Lamb of God: A Novel

Chapter 24

Capernaum

Not all of John's disciples are at Perea. Jesus has just arrived from the Sea, on a boat. John's disciples at Galilee immediately hurry to where Jesus is. They hear fresh stories about Jesus, plus this one: Jesus calms a terrible storm as their boat was sailing through.

But they are troubled over a bit of news they heard earlier, so they try to get close to Jesus. But Jesus, trying to evade the crowd, slips into Matthew's house. There are some of Matthew's old friends, tax collectors. Matthew invited them. And Jesus sits to eat with them. And also with people of questionable reputation.

As Jesus tells them about the kingdom and repentance, they listen carefully. But he overhears someone saying, "But why's he eating with tax collectors and sinners?"

He turns to that. It's a Pharisee talking to a disciple of his: James, son of Zebedee. Jesus does not leave James to answer. "It's not those who are healthy who need a doctor, but the ill. Go and learn what this means – I desire mercy, and not sacrifice; for I did not come to call the self-righteous to repentance, but the sinner."

That Pharisee turns to Jesus. And then someone else calls out, "Why do John's disciples and the Pharisee's disciples fast often, not your disciples?"

"Yes, tell us," says a disciple of the Baptizer, who finally gets access. "Why do we and the Pharisees fast while your disciples do not?"

Jesus says, "The guests at a wedding wouldn't fast when the bridegroom is still with them, would they? But if it does happen—and the days will come—then is the time to fast. My teaching can't be mingled with the traditions, or else things go wrong. And still, some don't like my teaching, saying, 'The traditions are better.' So you see, you cannot mix truth with not-truth."

"Wha—" goes a Pharisee, upset that their traditions got called "not-truth".

But then the chief elder of the Capernaum synagogue burst in. "Let me through," he pleads.

Jesus knows this elder. Jesus himself has taught in the Capernaum synagogue several times, and he has noted the interest of this elder. Some in the congregation had identified him as Jairus, but Jesus knows many names, and he is sharp in remembering.

Jairus falls on Jesus' feet. "Jesus! Please. My little daughter lies at home, soon to die. She's as good as dead, but I pray you! Come lay your hands on her, and she'll live. Anything, Jesus! Anything!"

Jesus quickly says, "I'll do it, Jairus."

Then he turns to those at the table, "I'll be back soon."

Overexcited, Jairus gets up and starts leading Jesus to his house. But there's a crowd who's around him, pressing on him, so the walk is very slow. Jairus, anxious over the time, tries to hurry up Jesus.

Out of nowhere, Jesus feels that power came out of him. Of course, he always feels that when he heals someone, but this time he isn't directly healing someone, so someone had the faith to touch his clothing and got healed because of that faith.

Jesus stops, turns to the crowd, and says, "Who touched my garments?"

The people deny that. Cephas steps forward and says, "Master, the crowd are pressing against you, and you say, 'Who touched me?' "

"Someone did touch me, for I'm aware power has gone from me."

As the disciples wonder, a woman comes up and, trembling, falls on Jesus' feet and tells him, "I have touched you, Lord. I had been sick for like twelve years. I spent all my money on medical bills, but no physician has ever cured me. So I heard that you were coming by, so I came and thought that, perhaps, if I touched your garment, I might get healed. So I did just that, and now I'm healed of my affliction."

Jesus knows that this woman told him the truth, so he says to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace. You're free from that affliction."

Jairus waits for Jesus to finish, but before he was done speaking, Jairus sees someone coming to him, calling his name, "Jairus!"

This man came to him and said, "Your daughter: dead! Why trouble the Teacher any further?"

Now Jairus is too sad to speak, but Jesus had heard, and he turns to Jairus. "Hey, don't fear. Only believe."

But the crowd would slow him down, so he tells the crowd to leave him. He would only take Cephas, James, and John, and they go with Jairus to the house.

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Hired musicians and mourners making a scene! Jairus' house is filled with bawling and unhappy music, and Jesus doesn't like it. He says, "But why all this racket and weeping? The girl's not dead, but only sleeping."

The hired people mock Jesus, saying, "The girl is clearly dead. See for yourself. Try to wake her up!"

Jesus actually said death is as sleep. Then Jesus tells them to leave. They do.

Jesus comes into the room where the girl lies dead on the bed, with the girl's parents and his three disciples. He takes the girl by the hand and calmly says to her, "Oh, little lamb. Arise!"

At once, the girl revives, and she opens her eyes, and Jesus helps her on her feet.

Jairus and his wife are filled with indescribable joy, and Jesus tells them. "Feed her." Then he adds, "Don't tell anyone what you just saw."

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"We're here, Son of David!" bellow two blind men as they find their way into Matthew's house, the house where Jesus has returned.

The disciples hope Jesus doesn't rebuke these men for calling him "Son of David", for that is a Messianic title.

That hope is not disappointed.

Jesus simply says, "So you believe I can do this, do you?"

"Yes, Lord!" they eagerly say.

Then Jesus lays one hand on a blind man's eyes, and the other hand on the other man's eyes. "Okay, let it be done to you according to your faith."

Said and done! Their eyes are open. They say, "We can see! Lord, thank you!"

"Be sure," Jesus says, "that no one finds out about this."

But no sooner are they out the door that they make the secret an announcement.