Paper 145 Overview: Four Eventful Days at Capernaum

This paper details four significant days in Jesus' ministry in Capernaum following the death of John the Baptist, marking the beginning of Jesus' first public preaching tour of Galilee. During this brief but momentous period, Jesus performed numerous healings, including a dramatic mass healing of 683 people, which demonstrated his divine power but also created challenges for his mission. The events established Jesus' reputation as both a preacher and healer, drawing enormous crowds and spreading his fame throughout the region.

Jesus became increasingly concerned that his work of physical healing might overshadow his primary spiritual mission of teaching about the kingdom of heaven. After the remarkable evening of healing, Jesus withdrew to pray and later explained to his apostles that his main purpose was to reveal the Father and establish his kingdom, not just to heal physical ailments. Despite the apostles' reluctance to leave the enthusiastic crowds in Capernaum, Jesus insisted they depart to preach in other cities of Galilee.

Jesus and the twelve apostles arrived in Capernaum on Tuesday evening, January 13, after John the Baptist's death, preparing to launch Jesus' first open and public preaching tour of Galilee. Jesus spent Wednesday through Friday at Zebedee's house instructing his apostles and teaching inquirers who came to learn from him. On Friday evening, Jesus' sister Ruth secretly visited him, and they spent an hour together in a boat anchored offshore, a meeting witnessed only by John Zebedee.

Ruth was the only member of Jesus' family who consistently and unwaveringly believed in the divine nature of his mission from her earliest spiritual awareness through his death, resurrection, and ascension. She provided significant emotional comfort to Jesus regarding his earth family throughout his trials, rejection, and crucifixion, maintaining her faith in the supernatural character of his mission until her own passing.

On Friday morning, crowds pressed so close to Jesus as he taught by the seaside that he had to continue his teaching from a boat called "Simon," which had been built by Jesus himself but was now being used by David Zebedee and two associates. After finishing his teaching, Jesus suggested they go fishing in deeper water, even though the fishermen had caught nothing all night. Following Jesus' directions, they caught so many fish that their nets nearly broke and they had to call for help from shore.

This abundant catch impressed Simon, one of David's assistants, who fell at Jesus' knees saying, "Depart from me, Master, for I am a sinful man." The experience was not actually miraculous, as Jesus simply used his knowledge of nature and fish habits to direct them to where fish typically gathered at that time of day. Nevertheless, David Zebedee, Simon, and their associates were so moved by this experience that they abandoned their nets and followed Jesus from that day forward, and his followers always viewed this as a miracle.

On the Sabbath afternoon, Jesus preached in the synagogue on "The Will of the Father in Heaven," following Simon Peter's morning sermon on "The Kingdom." Taking texts from Exodus and Isaiah, Jesus focused on the personal nature of religion, emphasizing that God loves each individual, not just the nation as a whole. He quoted the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel to demonstrate that the concept of personal religion was not entirely new but was now being fulfilled in his teaching.

At the conclusion of Jesus' sermon, a young man with epilepsy had a seizure and cried out, to which Jesus responded by taking his hand and saying, "Come out of it." The man recovered, and people believed Jesus had cast out an evil spirit, though it was simply epilepsy which Jesus didn't actually cure at that moment. This incident, coupled with Jesus' visit to Peter's mother-in-law who recovered from a fever while he was present, spread rapidly as reports of miracles, though Jesus had not performed supernatural healing in either case. These coincidences were nevertheless interpreted as miracles by the wonder-seeking populace.

As the Sabbath ended at sunset, crowds of sick and afflicted people gathered at the Zebedee home, having waited until after Sabbath hours when seeking healing was permitted by Jewish teaching. An extraordinary assembly of nearly one thousand suffering people formed, including those with various diseases and their caregivers. The sight deeply touched Jesus' compassionate heart, though he had been consistently avoiding displays of his creator powers.

When someone called out for Jesus to heal them, he contemplated his Father's will regarding the situation. Finding no objection from the Father, Jesus' Personalized Thought Adjuster activated his divine healing powers, resulting in the instantaneous and complete healing of 683 men, women, and children. This unprecedented mass healing occurred when Jesus' human sympathy aligned with divine wisdom, creating what the authors describe as "a thrilling spectacle." Though Jesus was surprised by this outpouring of creative energy, it became a defining moment in his ministry, as afterward he became known as much for healing as for preaching.

Following the mass healing, the apostles were elated, experiencing what they considered the greatest day of their association with Jesus. Their hopes soared as they believed this demonstrated the powerful establishment of the kingdom Jesus had promised. However, Jesus himself withdrew from the celebration, which greatly perplexed his followers who couldn't understand his apparent distress over what they saw as a tremendous success.

When Jesus finally returned late in the evening, most of those who had been healed had already departed. Rather than accepting congratulations, Jesus simply told his apostles: "Rejoice not that my Father is powerful to heal the body, but rather that he is mighty to save the soul." He then urged them to rest for the next day's work. The twelve apostles went to bed disappointed and confused, unable to comprehend why Jesus would dampen their enthusiasm after such a remarkable display of power and the resulting public acclaim.

Jesus spent much of Saturday night awake, contemplating the implications of the healing event. He was concerned that physical ministry might overshadow or interfere with his primary mission of establishing the spiritual kingdom. Early Sunday morning, before daybreak, he went alone to pray for wisdom to balance his human sympathy and divine mercy with his main purpose of spiritual teaching.

Peter, James, and John found Jesus and questioned his troubled demeanor. For four hours, Jesus attempted to explain the complexities of his mission and the dangers of focusing too much on physical healing, but they couldn't comprehend his concerns. Meanwhile, more crowds gathered seeking healing. When Andrew later found Jesus and urged him to return to minister to the waiting multitudes, Jesus firmly declined, explaining that his mission was to proclaim the Father and the kingdom, not primarily to heal physical ailments. Despite the apostles' reluctance to leave the enthusiastic crowds in Capernaum, Jesus insisted they depart immediately for other cities in Galilee to continue preaching the gospel of the kingdom.