Knight The Jesus Kids

1. Auflage 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5439-5287-2
Verlag: BookBaby
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: PC/MAC/eReader/Tablet/DL/kein Kopierschutz

E-Book, Englisch, 300 Seiten

This is an account of the ministry of Jesus as seen through the eyes of the children he met, healed and befriended: the children who were always there amongst the crowds who followed him. No less than seven of the miracles of Jesus involved children or young people, yet not one of them is named and none were given speaking parts by the gospel writers. Remarkably they represented all strata and divisions of society: Roman, Greek, Jew and Gentile; religious leaders and royalty; the rich and the poor. In this narrative, we will read how their amazing and life-changing experiences drew them first to want to follow Jesus and then bound them closely to each other in a shared purpose. I have kept as closely as possible to the words and order of Scripture as recorded in the four gospels and the first few chapters of the Acts of the Apostles. Inevitably we shall meet a large number of individuals throughout this story and, where Scripture does not name them, I have done so in order to help the reader identify them. Some characters are entirely imaginary, created to help the flow of our story. All this is indicated in the character listing that follows. So far as 'The Jesus Kids' themselves are concerned, whilst some of its members are individually recorded in Scripture, this little gang as such may never have existed, but it might very well have done so. What is certain is that whilst the adults in the crowds tolerated or just ignored the children who were always hanging around, Jesus himself included them to the extent that they were an integral part of his ministry. He clearly loved them and recognised that their understanding, simple although it was, often surpassed that of their adult counterparts. They followed him with growing conviction of who he was, and their unshakeable loyalty earned them their attribution as 'The Jesus Kids'. Their voices deserve to be heard.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Knight, Anthony

Leseproben

Chapter 2 Family Wedding   ‘Do I really have to go?’ whinged Benjamin as he sat playing with the remains of his meal. ‘Yes, of course you do,’ replied his mother in a resigned voice. It wasn’t the first time they had had this debate. ‘But I’ll be bored out of my mind. I know I will,’ implored her youngest son. ‘Miriam’s your cousin, Benjamin. This is a family event. So yes, we’re all going and you will be, too.’ ‘What about Jacobo? Will he be going?’ Benjamin was getting desperate. ‘No. Your brother Jacobo’s too young for weddings. He’ll stay with Hanna next door.’ ‘Lucky him,’ said Benjamin, scowling. ‘I wish I was five years old.’ Benjamin had at one time been the youngest of Shimela’s three boys. Jude at sixteen and Eli at fourteen were old enough to help with their father’s fishing trade. Benjamin had been the last to arrive, until Jacobo arrived unexpectedly and rather to Benjamin’s disadvantage. Benjamin had not been too enthusiastic at the appearance of a younger brother. He had previously come to rather enjoy the advantages of being the youngest and most indulged of the first three boys. Jacobo, named in recognition of his ‘coming after’, had changed all that. ‘Will there be dancing?’ Benjamin knew he had lost this battle. ‘Yes, of course; it’s a wedding.’ ‘And girls all dressed up, I suppose?’ he sulked. ‘Is that the problem then!’ Shimela tried to suppress a knowing smile. ‘You’ll be getting married yourself one day, my son, and then you’ll need a girl at that wedding with you. And you’ll want all your family to attend.’ ‘Ma,’ sighed Benjamin, ‘I ain’t going to get married and I don’t hold with no girls neither.’ ‘Well, your friend Thomas will be going to Cana, too. He’s a kinsman to Jehdiah, Miriam’s betrothed. ‘That’s one good thing, I suppose,’ conceded Benjamin. ‘If Tom’s there we can both bunk off together when it gets really boring.’ ‘You’ll do no such thing, young man. One of the benefits of this wedding will be for your father and me to know where you are for once. No more gallivanting off and getting yourself into trouble like you did down by the Jordan. You needn’t think that we didn’t hear tell all about that, you know.’ Benjamin had guessed as much, although this was the first time anything had been said. ‘That was all a complete mess-up, Ma. I done nothing wrong. I just got all the blame. If you must know, we reckon as though them low crafty blighters from Samaria fixed us up good and proper. It were one of them as hurled that stone, I’m sure as anything it were.’ ‘That’s as maybe,’ said Shimela, ‘but you’d do yourself and all the rest of us a favour by keeping yourself out of any further trouble. So that will be an end of it. We leave early tomorrow morning, for there’s a full day’s walk up into the hills to Cana and the feast begins the next day. Do you know where your best tunic is?’   It was evening time before they arrived at Cana. They were all weary with the long walk from Capernaum, but those already gathered welcomed them warmly, with water for tired and dusty feet and cool drinks to quench their thirsts. Many of their more distant kinsmen and kinswomen they had not seen for many a long year, and there were even some they had never met before. There was much to talk about and even the reluctant Benjamin, mixing with his older and younger cousins, soon found his usual energy and voice. The adults talked long into the night and the kids were soon absorbed in games of cube and dice, playing on the dusty floor until the grown-ups finally noticed that their now unusually quiet offspring had not yet gone to bed. The following day dawned clear and bright and, despite the lateness at which everyone had retired the evening before, the whole village was soon alive with an expectant bustle in every house and home. The legal contract binding Miriam and Jehdiah in marriage had, in accordance with Jewish custom, already been signed many months before. Jehdiah having now raised the bridal price to be paid to Miriam’s father, could now claim his bride. Then would follow the procession from Miriam’s home to the house of the bridegroom, where Jehdiah had prepared rooms for them to live in and where the wedding feast was to be held. Today was the day for celebration. Thus, during the previous night, Jehdiah accompanied by his attendants had processed to Miriam’s house where she, surrounded by her own attendants, had welcomed him. Their marriage had been consummated and now the whole company would process to the house of the groom for the third and final part of the wedding, the feast. By mid-morning, with everyone dressed in their brightest and best, the procession from Miriam’s house began. The whole village turned out, not just to watch but to take part. There would be no work done today, except by any who had animals to look after. The tending of crops and vines would wait. The potter’s wheel would not turn. Nothing would be built or repaired and, to complete the joy for everyone, not even taxes would be collected today! Everything stopped for a wedding, for everyone loved a feast. In the home of the bridegroom, only the servants had duties to perform today and even they were eagerly looking forward to the event. Friends and relatives had been invited from the surrounding villages and some, like those from Capernaum, had travelled many miles. Amongst those invited was the new teacher, Jesus, together with some of his new followers. Jesus’ father, Joseph, had been a carpenter in Nazareth, less than five miles away, so his family were already well known in Cana. On this day Mary, the mother of Jesus, was also present amongst the guests. When everyone was assembled, the procession began as a slow walk to the accompaniment of music from flute and timbrel. Miriam looked dazzlingly beautiful adorned in her bridal gown, the hem of which was embroidered with a pattern of flowers. Beneath her veil her hair was woven with garlands of real flowers from the fields: blue cornflowers, white and yellow daisies and pink rock roses, all reflecting the embroidered hem of her dress. Jehdiah, wearing his traditional shawl, took Miriam’s hand. Following closely behind came the companions of the bride and groom and then all the members and friends of both families, now crowded together in one joyous gathering. At the small square in the centre of the village, the procession was joined by the leaders of the synagogue, dressed in their traditional religious regalia. They too would not deny themselves the opportunity of a wedding feast. The children darted to and fro, eagerly clasping branches and flowers and seeking the chance to throw them over the heads and shoulders of the bride and groom. Thus, the procession made its noisy and happy progress through the village streets. It was less than a quarter of a mile to the house of Jehdiah’s father and mother. Arriving there, Jehdiah led Miriam through the outer door, across the inner courtyard of the house and by way of a low archway onto a large open terrace beyond. The terrace faced to the north-east, commanding wide views over the distant Galilean hills. The walls of the house gave some degree of shade from the heat of the midday sun. Further shade was provided by a wooden lattice over which climbed a prolific cover of oleanda, its fragrant pink blossoms scenting the air from above. The processional crowd of guests, following on behind, spilt onto the terrace, friends and family alike mixing together, as happy a gathering as you might wish to see. Miriam and Jehdiah wandered together amongst the throng, greeting each and every one in turn and receiving in exchange kisses and congratulations. The musicians gathered together on one side of the terrace, their music at first almost drowned out by the general hubbub. The younger children ran here and there between the adult guests, noisily adding their own contribution to the universal joy. In due course, Miriam and Jehdiah were seated with their closest family members at one end of the terrace. Here too, in this position of prominence, the rulers of the synagogue had placed themselves. The others settled in groups around the edge, reclining on scattered cushions or seated cross-legged on large woven mats. As with all such gatherings, people clustered together with those they knew best. Thus, there were groups of family, of friends, and those from the various villages, including the group from Nazareth: the teacher with his mother and friends. Seated on the ground at the furthest end of the terrace from the bridal couple, most of the children gathered themselves together. This position pleased them to the extent that they were beyond immediate parental control and closest to the long trestle table on which the servants were busy putting final touches to the spread of food and drink. There were large wooden platters of savouries, fish and meats, bowls overflowing with fruit, baskets of bread and all manner of delicacies arranged in tempting order. The guests talked and laughed, the musicians played and the wine was poured. The time passed without anyone noticing that it did so. In due course, after much food had been served and more wine poured, the musicians struck up a lively and well-known tune. Everyone began to clap to the rhythm and Miriam and Jehdiah moved into the central space of the terrace and began to lead the dance. In the shortest of time they were joined by others and soon all became a whirl of dresses and a stamping of feet as everyone, young and old alike, danced to the music:...