Paper 137 Overview: Tarrying Time in Galilee

Paper 137 describes the beginning of Jesus' public ministry after his baptism, focusing on his selection of the first six apostles and the early period of training them for their future work. Jesus thoughtfully chose his apostles from among John the Baptist's followers and other acquaintances, beginning with Andrew and his brother Simon Peter, followed by James and John (sons of Zebedee), and then Philip and Nathaniel. This initial group of six would later help Jesus select six more to complete the twelve apostles who would assist in establishing the kingdom.

After choosing his apostles, Jesus spent approximately five months in Galilee training them while alternating between periods of fishing for livelihood and periods of ministry work. During this time, Jesus patiently taught his apostles about the nature of the spiritual kingdom he was establishing, which differed greatly from their expectations of a political kingdom. The paper includes accounts of Jesus' visit to Capernaum, the wedding at Cana where water was turned to wine, and culminates with his sermon on the kingdom in which he explained that his kingdom was spiritual rather than material, focused on inner transformation rather than worldly power.

On Saturday, February 23, A.D. 26, Jesus came down from the hills to rejoin John the Baptist's encampment at Pella. Throughout that day, Jesus mingled with the crowds and even helped a young boy who had been injured in a fall, personally taking him back to his parents in the village of Pella. This compassionate act was characteristic of Jesus' approach to ministry, demonstrating care for individuals even before beginning his formal public work.

Andrew, previously a devoted follower of John the Baptist, became Jesus' first apostle after observing him and becoming convinced that Jesus was the new Teacher. After spending time with Jesus, Andrew sought out his brother Simon Peter, informing him that he had found the great Teacher and encouraging him to join as well. When Jesus met Simon, he welcomed him as his second apostle and indicated he would change his name to Peter, cautioning him about his excessive enthusiasm.

The next two apostles, James and John Zebedee, joined after returning from searching for Jesus in the hills. When they discovered that Andrew and Peter had been chosen as Jesus' first companions, they were initially upset about not being selected first. Jesus reassured them that they had already been with him "in spirit of the kingdom" and helped them understand that their absence had prevented them from being selected earlier. These four apostles spent their final night with John the Baptist, who tearfully but willingly surrendered two of his leading disciples to follow Jesus.

On Sunday morning, Jesus took leave of John the Baptist for the final time, never to see him again in the flesh. This departure created division among John's followers – some, like Ezra, rejected Jesus as the Messiah, while others followed John's acknowledgment of Jesus. As Jesus and his four apostles journeyed toward Galilee, they encountered Philip of Bethsaida, whom Jesus invited with the simple words, "Follow me."

Philip immediately accepted Jesus' invitation and then went to tell his friend Nathaniel, who was resting under a tree. When Philip announced he had found the Deliverer in "Jesus of Nazareth," Nathaniel famously responded, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Despite his initial skepticism, when Nathaniel met Jesus, he was impressed by Jesus' insight into his character. Jesus welcomed him saying, "Behold a genuine Israelite, in whom there is no deceit," and Nathaniel became the sixth apostle. The group then traveled to Nazareth, where Jesus destroyed all his writings as instructed by Immanuel.

Jesus sent his apostles to attend a wedding in Cana while he visited his mother in Capernaum, first stopping to see his brother Jude in Magdala. The apostles shared with Jesus' family the remarkable events they had witnessed, causing Joseph (Jesus' brother) to wonder if their mother might have been right about Jesus being a special messenger. Jude and James, Jesus' brothers, had become firm believers in his mission, though they remained puzzled about its exact nature.

When Jesus arrived in Capernaum, those who knew him noticed he seemed more cheerful and like his former self from earlier years in Nazareth. His mother Mary was especially excited, anticipating the fulfillment of Gabriel's promise that Jesus would become the supernatural king of the Jews. However, when questioned about his plans, Jesus simply replied, "It is better that I tarry here for a while; I must do the will of my Father who is in heaven." The next day, they all journeyed to Cana for Naomi's wedding, where many expected Jesus would dramatically reveal himself as the Messiah.

By Wednesday noon, approximately one thousand guests had arrived in Cana for the wedding, far exceeding the invited number as people came hoping to see Jesus. As a well-respected figure, Jesus was asked to lead the preliminary wedding procession, and he participated fully in the celebration. Throughout the day, Jesus became increasingly aware that people expected him to perform some wonder, especially his family and the six apostles who anticipated he would announce his kingdom with a supernatural manifestation.

When the wine supply ran short during the wedding feast, Mary approached Jesus for help, but he initially responded, "Woman, what have you to do with that?" When she persisted, he relented, and the water in six stone vessels was transformed into wine. The narrative explains this was not technically a miracle that violated natural laws, but rather an acceleration of natural processes through the elimination of the time factor. Jesus was surprised by this occurrence, as he had not intended to perform any wonders, and afterward he withdrew to think seriously about the implications of what had happened.

After the wedding, Jesus and his apostles departed early the next morning for Capernaum without formally saying goodbye to anyone. On the journey, Jesus discussed important matters about the coming kingdom and specifically warned them not to mention the transformation of water into wine. He also advised them to avoid the cities of Sepphoris and Tiberias in their future work.

That evening at Zebedee's home, Jesus held an important conference with the six apostles to explain who he was and what his mission entailed. The apostles were stunned by his explanation, unable to grasp his teachings about the kingdom, as their ideas of the Jewish Messiah were completely different from what Jesus was describing. Later that night, Jesus spent hours in meditation by the lakeshore, coming to understand that he would never be able to make his followers see him as anything other than the expected Messiah, and decided to proceed with his message within that framework.

On Sabbath, March 2, Jesus made his first public appearance following his baptism at the Capernaum synagogue. The synagogue was overcrowded with people anticipating extraordinary displays of supernatural power, especially after hearing about the water and wine incident at Cana. Instead of performing miracles, Jesus read from the prophet Isaiah and simply stated, "Be patient and you shall see the glory of God; even so shall it be with all those who tarry with me and thus learn to do the will of my Father who is in heaven."

That afternoon, Jesus took his apostles in a boat a short distance from shore where he explained more about the coming kingdom. He instructed them to return to their regular occupations until "the hour of the kingdom comes" and to tell no one about him. Jesus prepared them for the challenges ahead, warning, "It will be only through much tribulation that many will enter the kingdom," and that the world would demand miracles as proof of his mission. After returning to shore, Jesus prayed for his "little ones" who, despite their doubts, were beginning to believe.

For four long months—March, April, May, and June—Jesus conducted over one hundred teaching sessions with his six apostles and his brother James. This period of waiting and instruction tested the faith of the believers, as Jude (Jesus' brother) could seldom attend due to family illness, and Mary nearly despaired as her son's actions did not match her expectations of the Messiah. Throughout this time, Jesus' wife helped maintain Mary's courage and faith.

During these four months, the seven believers grew accustomed to living with Jesus, learning not to be frightened by his divinity. The period was especially challenging because nothing miraculous occurred, yet they remained together through the power of Jesus' personality and his gracious teachings. Jesus also educated his followers about the various religious and political groups in Palestine—the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots, and Herodians—while making it clear that he and his disciples would not align themselves with any of these sects or practices.

On Sabbath, June 22, shortly before their first preaching tour and about ten days after John the Baptist's imprisonment, Jesus delivered a significant sermon on the kingdom of heaven. A few days earlier, when Peter had brought news of John's arrest, Jesus had laid down his carpenter's tools for the final time, saying, "The Father's hour has come. Let us make ready to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom."

In his sermon, Jesus proclaimed the establishment of his Father's kingdom, declaring it would include worshipping souls from all backgrounds—Jews and gentiles, rich and poor, free and bond. He emphasized that his kingdom was spiritual rather than political: "My kingdom is not of this world. The Son of Man will not lead forth armies in battle for the establishment of a throne of power or a kingdom of worldly glory." Jesus described the kingdom as something already present among them, comparing it to a seed growing in good soil that takes time to ripen into "the full fruit of everlasting righteousness and eternal salvation."