger
that God would punish him, using His people as the instrument of
execution.
Joseph loved his son Jesus, but that conflict, the product of his
education, his incomprehension, and his fixed ideas lasted until
the Master's death. Jesus described this situation very clearly
in a message to Dr. Samuels. Include it here.
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“I also wish to state that my father, Joseph, was present
at this unfair trial and watched me buffeted and condemned,
and he was sick at heart at the treatment I received and at
the confirmation of his worst fears. And his eyes were opened
to the stagnant state of the Sanhedrin at the time, and he
realized that what they considered religion was merely farce.
And his eyes were opened to the enormous gulf between what
was the religion as practiced by its most august body and
what I proposed in its place, to not only restore its pristine
authority and purity but to impart to it its culminating sublimity
and grandeur. And, from this shame and humiliation which he
suffered at seeing his first-born son condemned and executed
as a criminal, was born the conviction of his son's innocence
and the righteousness of his cause, and the truth of his mission.
(Revelation 25: Jesus
throws more light on his trial and crucifixion and supplies
additional truths about his birth)”
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.... what they considered as religion was merely a farce. That
is, what he considered too, was merely a farce. Do you understand
me? Very soon we will speak about how Joseph achieved his entrance
into the exclusive circle of Pharisee masters of "Beth Hillel"
(the House of Hillel), and how this school of thought could not
even be compared with the depth of Jesus' teachings, although both
classes of teachings had much in common.
However, with the miracle of Naym, where Jesus "raised"
Taddi “from the dead,” things would change substantially.
Back again in Kpar Nahum, Jesus' brothers returned home. Of course
the news of Jesus' recent prowess had spread also to Nazareth, and
people were no longer so willing to make fun of him. And when Joseph
and his family heard James and Judas’ story, as eyewitnesses
of the event, they kept their silence and became thoughtful.
James and Judas stayed two weeks with their parents and brothers.
Then they returned to Jesus. However, when they prepared to leave
Nazareth, their other brothers also wanted to accompany them to
Kpar Nahum. A heated debate was triggered. There was nothing left
of the mockery with which they had treated their elder brother when
he still lived under the same roof with them. Mockery had become
respect, admiration and curiosity. Joseph approved of his children
leaving. However one of them had to stay with him, managing their
business. But who?
Finally, they agreed that the brother who bore his father's name,
Joseph, called Joses in the Bible, would stay, but they also agreed
that all, together with Jesus and the other disciples, would go
to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover feast there. They would leave
their workshop under the surveillance of a hired administrator.
Passover was just a few weeks away. And so it happened.
I mention all this, so that you may understand that at the beginning
of the year 26, the rejection and mockery of Jesus' family had transformed
into support, open support on the side of his brothers, and into
his father's acquiescence and fearful silence.
And their mother? Mary understood him more than she understood
Joseph. But she could only give him moral support. Decisions were
men's dominion. Women did not have a voice in the Jewish society
of the first century. And his sisters, seeing their father’s
caution and reserve, had many doubts regarding their big brother's
attitude.
From the time of the return of his disciples until the beginning
of the trip to Jerusalem, Jesus did not move far away from Kpar
Nahum. He stayed there and in its surroundings, working and preaching.
So, my dear brother, next time we will speak of this trip to Jerusalem
and of the great importance that it would have for Jesus' mission.
See you soon. I leave you now with my blessings, and tomorrow,
if God permits us, I will inform you about something completely
new that you will surely find surprising.
God bless you,
Judas
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