He Who Returned. Martin FieberЧитать онлайн книгу.
Samuel was just as shocked as at the evening of the celebration which had been hosted in honor of Joseph, Miriam and Jesus. So he had been right. Yeshua that damned lout did in fact pray to demons. The sparse recollections Joshua had, spoke volumes. He knew it. Now he decided that he had to do something about it. But no one in the village was allowed to know about it. First of all no one would understand him, for most of the villagers including Jacob and Jeroham would not understand him and were lacking deep faith and an understanding of their history. And second of all it would cause a panic. And that would not help anyone in the village. He, the rabbi and the one responsible for the faith desperately had to make some decisions. But how to make the right ones?
So there was a boy in the village who had contact to demons. This was the biggest test that God had confronted him with since becoming a rabbi. Why here in Nazareth? Why had Joseph and his family returned? Should he tell the Romans that they should take Jesus away? No, then the whole village would be against him and no one would attend his services. After all Jesus had meanwhile become very popular with most people. They liked his flute playing and his friendly manner. Fortunately no one considered him to be the Messiah because no one in Nazareth believed in the Messiah. And since more and more Greeks came to Nazareth since Sepphoris had begun being rebuilt, he, the rabbi, the guardian of the laws of God stood there almost all alone. So he had to watch out now.
Besides he still wanted to sow seeds. Most of the inhabitants of Nazareth were superficial and dumb, but they were good people. But another question bothered him: should he banish Jesus from the synagogue? Or should he take him to task more often, which would mean testing him more frequently? Yes, he should do the later. He had to bring Jesus back to the faith. He had to get rid of the demons that were all around Jesus. He would pray for him more often. He would take care of the demons. He would curse them. That was supposed to help. Samuel’s posture improved.
Without noticing it Samuel had come by the cemetery and heard a quiet flute playing once again. He looked around and spotted Jesus sitting on a rock that jutted out above the cemetery. He had closed his eyes and continued playing. A small doubt arose in Samuel, whether this weak boy had the ability to speak to demons. It really did not fit somehow he had to admit to himself. No, no, especially the weak, those on the edges of society were the ones who sought the company of demons and prayed to heathen Gods. After all Jesus was half Greek. And the Greeks are known for their Polytheism. They even had a forest demon as a God. He was called satyr, had a horse tail and horse ears. Yes, probably Jesus had learned to pray to demons in Egypt. That is what must have happened.
Samuel immediately started to pray for Jesus right then and there. That was the only way to save his soul. He would deal with the demons later on.
∞
What had happened with him today? Joshua was lying awake in his bedchamber and thinking about the early afternoon. The whole time he had the little cross in his hand that Jesus had carved for him. He could not even recall taking it from the stool next to his bed. He only recalled what he had already told his father.
He had become dizzy, and then he had seen many ugly, grotesque faces which had seized upon him. That was strange.
He wondered whether those were the faces that Jesus had told him about. Were those the faces that Jesus always saw? Why was he not allowed to play with Jesus anymore?
And now, in addition, he had to learn even more than before. Why had his father given him so many tasks? Why did he have to study the scriptures more? While his father thought he was talented, that was surely not the reason why he was supposed to learn more. There was only one thing he was looking forward to. He had always wanted to learn how to write. Writing was his dream. He admired the beautiful torah scroll which was stored in the synagogue. It was written on parchment. Joshua loved the smell of the scroll, the smell of the parchment and the smell of the ink, when Samuel was writing something. There he had to agree with his father. Hardly anyone in the village could write. But why was it so important? One could also get by in life without it. No matter. He was looking forward to it. Then he would also be able to endure the increased study of the torah which Samuel had planned for him.
Joshua did not want to risk not following the instructions his father had given him, yet he also did not want to have to go without any contact to Jesus. He could not possibly end all contact to him. He might have the best possible life with his father, for he would no longer be beaten but rather loved by him. Yes, that was a sunny outlook. But there had to be another way, without him being thrown out of his home. It couldn’t be so hard to spend time with Jesus without Samuel noticing.! But what if he found out? Joshua’s inner struggle continued for quite a while. It was only interrupted by the smile of his mother and the laughter of Judith, who came in and gave him unleavened bread and a bowl a milk. Judith gave him a kiss on the scarred cheek and wished him a restful night. Then he finally fell asleep and his tired soul could rest for a couple of hours.
At the same time Jesus, also wrapped in blankets, was ready to sleep. What had happened to Joshua? Why had that legion of demons swarmed him? He had seen them pass by Rachel and go over to Joshua as he was talking to her.
Why had they attacked him? In Alexandria he had already seen such dark shades that hovered about sinister people now and then. He especially recalled one lesson with his old fatherly teacher Bakenor. A lesson that he would never forget. His thoughts wandered to Bakenor in Alexandria, the city in Egypt which had been his home until only a few months ago.
One day they both had set out for a place near the agora, the main square. They entered a small side alley. Jesus recalled how after a while Bakenor had told him that he should stop and observe closely what would happen. They saw a man that wore a black cloak and a black hat the likes of which he had never seen before. This man spoke to a smaller one. They spoke agitatedly, yet not a word could be understood. Behind the man dressed in black he noticed three dark beings that were waiting for something. After a while the two men started arguing loudly, and the small one left, walking away quickly. However one of the black entities left the group and followed him. Jesus recalled how Bakenor had told him that they should follow the small man for a while. So they followed him leaving a safe distance between themselves and him. He turned right, then left, walked up a staircase and disappeared into some foul establishment. After a few moments one heard wild screaming, some calling for help, and someone calling out for a doctor. What followed was sheer terror. Shortly thereafter Jesus saw the black entity float out of one of the windows of that establishment and vanish in the next moment. A moment later the small man, covered in blood, was pulled through the doorway by a stronger man and tossed down the stairs. Bakenor went to him, felt his pulse and told Jesus that he had been stabbed. Shortly thereafter a doctor appeared who immediately tended to the small man. Finally, Bakenor und Jesus could leave.
When Bakenor and Jesus were home again, Bakenor explained the incident to him.
“Jesus, that was one of the most difficult lessons that I had to share with you before you have to depart to Galilee in a few weeks.” It had clearly not been easy for Bakenor to speak those words.
“I had to show you how demons act and what they can do. And you were also supposed to see how black magicians operate. That man dressed in black was one of them. He placed a curse on the small man after their argument and used his strong will to set a demon loose on him. The content of the curse was likely the order to kill him. Naturally the demon could not take a knife into his own hand and stab him. Thus he had to bring about an argument , cause the small man to say a wrong word and then it happened: the demon gained vital essence in order to fulfil his mission. He merely had to increase the hate and fury among the people in order to get one of them to pull out a knife, and then it happened. Only then, when the demon had fulfilled his order, was he allowed to return to his master, the magician.”
“How did you know that something like this would happen, Bakenor?”
“I heard a voice, as so often when I turn my thoughts to the question of what lessons you are to learn, and it told me that we should be here at this place at this time and follow the small man. The voice also told me that he would be stabbed, yet that I was not allowed to interfere since it was the destiny of this man.”
“So