The Twenty-Fifth Year (A.D. 19)
Autor: Carlos Fernando Rocha | Publicado: 2012-02-15T15:27:00-03:00



This year began with the Nazareth family all in good health and 
witnessed the finishing of the regular schooling of all the children 
with the exception of certain work which Martha must do for Ruth.

Jesus was one of the most robust and refined specimens of manhood to 
appear on earth since the days of Adam. His physical development was 
superb. His mind was active, keen, and penetrating — compared with the 
average mentality of his contemporaries, it had developed gigantic 
proportions — and his spirit was indeed humanly divine.

The family finances were in the best condition since the disappearance 
of Joseph’s estate. The final payments had been made on the caravan 
repair shop; they owed no man and for the first time in years had some 
funds ahead. This being true, and since he had taken his other brothers 
to Jerusalem for their first Passover ceremonies, Jesus decided to 
accompany Jude (who had just graduated from the synagogue school) on his
 first visit to the temple.

They went up to Jerusalem and returned by the same route, the Jordan 
valley, as Jesus feared trouble if he took his young brother through 
Samaria. Already at Nazareth Jude had got into slight trouble several 
times because of his hasty disposition, coupled with his strong 
patriotic sentiments.

They arrived at Jerusalem in due time and were on their way for a first 
visit to the temple, the very sight of which had stirred and thrilled 
Jude to the very depths of his soul, when they chanced to meet Lazarus 
of Bethany. While Jesus talked with Lazarus and sought to arrange for 
their joint celebration of the Passover, Jude started up real trouble 
for them all. Close at hand stood a Roman guard who made some improper 
remarks regarding a Jewish girl who was passing. Jude flushed with fiery
 indignation and was not slow in expressing his resentment of such an 
impropriety directly to and within hearing of the soldier. Now the Roman
 legionnaires were very sensitive to anything bordering on Jewish 
disrespect; so the guard promptly placed Jude under arrest. This was too
 much for the young patriot, and before Jesus could caution him by a 
warning glance, he had delivered himself of a voluble denunciation of 
pent-up anti-Roman feelings, all of which only made a bad matter worse. 
Jude, with Jesus by his side, was taken at once to the military prison.

Jesus endeavored to obtain either an immediate hearing for Jude or else 
his release in time for the Passover celebration that evening, but he 
failed in these attempts. Since the next day was a “holy convocation” in
 Jerusalem, even the Romans would not presume to hear charges against a 
Jew. Accordingly, Jude remained in confinement until the morning of the 
second day after his arrest, and Jesus stayed at the prison with him. 
They were not present in the temple at the ceremony of receiving the 
sons of the law into the full citizenship of Israel. Jude did not pass 
through this formal ceremony for several years, until he was next in 
Jerusalem at a Passover and in connection with his propaganda work in 
behalf of the Zealots, the patriotic organization to which he belonged 
and in which he was very active.

he morning following their second day in prison Jesus appeared before 
the military magistrate in behalf of Jude. By making apologies for his 
brother’s youth and by a further explanatory but judicious statement 
with reference to the provocative nature of the episode which had led up
 to the arrest of his brother, Jesus so handled the case that the 
magistrate expressed the opinion that the young Jew might have had some 
possible excuse for his violent outburst. After warning Jude not to 
allow himself again to be guilty of such rashness, he said to Jesus in 
dismissing them: “You had better keep your eye on the lad; he’s liable 
to make a lot of trouble for all of you.” And the Roman judge spoke the 
truth. Jude did make considerable trouble for Jesus, and always was the 
trouble of this same nature — clashes with the civil authorities because
 of his thoughtless and unwise patriotic outbursts.

Jesus and Jude walked over to Bethany for the night, explaining why they
 had failed to keep their appointment for the Passover supper, and set 
out for Nazareth the following day. Jesus did not tell the family about 
his young brother’s arrest at Jerusalem, but he had a long talk with 
Jude about this episode some three weeks after their return. After this 
talk with Jesus Jude himself told the family. He never forgot the 
patience and forbearance his brother-father manifested throughout the 
whole of this trying experience.

This was the last Passover Jesus attended with any member of his own 
family. Increasingly the Son of Man was to become separated from close 
association with his own flesh and blood.

This year his seasons of deep meditation were often broken into by Ruth 
and her playmates. And always was Jesus ready to postpone the 
contemplation of his future work for the world and the universe that he 
might share in the childish joy and youthful gladness of these 
youngsters, who never tired of listening to Jesus relate the experiences
 of his various trips to Jerusalem. They also greatly enjoyed his 
stories about animals and nature.

The children were always welcome at the repair shop. Jesus provided 
sand, blocks, and stones by the side of the shop, and bevies of 
youngsters flocked there to amuse themselves. When they tired of their 
play, the more intrepid ones would peek into the shop, and if its keeper
 were not busy, they would make bold to go in and say, “Uncle Joshua, 
come out and tell us a big story.” Then they would lead him out by 
tugging at his hands until he was seated on the favorite rock by the 
corner of the shop, with the children on the ground in a semicircle 
before him. And how the little folks did enjoy their Uncle Joshua. They 
were learning to laugh, and to laugh heartily. It was customary for one 
or two of the smallest of the children to climb upon his knees and sit 
there, looking up in wonderment at his expressive features as he told 
his stories. The children loved Jesus, and Jesus loved the children. 

It was difficult for his friends to comprehend the range of his 
intellectual activities, how he could so suddenly and so completely 
swing from the profound discussion of politics, philosophy, or religion 
to the lighthearted and joyous playfulness of these tots of from five to
 ten years of age. As his own brothers and sisters grew up, as he gained
 more leisure, and before the grandchildren arrived, he paid a great 
deal of attention to these little ones. But he did not live on earth 
long enough to enjoy the grandchildren very much.

To be&nbsp; CONTINUED...


The Twenty-Sixth Year (A.D. 20)