Jesus’ Return to Capernaum

Jesus has found no honor in His home town of Nazareth. He returns to Capernaum with a side trip to Canaan.

Jesus can do very little in Nazareth. The ‘home town Boy’ has grown ‘too big for His britches’ in their eyes. They knew Him while He was growing up. And, even though they thought He was a wonderful child, they can’t wrap their head around Him being the Messiah. So, it’s time to go home to Capernaum. They welcome Him and His work.

On His way home, Jesus takes a side trip to the place of His first public miracle; Canaan. We aren’t told why He went there; just that He did. While there, He does a miracle requiring faith. I think this is the first ‘long distance miracle’ He performed. Let’s rejoin our story as Jesus heads back to Capernaum, through Canaan.

Holy Spirit, lead this journey again. Show me how the pieces fit together and what You would have me learn from Your stories. Don’t let me get so caught up in weaving the perfect progression that I miss the process and purpose of Jesus’ work.

♥ ♦ ♥

Jesus and His disciples are on the road again. They have put quite a few miles on their sandals. But they don’t complain. The road trips are the only time they have Jesus to themselves. They are special teaching times where He can answer their questions and just enjoy their time together.

One morning, as everyone readies for the day’s journey, Jesus speaks up. “I want to make a stopover at Canaan.”

“Is there any particular reason why” asks Simon.

“No. Maybe pop in on the young couple and see how they are doing.”

No one argues, they simply adjust their direction alongside His.

The people hear of Jesus’ approach long before He arrives. They come out to meet Him as He enters the city. They are clamoring for a sign.

“Do one of Your miracles here!”

Among this crowd is an official of Capernaum. He came to Canaan because he heard Jesus would be stopping here. His son is desperately ill. The official makes his way through the crowd until he is very near Jesus. He drops to his knees in the path and begins to cry out to Jesus.

“Jesus, please come and heal my son. He is near death. The doctors have failed to make him well. You are his only hope.”

Jesus looks around at the people and shakes His head.

“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe” (John 4:48) Jesus says.

The official pleads even more fervently; “Sir, come down before my child dies” (John 4:49).

Jesus has compassion for him. He knows this man’s heart and his faith. He will not give the people what they are looking for, but He will give this man’s son relief. Jesus locks eyes with the official and speaks directly to his faith.

“Go, your son will live” (John 4:50).

The official doesn’t plead for Jesus to come. He doesn’t ask how Jesus knows. Instead, he springs to his feet, pushes his way out of the crowd and heads home. His heart is expectant. His son will live! Jesus said so, and that is enough for him.

At this same time, in the household of the Official, the child’s ima, doctors and priests surround him. They are doing everything they can think of to cure the child. NOTHING is working. He is getting weaker by the minute. His ima is hanging onto each breath, expecting it to be the last one he takes.

Without warning, the child’s breathing changes. It becomes a steady rhythm. It is no longer labored. His ima clutches her hands to her chest as she hears the change, and she waits. Four steady breaths later, tears begin making their way down her cheeks in rivers. She falls to her knees beside her child’s bed. As she puts her hand out to touch him, she notices that his skin is no longer hot to the touch.

“His fever is gone” she exclaims.

The doctors all rush to check. Sure enough, the child’s fever is gone. His color is also returning. After a few minutes, his eyes open and he smiles up at his ima. It is a small smile, but it is as bright as the sun in her eyes.

“Can I have some water” he asks in as small voice.

Servants nearly fall over one another in a rush to meet the child’s first request in days. Soon a cup of water is in his hands and his ima helps him hold it and take a sip. After his thirst is quenched he has another request.

“I’m hungry.”

Tears of joy fill the eyes of everyone in the house as broth is prepared and brought to the boy. As he is eating, his ima remembers that his abba has gone off seeking Jesus. She calls the head of the servants to her side.

“Run and find my husband. Tell him that our child LIVES!”

The servant bows and hurries from the room. He sets off for Canaan right away. It is already midday so this journey will last more that one day. Night requires both the servant and the official to stop for the night.

The next day the official sees his servant coming towards him. The first thought in his mind is one of hope. “He is bringing me good news” he tells himself. His faith in Jesus’ words haven’t wavered even for a moment.

The servant hurries to his master’s side when he spies him in the distance. He is nearly out of breath when the two finally meet in the road.

Before the master can even speak a word, his servant launches into his story.

“Your son LIVES! His fever broke, his breathing is back to normal, and he even asked for food and water. He has fully recovered!”

The official sends a silent ‘thank You’ towards heaven and to Jesus. For his servant, he has a question. “When did his fever break; at what hour?”

The servant knows the exact hour as he was watching the time, wondering at what hour the child would die. “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him” (John 4:52).

The official nods. He knows the time when he spoke with Jesus yesterday. It was the same hour. He raises his hands in praise to the Lord.

“Thank You Lord God of Israel for hearing the plea of Your servant and answering it through Your Messiah!”

His servant looks at him. “The Messiah didn’t come. There was no one but the doctors and priests present when the child recovered.”

“No. He didn’t need to come. He spoke the words; ‘Go, your son will live.’ I KNEW His words would come to pass. And He spoke them at the same time my son’s fever broke. HE healed my son. Even His very words hold power over life and death.”

The two walk back to the family home, where the child is fully recovered. When they arrive, they see the boy sitting in the yard and playing with his toys.

The official smiles down at him and shakes his head. “You would never even know he was sick.”

Jesus and His disciples visit for a day with the young married couple in Canaan before returning home to Capernaum. The people eagerly welcome them back. Jesus returns to teaching in the synagogues and healing all those who come to Him.

Jesus is teaching in the synagogue one day. The people are listening to his every word and soaking it up. When the service ends, Jesus is joined by James and John.

“Where is Simon” Jesus asks.

“He stayed home with his mother-in-law. She is very sick and he didn’t feel like he should leave her.”

“Then we will go and see them right now” Jesus says.

The three men arrive at the doorstep of the home of Simon and Andrew. Jesus knocks and waits. It takes a minute before Andrew appears at the door.

“Master! We didn’t know You were coming.” Andrew steps aside and allows the group to enter. “Please forgive the mess. Simon’s mother-in-law is ill and we are all tending to her.”

“Take me to her” says Jesus with authority.

Andrew hurriedly shows Jesus to the room where the woman lays. As they enter, Simon sees Jesus and he jumps to his feet. He had been sitting beside his mother-in-law’s bed, holding her hand.

Jesus pats him on the shoulder. “It’s alright Simon.” Jesus walks over to her bedside and sits in the same place Simon just left.

“Hello dear woman. I hear you aren’t feeling well today. We can’t have that, now can we?”

Jesus reaches out and takes her hand. Immediately the fever leaves her and she regains her strength. She sits up in her bed with a smile on her face.

Simon steps over to her to restrain her from getting up. “You need to rest…”

“Nonsense! What I need is for all of you to go back into the other room so I can get up and get dressed.”

No one argues with her. They all back out and return to the dining area.

“She was so sick, I didn’t know if she would make it” Peter says while shaking his head.

“Why didn’t you bring Me news of her illness?”

“You are so busy, and You were speaking in synagogue again today.”

“I am NEVER too busy for those whom I love” Jesus says sternly to Simon.

“Understood. It won’t happen again.”

Simon’s mother-in-law emerges from the bedroom with Simon’s wife right behind her. They set about making a meal for everyone. “It will be a little late, but I do my best work under pressure” she says with a smile.

It is the Sabbath so no formal cooking is allowed. Soon, dates, bread, sliced meats, cheese, olives and wine appear on the table. Everyone enjoys the meal and they talk about the service.

“I thought the synagogue leader’s eyes were going to pop out when You said that we are ALL sinful men and need to repent.”

“He did look stressed” Jesus says with a sad smile. “If only he believed the truth. It would truly set him free. I’m certain he ‘knows’ already. He just can’t bring himself to admit it and take it into his heart.”

Throughout the town, many groups are talking in their homes. Some of them are the religious leaders, trying to figure out what Jesus is up to. But most of them are ordinary citizens who have problems they want to bring to Jesus to heal. The people knew Jesus was going to be in town for the Sabbath service. Many have come from far away, just to see Him. But they have to wait until sundown before they can approach Him. It would be considered ‘work’ for Him to heal them on the Sabbath.

When Jesus left the synagogue, it was observed as to where He went. Word quickly spread around the town, neighbor by neighbor. As the sun prepares to set, they all eagerly await the moment they can go to Simon and Andrew’s home. Each of them is hoping to be first, that way, Jesus doesn’t finish healing before they have a chance to be touched by Him.

“It’s Time!” rings out from nearly every home. The people rush through their doors, some left standing open in their haste, and converge on the home of Simon and Andrew. Those inside the house hear the mob before it reaches the doorstep. There is some pushing and shoving to be first, but nothing serious. No one in trampled in the process.

Jesus is at the door of the home before the first blow is struck against the door. Simon stands in front of Him, protectively keeping the crowd back.

“What is it you want” asks Simon.

“We have come to see Jesus. To ask Him to heal us” the crowd cries out.

Simon turns and looks over his shoulder at Jesus.

“What should I do? So You want me to send them away?”

“No. I will see the and tend to their needs.”

Simon turns back to the door. “You all need to move back so Jesus can come outside. I don’t have room for you in my home.”

The crowd surges backwards a bit, allowing an opening between them and the house. Jesus steps outside and the crowd starts to surge forward again. He puts up His hands and says; “Hold your places. I will see each of you before the night is over, but only a few at a time.”

Jesus’ disciples step out into the space between Him and the people. They help funnel people to Jesus the rest of the day and long into the night. Jesus does not stop ministering to the people until the last one stands before Him. As He tends to the people, those with demons oppressing or inhabiting them, He speaks to them and they flee. For those with deformity, He touches the part that is deformed. To those with illness He holds their hands. He also speaks life and truth into every life that stands before Him.

It is nearly daybreak when Jesus and His disciples finally stop. Everyone has gone home. The disciples are exhausted and Jesus is visibly spent.

“I don’t think I can make it back into the house. How about if I fall asleep right here” Andrew says.

“Sounds good to me! I’ll join you.”

Within minutes, the yard is filled with the snores of Jesus and His men.

Just before daybreak, Jesus wakes refreshed from His sleep. But His Spirit needs refreshing too. And not the kind that sleep can provide. Jesus needs to ‘recharge’ His Spirit in a quiet place to pray. He carefully gets up from the group of men and slips out of the garden. He walks outside the city and stops on a small hill. Here, He spends time in prayer and enjoys the company of His Abba. THIS is His strength. There is NOTHING like it in this world.

The men in the yard begin waking up. As they stretch, they notice the absence of Jesus.

“Where did He go? Should we go and look for Him?”

“Yes. There is no telling if He has been set upon by another crowd. He might need our help.”

The men get up and begin searching. They start nearby, but run out of hiding places quickly.

“He probably went outside of town to pray. You know how He does that sometimes” James offers.

The search soon leaves the city and they scour the countryside. People from the city join in the search. They find Jesus in a secluded cove.

Jesus knew that they would come searching for Him. He is ready to leave when they finally find Him.

“Jesus, why did You leave? Come back into the city with us and teach us more” they plead.

Jesus shakes His head. “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent” (Luke 4:43).

“Will You be back again this way” they ask.

“I will. And when I see you again, I will bring you good news and great joy from the Father.”

The people reluctantly let Him go. They will keep tabs on His whereabouts through the usual methods; travelers bringing news.

As Jesus and His disciples leave, Jesus looks back over His shoulder one last time. “With all these people, I am going to need a place where I can address all of them at once. It is time to start preparing that place.”

(to be continued)

The place Jesus will take a large multitude to is on the mountain top. The Sermon on the Mount is our next stop in Jesus’ life. I’m looking forward to that time, but also wondering how LONG that portion will become. It spans several chapters in Matthew. I don’t want to copy it word for word, but we need His teachings as much today as the people of His day did.

I want to note too that I put another event out of place. The Official’s son says it happened on the way “from Judea to Galilee”. This, to me, means it took place while on the road back from Jerusalem. I’ve stuck it in place for later, when it becomes a book, but put it in here today to make sure it didn’t get missed.

The official had incredible faith. Not as much as the Centurion, later on, but enough to allow Jesus to work from a distance. I wonder what would have happened if the official kept pleading for Jesus to come. Would Jesus have gone? Would the man have received a partial healing for his son? Jesus told him the child would live; not that he would be ‘good as new’.

I was thinking about that last part while I was writing the story. God healing us doesn’t always mean a ‘perfect return to before’ scenario. Many people don’t “die” but continue on with issues. I KNOW that God can spontaneously heal, but many times He chooses to let us go ‘the long way’ instead. And, sometimes, He chooses to ‘heal us’ by bringing us into paradise where sickness and disease can no longer touch us. I doubt that the people in Jesus’ time would have understood that option.

Father God, work in my life HOWEVER You choose to. I know there are things in my physical body that are never going to be ‘right’ until I’m standing before You. And I’m alright with that. You have grown my faith through those issues. You have also shown me grace and taught me how to love through my own weaknesses. Because of Your hand on my heart, I can minister to others in ways that others can’t, or don’t want to. And it still blows me away when people tell me how ‘brave’ or ‘strong’ I am. I’m NOT either of those things! What I am, is walking out the love YOU poured into me. Thank You for that ‘strength’ and ‘patience’, even when it gets a bit frayed at the edges.

Did Jesus’ patience ever get frayed at the edges? Probably. But that didn’t diminish the love He had for those who tested His patience.