There are only few who have such strong faith. That is why today I want to prepare you for the future, in which you will travel into a distant land with your family, into a larger city by the name of Ephesus in order to my a model for living by my teachings there. You will know when it is time to leave. Be watchful.”
Samuel felt as if the Lord had entered his synagogue on a fiery horse. He was overcome and speechless. God had spoken to him. God loved him and told him that he did a good, no even every good job as rabbi. Samuel would have most wanted to sing a psalm now, but there was no more time for this anymore, for the children would be arriving momentarily. God had spoken to him. God, the Lord. He was so euphoric that he almost would have forgotten the prayer which he wanted to say. He quickly took care of that. Then he removed the torah scroll from the shrine and unrolled it. Joshua was as usual the first who entered the room. After a few minutes all of the children were there and awaited his words.
“Children, may God our Lord protect our path and show us how much he loves us.” Samuel’s day had already been made today. No Simeon and especially no Jesus could disturb him or decrease his joy.
“Today we will tend to the Greek language before I read from the scriptures. As you know I am an opponent of this heathen language, but it is necessary that all of you understand it. As all of you know it is the trade language and the language which is spoken in larger cities. And aside from that, a major trade route which connects the heathen cities Damascus and Alexandria runs directly through Nazareth. I know that many of you dream of larger cities.”
Samuel was truly not very happy teaching Greek, but he had recognized that there was no way past that language. He had to teach it. On the one hand he was happy that he had learned it since he could now pass it on to the children. After all there had to be a deeper meaning in the fact that he had grown up in Rabbath, which these days was called Philadelphia. Philadelphia, was, as one could deduce from the name, a bastion of Greek culture. This town, which was located northeast of the salt sea, had lost its Jewish roots early on and had become heathen.
But what God had told him today, that he would travel into a distant country, confirmed that the decision he had made some time ago already to teach Greek was correct. Ephesus was a large Greek city. This language was mandatory there.
Perhaps he hated the language and especially the people of Greece so much because he had grown up among them and their many Gods which were only there to cover up the lack of faith of those Greek creatures. He had left for Jerusalem early on due to his disgust with that people, and since his parents had died early and he had had to grow up under the care of his aunt. He had found a mentor among the Sadducees in Jerusalem who had been impressed with his strong faith. And he, Samuel, was in turn able to adapt a strong faith in the scriptures from the rich and influential priest. And thus he grew up – praise the Lord – in the knowledge that the torah contained the word of God. He was happy that he had received this grace and that through this a strong faith had been able to grow in him. Word of this spread in Jerusalem. The fact that Samuel was no friend of animal sacrifices was not necessarily smiled upon by the elite priesthood, but his faith was impressive. Hence he was sent to Nazareth by the high priest himself., for this little village many years ago had the reputation of only housing robbers and criminals. When the rabbi there had passed away it had become clear that only a special rabbi could be sent there: Samuel, the one with the strong faith. He had to conceal the fact that he was a Sadducee, since in Galilee only Pharisees were in the position of rabbi. And the Pharisees, though they were just as God-fearing, had one fault: they did not consider the torah to be the only words of God. Samuel could not understand this, since it was clearly evident in the old writings of Moses and the other prophets that those were the personal words of God. The Sadducees, the loyal scholars of the scriptures, only lived in Jerusalem. And those in Galilee did not have to know where the roots of his won faith lay. After all it could not hurt to spread the Holy Scriptures in faithless Galilee.
“Rabbi, rabbi, are you feeling well?” Ismael, like all the other boys, was astonished to see the Rabbi gazing dreamily and absent, yet smiling at the wall across.
“O, my apologies, I, umm, was just going through some assignments for you.” he had been far away, yet now he had to begin hurry up and start the lesson. But he wanted to take that Jesus to task a bit more today. And that was especially fitting with this language.
“Jesus, you grew up in a Greek town. Aside from the reasons I mentioned, why do you think we should learn this heathen language here in Galilee?”
“So that we understand the words of the prophets that journey through the countryside. After all we should be able to understand the words of the son of man when he visits Nazareth in a few years. And since there are already some Greeks living on the edge of town toward Sepphoris he will also speak with them in their language, for in a few years Aramaic alone will not be enough to get by with.”
Samuel was very relaxed today and could remain calm, for that which Jesus was spouting again today bordered on blasphemy. Oh no but not with him , the God-fearing Samuel.
“So, when the son of man will come to Nazareth. When do you think that will be?”
“Soon, then the people will see it.”
“Aha, then the people will see it. Can you be a little more specific, of course only if it does not cause any inconvenience to you?”
“I could, but God tells me that I am not allowed to tell more now.”
Now Samuel was becoming a little more upset, for this damned Jesus brought his temper to a rolling boil again.
“You speak with God?”
“Well you do that too, don’t you?”
“Yes, but to me he truly speaks. After all I am the rabbi.” Samuel was enraged, but could barely hold himself back “How do you suppose you know that he is talking to?”
“God told me something earlier, yet I do not want to repeat it now, since it only concerns you.”
“As you know, Jesus, we are in a synagogue. God, your Lord is at home here. I don’t believe that it would be good to keep secrets to yourself here.” Samuel stomped on the ground with his right foot. The way this guy always kept challenging him! But today he would not relent. Today Jesus finally had to realize who has the boss here.
“That is fine by me, but I don’t know if you will like it, honorable rabbi.” Samuel saw, that Jesus’ expression had a certain strength, but not for long.
“Jesus, I order you to tell all of us right now what your God, or more likely some demon has to tell us.” Samuel’s earlier good mood had evaporated.
“Very well Rabbi, I simply did not want to get ahead of you. But how …“
“Out with it already.”
“As you wish. God told me earlier“, Jesus spoke with a very earnest voice, “that you have a very strong faith, like few others.”
“But everyone in this village knows that, Jesus.” Samuel was a bit surprised because God had told him something very similar. But this lout was probably only trying to get on the good side of the rabbi of the village. Well, that trick was not going to work on old Samuel, boy.
“And, what else?”
“Furthermore he told you that you would be travelling into a distant land in the near future and that you are to spread the teachings of the Lord in a large Greek town called Ephesus. Furthermore he said that you should be watchful.”
Samuel
