Family Joys in Nazareth

CHAPTER 20

Yeshua and Miriam live four peaceful years in Nazareth. During this time, Miriam gives birth to two children: first to a son they name Uriel and then to a daughter they name Dara. Yeshua becomes very adept working with all manners of wood and Miriam with the spinning of fabrics. Together, they plant a wondrous garden where they grow a great variety and abundance of fruits and vegetables that they sell. Once Yeshua’s brother Yakov is engaged to be married, his obligation as the eldest son to provide for the family is fulfilled, and Yeshua and Miriam prepare to leave with their children for Egypt.

 1 As he was the eldest son, Yeshua determined to remain in Nazareth, working with his brothers as a carpenter until such time as his brother Yakov had married and could take up the responsibilities of overseeing the affairs of the family with their younger brothers: Yosef, Simon, and Yudas.

 2 So it was that Yeshua and Miriam remained in Nazareth for four years, and Miriam gave birth to a son, Uriel, for he was born in the summer sun and the light of God shined on him from the heavens, and to a daughter, Dara, for she showed the wisdom of God, who balanced the spirit of the son with the spirit of a daughter.

 3 And Yeshua and Miriam were content. They lived with their children as the other humble families in Nazareth did: playing with them, laughing with them, and delighting in their every new expression and accomplishment.

 4 Yeshua became an expert carpenter, adept in all manner of woodwork, from fashioning plows and yokes to carving chairs and boxes. And Miriam visited the elderly master weaver of Nazareth often and became adept in the spinning and weaving of fabrics. Together, they grew a great variety and abundance of fruits and vegetables, which they sold. And the greenness and vitality of their garden was a wonder known beyond the boundaries of Nazareth.

 5 Visitors from distant places continued to journey to Nazareth to speak with Yeshua, and friends and kinsfolk in the town continued to gather on starlit evenings to hear Yeshua speak with the visitors.

 6 And it came to pass that several learned Greeks visited, prompted by inexplicable urgings, and they marveled at how quickly Yeshua was a master of their language and writing. It was from this time forth that some began to call him by the name which the Greeks did: Iesous of Nazareth.

 7 Yeshua continually bade his visitors not to speak of him in Galilee or Judea, and his friends and family knew this already.

 8 Now many of the teachings that were spoken by Yeshua after he was married and lived in Nazareth during this time are written in the book of his brother Shimon.

 9 Yeshua did not do many miracles during this time, for many in Nazareth had not the faith to manifest a miracle, for they knew Yeshua too casually from his childhood and could not see him in his glory.

 10 During their years in Nazareth, Yeshua drew very close to Miriam, his wife, such that they were often together and in ways not accustomed to the people of Nazareth or Israel; she sat in councils with him, and he honored her; she spoke only as men were accustomed to speaking, and she did not wear a veil in public.

 11 And for this, some murmured against Yeshua, even some of his friends, saying, “He is breaking the law to allow his wife such privilege as is given only to men and to allow her to go forth without a veil and a cloak.”

 12 Then some who were upset with him spoke to the priests of the area concerning this matter and the priests were wroth at the privileges Yeshua gave to Miriam and began to plot against him.

 13 And it came to pass that at the beginning of the fifth year of Yeshua and Miriam’s life in Nazareth, his brother Yakov was wed to Susanna and thus was fulfilled that which Yeshua had waited for.

 14 By early spring, Yeshua and Miriam and their children made ready to depart from his family and kinsfolk and friends to journey to the land of Egypt.