34.  We further enrich this doctrine concerning Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus by teaching that at the moment of the Particular Judgement, in which is decided the salvation of so many sinners, the saving power of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass acts in unsuspecting fashion, since the priest, at the moment of the immolation in the Mass, besprinkles their souls with the Most Precious Blood of Jesus, and thus obtains the salvation of many.

            35.  On the dawn of Sunday the 31st of March of the year 31, Nicodemus, following his discourse with Jesus referred to above, left Bethany to seek his friend Joseph of Arimathea, who lived in Jerusalem.  After telling him of his conversation with Jesus, both came to Bethany, and were baptized there that same day by the Divine Master.  Saint Mark says that Joseph of Arimathea was a noble counsellor who was awaiting the Kingdom of God (Mark XV, 43).  This indicates that he had a position of importance in the Sanhedrin, and moreover that, like Nicodemus, he was an Essene, as we said already in chapter XX of this Treatise.

            36.  Once he has related the episode of Christ with Nicodemus, Saint John goes on to say: "After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea: and there He abode with them, and baptized" (John III, 22).  In the light of this Gospel text we teach that Jesus, together with His twelve disciples, toured other towns and villages of the region of Judea, and His apostolate reached its high point on the banks of the Jordan in Bethabara, where He stayed until returning to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Pentecost.  With regard to this journey, which began on the 1st of April of the year 31, we avail ourselves of Jesus' revelations to Venerable Cecilia Baij, setting forth the teaching which follows in accordance with our interpretation: When the time came to leave, the Divine Master, after instructing His disciples, went with them to the Temple to teach them that first it was necessary to adore the Heavenly Father and ask Him for His help, His Blessing, and for success in the apostolate.  They then left Jerusalem to journey through Judea.  Jesus went along in the midst of His disciples like a Shepherd of a small flock and He instructed them, encouraging them and raising their spirits.  On arrival at the towns and villages, He went straight to the synagogue and then to the open squares, where He zealously preached the greatness of His Father and His many mercies.  He also performed all kinds of miracles, and baptized many.  Jesus was received well by the people, who listened eagerly to His doctrine, in spite of the pharisees spreading the word to take no notice of Him and raising calumnies against Him, as a result of which He was also persecuted.  She goes on to say that many of those who listened to Jesus' teaching gave alms to His disciples; but they accepted only what was necessary for their subsistence, in accordance with what Christ had taught them; and that, in addition, the Divine Master thought it proper that one of the disciples take  charge of keeping those alms.  They, however, with the exception of Judas Iscariot, appeared timorous of accepting the responsibility.  The latter offered himself for the post of treasurer saying that he was competent at the task and could better serve the others in that way; he also manifested that he would never allow himself to be drawn by covetousness.  Acceding to his wishes, Jesus entrusted him with the keeping and provision of their funds.  Although Judas Iscariot always had a tendency to theft, in the beginning he dutifully fulfilled the post of treasurer; but little by little gave way to temptation.  We record as doctrine that the Divine Mary and Her sisters Mary Cleophas and Mary Salome, as well as other pious women, left for Nazareth on the same day that Jesus commenced His apostolate in the land of Judea.

            37.  During the time that Jesus and His disciples remained on the banks of the Jordan, which was from the 30th of April until the 17th of May when He left for Jerusalem, there took place the event narrated by the Evangelist Saint John (III, 23- 36) where he says that the Precursor was administering the baptism of penance in Ennon, near Salim, when occurred the debate between his disciples and the Jews about the two baptisms, and the Baptist's testimony in favour of Jesus.  The place where John was baptizing - cited in the Gospel (John III, 23) - was situated in Decapolis, on the west bank of the Jordan not far from the town of Bethsan, also called Scitopolis, and consequently far removed from where Jesus and His disciples were, in Bethabara of Peraea, on the east bank of the Jordan close to the Dead Sea.  We teach that the Jews who disputed with John's disciples were pharisees, who, hearing of the great popularity that Jesus was attracting - principally amongst those who followed John the Baptist - had journeyed from different places to Ennon with the aim of sowing discord between Jesus and the Precursor, and the disciples of both.  There they endeavoured to provoke feelings of envy in John the Baptist and his disciples towards Jesus, in order that the former might show con-tempt for the Latter, and thus discredit the prestige and teaching of the Divine Master.  However, the malice of the Jews and of the disciples of John who did not accept Jesus was thwarted by the Baptist's beautiful confession of the Messiahship of Christ, as can be seen in the sacred text (John III, 27-36), of which we now make a brief commentary:

            38.  In verse 27, John the Baptist says: "A man cannot receive anything, unless it be given him from Heaven."  With this he demonstrates that everything he himself possesses, including his mission as prophet and his priestly ministry, he has received from Jesus, the Son of God, Who holds superiority over him.  In verse 28 he adds: "You yourselves do bear me witness that I said, I am not Christ, but that I am sent before Him."  By these words he once again testifies, quite openly, that he is but the Precursor.  That is why he goes on to say in verse 29: "He that hath the bride, is the Bridegroom: but the friend of the Bridegroom, who is with Him and heareth Him, rejoiceth with joy because of the Bridegroom's voice.  This my joy therefore is fulfilled."  That is to say, that as Precursor  he has the mission to lead all to the true Church, and in that way dispose them for espousal with Jesus, Bridegroom of the Church.  Moreover, the Baptist presents himself as the friend of the Bridegroom, since he is the groomsman of the espousal of Christ with the members of His Church, to which he already belongs and to whose authority he submits, for he hears with joy the voice of the Bridegroom, and acts in accordance with His teachings; his joy, as Precursor, is fulfilled at having given over the Church to the Bridegroom, Who is now constituted the visible authority over her.  In verse 30, the Baptist says: "He must increase, but I must decrease."  With this he reveals the need for Christ's saving Work to grow with the flourishing of His Mystical Body, and therefore it is necessary that his mission as Precursor diminish little by little, until ending.  Then, in verse 31, the Baptist adds: "He that cometh from above, is above all.  He that is of the earth, of the earth he is, and of the earth he speaketh.  He that cometh from Heaven, is above all."  Here he bears testimony again to the Divinity of Christ and as well to His supreme authority and power over all things, at the same time contrasting the most high dignity of the Messias with his own littleness, for he is a pure creature, and his testimony is of the earth.  Jesus, however, as God and with respect to His Most Divine Soul, has come down from Heaven.  Therefore in verse 32 he adds: "And what He hath seen and heard, that He testifieth: and no man receiveth His testimony."  With this he reveals the preexistence of the Most Divine Soul of Christ, and also that what Jesus' Soul received from the Divinity is that which He now testifies with His Humanity; and that nevertheless few accept His doctrine, thus also reproaching the contumacy of the Jews and the disciples to whom he is replying.  He adds in verse 33: "He that hath received His testimony hath set to his seal that God is true" , meaning that those who accept the doctrine of Christ confirm by their faith and good works the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies, and consequently that God is true to His promises.  In verse 34 the Baptist continues: "For He whom God hath sent, speaketh the words of God: for God doth not give the Spirit by measure", with which he stresses the greatness of Jesus, the Envoy of God, declaring Him to be the Word of God Incarnate, for thus indicates the expression "speaketh the words of God"; and consequently that the Messias, as God, is infinite in Himself; and as Man, in virtue of the Hypostatic Union, possesses infinite Holiness, - -which is the meaning of the words "for God doth not give the Spirit by measure."  And as well the Precursor again contrasts the greatness of Christ with his own littleness.  In verses 35 and 36 John the Baptist completes his testimony of Jesus: "The Father loveth the Son: and He hath given all things into his hand.  He that believeth in the Son, hath life everlasting; but he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life: but the wrath of God abideth on him."  With these words, in the first place He manifests the love of the Father for the Son, both with regard to the Father's infinite love for the Son as God as well as the Father's love in supreme degree for the Son as Man; and he also shows that the Father has given all power to the Most Sacred  Humanity of Christ; therefore whoever believes in the Work of the Son shall be saved, and whoever does not shall be condemned.

            39.  The Evangelist goes on to say (John IV, 1-3): "When Jesus therefore understood that the pharisees had heard that Jesus maketh more disciples, and baptizeth more than John (verse 1), though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples, (verse 2) He left Judea, and went again into Galilee" (verse 3).  Saint Luke as well refers to this occasion when he says: "And Jesus returned in the power of the spirit, into Galilee..." (IV, 14).  We clarify these two Gospel texts, asserting that Jesus was on the banks of the Jordan in Bethabara when He knew of what the pharisees had heard, and moreover that He left the Jordan on Friday the 17th of May, thus eliminating the dis-putes which existed, on account of His apostolate, between the pharisees and the disciples of John the Baptist; for it was desirable that the latter continue his precursory mission, as already said in chapter XIX.  Before leaving for Galilee however, Jesus set out for Jerusalem to celebrate the feast, stopping first at Bethany.  The following day, Sunday the 19th of May, year 31, feast of Pentecost, He visited the Temple with His twelve principal disciples, as also others who used to accompany Him, as seen in the Acts of the Apostles which, referring to the election of Saint Matthias says that he was chosen from among those who had also been in Jesus' company throughout His public life (Acts I, 21--22).  Of these men we give prominence as well to Joseph Barsabas the Just - son of Mary Cleophas by her second marriage - as also Judas Barsabas, brother of the former by their father.  We affirm that until his imprisonment, John the Baptist always visited the Temple of Jerusalem for the three feasts of precept, those of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, though in the place in the Temple reserved to the Essenes.

            40.  Before speaking of Jesus' return to Galilee, we shall explain the difficulty in verses 22 chapter 3 of Saint John's Gospel and the first of chapter 4 of the same Gospel compared with verse 2 of this last chapter, texts which, as already shown, are intimately related.  In verse 22 we read "...and there He abode with them, and baptized;" and on verse 1 as well, we read : "that -Jesus maketh more disciples, and baptized more than John."  Nevertheless, verse 2 of the same chapter says by way of clarification: "(Though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples.)" We resolve the small difficulty affirming that during this journey through the region of Judea, and at the banks of the Jordan, Jesus Himself baptized on a number of occasions, but ordinarily did so through the ministry of -His disciples, for Jesus had the specific task of announcing the Gospel; and those who accepted His Word and repented of their sins were baptized by them.

            41.  As soon as Jesus and those accompanying Him had complied with the precept of the Law of Moses, in the early hours of the following morning, the 20th of May, they set out  from Bethany for Galilee, through Samaria as the Evangelist says (John IV, 4).  Arriving about midday at the town of Sichar or Sichem, now called Nablus, Jesus, wearied by the journey sat by Jacob's Well, where took place the conversion of the Samaritan woman (John IV, 5- 34), known in the martyrology as Saint Photina.  Of great beauty is the mystical allegory contained in this episode, where the Samaritan woman - a public sinner - went to draw water at Jacob's Well and found herself before the inexhaustible Fount of Grace, Christ, Who asked her to satisfy His thirst; but that for which Jesus was principally athirst was the salvation of her soul, and therefore spoke to her in mysterious fashion of another - regenerative - water, the Sacrament of Baptism, which floods us with the Great Supernatural Gift, the Holy Ghost, and makes us worthy of eternal life.  The woman of Samaria did not understand the supernatural meaning of Jesus' words; but He, ardently desiring to save her, revealed the deplorable state of her soul, thus giving her at the same time proof of His Messiahship; for the Samaritan woman had lived in illicit union with five men in succession, and the one with whom she then lived was the husband of another.  Consequently, both were living in adultery.

            42.  As we continue our task of interpreting the above- mentioned text, we see how, after the Samaritan woman recognizes Jesus as a Prophet, moved by grace she desires that He show her where the truth is to be found since, given that the Jews and the Samaritans detested each other on account of political, social and religious issues as a result of the schism of the ten tribes after the death of Solomon, there existed between them notable discrepancies concerning divine worship: the Samaritans, interpreting the Law of Moses to their own liking, performed their religious ceremonies on Mount Garizim, close to Sichem, when legitimate worship was carried out in the Temple of Jerusalem.  They improperly justified their schismatic posture saying that "our fathers adored on this mountain..." (John IV, 20), basing this on the fact that certain Patriarchs, such as Abraham (Gen. XII, 6-7) and Jacob (Gen. XXXIII, 19-20), had raised altars in the neighborhood of Sichem, and also that, centuries later, Josue had placed the Ark of the Covenant for a time on Mount Ebal, close to Mount Garizim, and had therefore offered ceremonial sacrifices there (Josue VIII, 33).  All these were pretexts given by the Samaritans, since the Law of Moses ordered that Levitical sacrifices be offered exclusively in the place chosen by God (Deut. XII, 11-14), and there the Tabernacle was necessarily taken; having stood in different places until Solomon built the Temple of Jerusalem and established divine worship there once and for all.  Consequently after his death, with the schism of the ten tribes, salvation remained in the Kingdom of Juda, since Jerusalem continued to be the centre of the Jewish Church, and there besides was the lineage of David, of which the Messias would be born.  That is why Jesus tells the sinful woman that the Samaritans adored that which they knew not, whilst the Jews adored that which they knew, for salvation was of the Jews (John IV, 22).

            43.  According to our interpretation, Jesus (John IV, 21) instructs the Samari-tan woman on the mysteries of the New Law, which is why He tells her that the hour is coming when the Father shall not be adored by ceremonial sacrifices either on Mount Garizim - where they believed He was adored - or in the Temple of Jerusalem, where He was in truth adored; here alluding to the new worship of latria which through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass would be rendered to the Father, no longer in one place alone, but across the face of the earth, as we know Most Holy Malachias (I, 11) to have prophesied.  He at once extends this teaching: "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in truth.  For the Father also seeketh such to adore Him.  God is a spirit; and they that adore Him, must adore Him in spirit and in truth" (John IV, 23-24).  In this wonderful passage is enclosed the profound and sublime mystery of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which as we know is a mystery of Faith; and besides, the Sacrifice by which true adoration is given to the Father, being of infinite value.  It is a mystery of Faith because the Sacrifice of the Eucharist demands the exercise of faith, as it contains truths that exceed human understanding, since in the Mass the Divine Victims Christ and Mary are offered, become present and are immolated, in sacramental form, by means of the ministerial priest.  This Sacrifice is of infinite adoration since it is Christ Himself, Chief Priest and infinite Victim, Who in His Most Sacred Humanity adores the Father, to whose infinite adoration Mary is united.  In addition, the whole Church adores Him to an infinite degree through the celebrant's immolation of the Eucharist; but in order that the sacrifices of the members of the Church Militant be united to the infinite adoration rendered to the Father in Mass, they must have been made with the Indwelling of the Holy Ghost.

            44.  The words "but the hour cometh, and now is," tell of the closeness of the institution of the Sacrifice of the New Law, which would be within Jesus' period of evangelization already begun; and the expression "for the Father also seeketh such to adore Him" indicates that it is God's will that all adore Him according to the new and eternal Sacrifice of infinite value; and to satisfy His Heavenly Father's desires, Jesus untiringly seeks souls to render this adoration, as was the case with the woman of Samaria and the many other Samaritans who believed in Him during the two days He remained in Sichem.  For this reason Christ speaks to His disciples: "Do you not say, There are yet four months until the harvest cometh?  Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes, and see the fields; for they are white already to harvest" (John IV, 35).  As He said this to them, He showed them the ripe cornfields of the Samaritan country-side, ready for harvest, comparing them with the spiritual ears of corn, namely the Samaritans who had accepted His teaching and should be admitted into the granary of the Church through Baptism.  Examining this Gospel text (John IV, 35-38) we choose as well other doctrinal teachings: Reference is made to some labourers, as were Moses and the Prophets, who had  the arduous task of tilling with predilection the land of the People of God for the future sowing which would be carried out by a Sower, - alluded to by the sacred text (John IV, 37), - Who is Christ, and later on His apostles; and the Gospel speaks also of reapers, whose task Christ would realize through His disciples, whom He would later constitute, by their priesthood, ordinary ministers of the Sacrament of Baptism.  Jesus' words "Do you not say, There are yet four months until the harvest cometh?" (John IV, 35) were a saying often used by the Jews to indicate the period of waiting between seed-time and harvest, normally of four months; Jesus uses it indicating to His disciples that it was not fulfilled in the case of the sowing of spiritual seed amongst the Samaritans, for they had already produced fruit and it was time to baptize them.

            45.  We conclude this episode of the Samaritan woman, affirming that she was baptized by Jesus on the 20th of May at Jacob's Well, and that many other Samaritans were baptized by His disciples during the two days they stayed in Sichem.  Later on she was to join the pious women.

            46.  Two days after His encounter with the woman of Samaria, viz. the 22nd of May in the evening, Jesus left for Galilee as Saint John relates: "Now after two days He departed thence, and went into Galilee" (John IV, 43).  Saint Mark adds further details: "And going out from thence, He went into His own country; and His disciples followed Him" (Mark VI, 1).  We teach that Jesus' "own country" to which the latter Evangelist alludes is Nazareth, in Galilee.  And Saint Matthew points to the same when he says: "And coming into His own country..." (Matt. XIII, 54).  Saint Luke, on the other hand, makes explicit mention of it: "And He came to Nazareth, where He was brought up" (Luke IV, 16).

            47.  Bringing together the Gospel texts of Saint Matthew (XIII, 54-58), Saint Mark (VI, 1-6), Saint Luke (IV, 16-30) and Saint John (IV, 44), and selecting some items from mystical- prophetic revelations, we give the following teaching regarding the Messias' one and only apostolate in Nazareth during His public life: On the morning of Friday the 24th of May of the year 31, Jesus, accompanied by His disciples, arrived at this town, where already were His Divine Mother, His two aunts Saint Mary Cleophas and Saint Mary Salome, and the other pious women.  The news of Jesus' presence in Nazareth quickly spread abroad, and brought the arrival of a number of people from other parts, principally Sephoris and Cana.  In the streets the Divine Master preached the Law of the Gospel with severe warnings regarding the moral behaviour of many, especially the pharisees, and how the fulfillment of this new Law implied greater demands; as a result of which the enthusiasm of the people of Nazareth, who had received Jesus well at the start, began to diminish as they became vexed at the words of the One they knew as the son of the carpenter, thus evidencing their bad dispositions.  Moved by the faith of a small number of sick from other places, Jesus cured them of their ailments laying His  hands upon them; these miracles did not pass unnoticed by the people of Nazareth who, given the blindness of their hearts and in spite of all, did not wish to recognize the Messias, and with malice pretended besides that He should perform the great things He was said to have done in Capharnaum.  Jesus, however, remained serious and reserved, and this occasioned a further straining of feelings against Him.  In the afternoon of the same day, the 24th, Our Lord ordered the disciples to set out for their homes and return to their employments, and with them went the pious women, whilst He remained alone with His Divine Mother in Nazareth.  With this measure He wished to preserve them from the dangerous persecution that would befall Him on the following day as a result of His teaching in the synagogue.

            48.  The first three Evangelists speak of this sermon; and although Matthew, according to the Vulgate text, says that He instructed them "in their synagogues" (XIII, 54), it must be understood "in their synagogue", as stated in the Greek text and expressed in the Vulgate by Saint Mark (VI, 2) and Saint Luke (IV, 16): for we affirm that in Nazareth there was but one.  After Midday on Saturday the 25th, Jesus entered the synagogue, where He read the text of the Book of Isaias (LXI, 1) which prophesied the Work He was fulfilling as Messias, and began His teaching as follows: "Today this Scrip-ture is fulfilled in your ears" (Luke IV, 21), thus declaring openly that He was the awaited Messias, at the same time becoming transfigured in their sight, "the eyes of all fixed on Him" (Luke IV, 20).  As He proceeded with His eloquent discourse, those who listened wondered at the wisdom, grace and veracity of the words that came from the mouth of Jesus; but blinded by envy they did not wish to recognize Him as Messias, and so resorted to saying that He was the carpenter, son of Mary and Joseph, a family known to all.  Observing their contumacy, Christ touched them to the quick, publicly revealing their thought, for "He said to them: Doubtless you will say to Me this similitude: Physician heal Thyself: as great things as we have heard done in Capharnaum, do also here in Thy own country" (Luke IV, 23), by which He gave them to understand that their bold intent to demand of Him great prodigies for them to recognize Him as Messias was useless because of their pride; and He reproached them for their wickedness, telling them that no prophet is accepted or honoured in his own country or in his own house, - as we extract from the texts of Saint Matthew (XIII, 57), Saint Mark (VI, 4) and Saint Luke (IV, 24), and also Saint John, who does not record this event, but alludes to it when he says: "For Jesus Himself gave testimony that a prophet hath no honour in his own country" (John IV, 44).  Jesus also recalled how Elias was sent to the house of the widow of Sarepta in Sidon, when there were many widows in Israel; and how Eliseus cleansed Naaman the Syrian, when there were many lepers in Israel too (Luke IV, 25-27).  He thereby gave them to understand that this predilection was due to faith and simplicity of heart, in the one case as in the other, and that He failed to find these qualities in the people of Nazareth who, consequently, were not deserving of the great miracles He had performed in other towns,  even of the healing of a single Nazarene.

            49.  Saint Luke (IV, 29) relates how all those in the synagogue, filled with rage at hearing these things, rose up and cast Jesus out of the city, taking Him to the brow of the hill upon which it was build with the intention of throwing Him off the precipice.  But let us consider the correct teaching of Saint Anne Catherine Emmerich which we now present according to our interpretation: Jesus spoke His final words and went out of the synagogue.  Some twenty pharisees surrounded Him as He left and, laying hold of Him at the door, said that He should go with them to a high place where He could repeat His teaching, and there they would answer Him as He deserved.  He said they should leave hold of Him because He would follow them, and they set off surrounding Him like a guard, with many townspeople following.  Shouts and a succession of taunts and sarcastic oaths accompanied Him up the hill.  Jesus went on quietly teaching, answering their sneers with passages from Scripture and profound reflections which in part put them to shame, and increased their rage.  It was already dark and they carried a few torches.  They reached a high spur where there was a steep precipice, a place where they used to cast down evildoers.  Once there, they were about to throw Him off the cliff; but Jesus, passing majestically through their midst, went His way (Luke IV, 30).

            50.  The mystical Doctor goes on to say that at that moment she saw two figures of light accompanying Jesus.  Contrasting this with the tradition kept in Nazareth that the Divine Mary followed the footsteps of Her Divine Son at a certain distance as He was taken to the place of execution, and that She trembled at the moment they were about to precipitate Him, we teach not only the authenticity of this tradition, but in addition that Most Holy Joseph, virginal father of Jesus, appeared to his Spouse Mary and accompanied Her the whole way, consoling Her in Her profound affliction.  We record that Mary trembled, not because She believed that they were going to kill Her Son - for She knew that the hour of His bloody death had not yet arrived - but on account of the deepest sorrow which pierced Her Heart, together with that of Jesus, due to the most grievous outrage proffered Him by the Nazarenes, with whom She had lived for so many years and for whom She had prayed intensely in order that they accept the Messias.  We teach, moreover, that Mary, and also Her spouse Saint Joseph in apparition, were by Jesus' side at the very moment He was to be cast down, without the Most Holy Spouses being seen by the aggressors.  Once Jesus had gone a distance from the latter, He set out for Cana with His Divine Mother.  We see in this event a likeness of Calvary, for the Divine Master was iniquitously condemned in the synagogue, then seized by the phari-sees and taken up the slopes of the mount to the precipice by the deicide people; there, mystically, He was crucified and died, together with His Mother.

            51.  We bring this episode of Jesus in Nazareth to a close, clarifying the following question in the Gospel texts: When Saint Matthew (XIII, 55-56) and Saint Mark (VI, 3) use the word "brothers" to name James, Joseph, Jude Thaddeus and Simon,  they refer to Jesus' cousins, sons of Mary Cleophas; and the sisters to whom they also allude are those of the Divine Mary, Jesus' aunts, as well as a number of cousins, among them Susanne.  Moreover, when the Evangelists use certain expressions of the Nazarenes in which it appears that these relatives of Jesus were also present in the synagogue when He was preaching, we teach that thereby is given to understand that they were known to all and had been in Nazareth not long before.  We also record as doctrine that the place from where they wished to cast Jesus down is the so-called Mount of the Precipitation, which is approximately two kilometers from the town; and that close to this mount, where rises a chapel with the name of "the tremor", is the spot where the Divine Mary paused to contemplate the final scenes of the proceedings against Her Divine Son, and from where She moved invisibly to His side, accompanied by Saint Joseph, at the very instant they were about to cast Him down.

            52.  After the Evangelist Saint John alludes to the bad reception given to Jesus in Nazareth (John IV, 44), he presents us a general view of the welcome He received in the different towns and villages of Galilee on His return from Jerusalem after celebrating the feasts of Passover and Pentecost: "And when He was come into Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He had done at Jerusalem on the festival day; for they also went to the festival day" (John IV, 45).  The solemnity to which the text refers is the Passover where Jesus manifested Himself publicly with teachings, miracles and other notable deeds.  We teach that Saint Luke as well speaks of the good reception given to Jesus and His apostolate throughout Galilee on His return from Jerusalem when he says: "...and the fame of Him went out through the whole country.  And He taught in their synagogues, and was magnified by all" (Luke IV, 14-15); and also Saint Mark when he relates: "...and He went through the villages round about teaching" (Mark VI, 6).  When Saint Luke speaks of the fame of Jesus among the people, it must be understood that for the majority it was only great admiration at His miracles; and for others, at His teaching as well; and for a minority it was sincere faith in the long-awaited Messias.  This admiration and faith would have developed further were it not for the opposition of the official Jewish hierarchy.  We record as doctrine that Jesus' intensive apostolate through the towns and villages of Galilee referred to above, began from His leaving Nazareth on the 25th of May of the year 31, and continued until His journey to Jerusalem for the feast of Tabernacles, which commenced on the 12th of September of the same year as we shall see later on.

            53.  The Evangelist Saint John shows us the route that Jesus took after the events in Nazareth when he says: "He came again therefore into Cana of Galilee, where He made the water wine" (John IV, 46), and then relates the healing of the son of the Ruler (John IV, 46-54).  We assert that it was at Cana that this official, called Chusa Manahen, foster brother of King Herod Antipas (Acts XIII, 1), sought the healing of his son, and  where finally Jesus answered him: "Go thy way; thy son liveth" (John IV, 50), whereby the sick child, who was in Capharnaum, was at that instant cured.  Herewith is also interpreted verse 54, in which the event is referred to: "This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when He was come out of Judea into Calilee?; that is, the second miracle in Cana is referred to, since the first was that of the changing of water into wine.  We record that Jesus and His Mother arrived at this town on the same Saturday, 25th of May, at night, following the sacrilegious assault at Nazareth; and that on the next day, Sunday, took place the healing of the Ruler's son, whilst Jesus and Mary were at the home of Mary Cleophas; and as well that, with the exception of Bartholomew and the sons of this sister of the Virgin, who were in Cana, all the other disciples had left for Capharnaum the same day that Jesus ordered them to depart from Nazareth.

            54.  In the Gospel of Saint Luke we find the continuation of Jesus' journey after Cana: "And He went down into Capharnaum, a city of Galilee, and there He taught them on the sabbath days" (Luke IV, 31).  We assert, however, that Jesus and Mary did not go directly to Capharnaum, but first passed through Bethsaida where Peter and Andrew were working; and after collecting these two disciples, went on to the neighboring town of Capharnaum.  That is why, according to our interpretation, Saint Mark on the one hand completes part of Saint Luke's text, when he says:"And they entered into Capharnaum..." (Mark I, 21), - that is, they went from Bethsaida on to Capharnaum; and on the other hand confirms the second part, saying: "...and forthwith upon the Sabbath days going into the synagogue, He taught them" (Mark I, 21).  Jesus arrived at Capharnaum on Monday the 27th of May of the year 31.

            55.  Regarding His apostolate in this town, the Evangelist Saint Mark (I, 22) and Saint Luke (IV, 32) speak of the admiration Jesus caused by His doctrine, as well as of the authority with which He instructed.  They also refer to the healing of a man possessed by an unclean spirit; and how the fame of Jesus then spread through the whole region of Galilee (Mark I, 23- 28; Luke IV, 33-37).  This miracle took place on Saturday the 1st of June in the synagogue at Capharnaum.  We teach as well that the unclean spirit, though recognizing Jesus' power over him, was unsure as to whether He was the Messias, and endeavoured to ascertain the truth from Jesus' own mouth, provoking Him saying: "I know who Thou art, the Holy One of God" (Mark I, 24), but he failed to realize his objective.

            56.  The Evangelists Saint Matthew (VIII, 14-15), Saint Mark (I, 29-31) and Saint Luke (IV, 38-39) recount the healing of Peter's mother-in-law in his house at Capharnaum, which we assert took place on the 8th of July, a Sabbath day; this can be descried in the mention made in the same Gospels (Matt. VIII, 16-17; Mark I, 32-34; Luke IV, 40-41) of many other cures of the sick and possessed on the same day, after sunset, when the townspeople brought their sick; that is, as soon as the  Sabbath rest was over.  This shows the common pharisaic view amongst the Jews - reproached by Christ - that it was not permitted even to cure on the Sabbath.  As in the episode mentioned above, when the devils departed from the possessed they cried out, saying to Christ that He was the Son of God, as Saint Luke (IV, 41) records, confirmed by Saint Mark (I, 34), and Jesus rebuked them, not suffering them to say that they knew He was the Christ; by which it must be understood that the unclean spirits did not know for certain that He was, and that what they purposed was that Jesus reveal it; for we teach that Satan and his legions remained ignorant of it until Christ's death, as Saint Paul teaches (1 Corinth. II, 8), when he speaks of the Wisdom concerning Christ revealed to all the children of the Church: "which none of the princes of this world knew; for if they had known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory.  But, as it is written: That eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love Him.  But to us God hath revealed them, by His Spirit.  For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God" (1 Corinth. II, 8-10).  In other words, if the devils had known for certain that Jesus was the Son of God, they would not have instigated His crucifixion since, by the Redemption, those who take refuge in the same are given the places in Heaven which the devils lost through their pride.

            57.  Bringing together the texts of Saint Matthew (IV, 23), Saint Mark (I, 35-39) and Saint Luke (IV, 42-44), we continue saying that on the day after these latest miracles, that is, on the 9th of June, Jesus rose very early in the morning, went into a desert place to pray, and the multitudes, among them Simon Peter, sought Him until they found Him, imploring Him to stay; but Jesus told them that it was necessary for Him to go to other neighboring villages and towns and through the whole region of Galilee, to preach there also the Kingdom of God, since for that purpose He had been sent; so before departing for the more distant towns, Jesus taught in those closer at hand on the west side of the Lake of Genesareth, and in the synagogue at Capharnaum; and also on the banks of the Lake, according to Saint Luke (V, 1), working many prodi-gies, - such as that of the miraculous draught of fish, with the definitive calling of the first four disciples and a little later that of the others, of which we shall speak later.

            58.  Whilst Jesus taught in this fishing region, His disciples continued at their employments: Peter and his brother Andrew, as well as James the Greater and his brother John were engaged at fishing on the Lake; Philip continued his job as manager in a number of businesses; Bartholomew was a clerk in Cana; Thomas was occupied at his trade in fish; Matthew was a tax-collector; the three brothers James the Less, Simon the Cananean and Jude Thaddeus, sons of Mary Cleophas and Alpheus, were engaged in agriculture and the provisions trade; and Judas Iscariot had been accepted by Simon Peter into his business to keep the accounts.  Of these disciples of Jesus, - as well as  Simon Peter - Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew and Matthew were also married; and the other seven single.

            59.  The first two Evangelists (Matt. I, 18; Mark I, 16), testify how Peter and Andrew continued at their fishing trade, as can be seen in the following text of Saint Matthew, which coincides with that of Saint Mark: "And Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishers)" (Matt. IV, 18).  We teach that this episode occurred some hours before the miraculous catch.  That is, on the 30th of June, whilst Jesus was teaching on the banks of the Lake He saw those two disciples fishing; and also we assert, James the Greater and John, as well as their labourers.

            61.  Saint Luke (V, 2-7) narrates the episode of the miraculous catch of fish.  He says that Jesus saw two boats on the shores of the Lake, and that "the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets" (Luke V, 2).  We teach that one of the boats was used by Peter and Andrew, and the other by James the Greater and John.  The Evangelist relates that Jesus, climbing into Peter's boat, told the latter to draw back a little from the shore, and that sitting in the boat He taught the people.  He also recounts that Jesus told Peter to launch out into the deep to fish, and that the disciple answered Him: "Master, we have laboured all the night, and have taken nothing: but at Thy word I will let down the net" (Luke V, 5), immediately occurring the miraculous draught of fish (Luke V, 6).  We teach that when the miracle took place, together with Jesus in the boat were not only Peter, but also his brother Andrew and some labourers, a fact discerned from the words "let down your nets for a draught" (Luke V, 4); and that a short distance away in the other boat following on behind were James the Greater and John with other labourers, to whom they had made signs to come and help take in the large number of fishes, since the nets were breaking (Luke V, 6- 7).

            61.  Saint Luke goes on to narrate that when Simon Peter saw the prodigy he fell down at Jesus' feet exclaiming: "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man" (Luke V, 8); and that Jesus said to him: "Fear not: from henceforth thou shalt be a fisher of men" (Luke V, 10), with which Jesus foretold that he would be Supreme Fisher of souls - that is, Pope.  This occurred on the boat, before reaching shore.

            62.  Saint Matthew and Saint Mark relate Jesus' definitive calling of Simon Peter and Andrew, when He said to them: "Come after Me, and I will make you to be fishers of men" (Matt. IV, 19; Mark I, 17), which took place when the boat of these two disciples, in which Jesus was, reached the shore of the Lake, and they began to wash the nets; for both Evangelists go on to say (Matt. IV, 20; Mark I, 18) that they left their nets at once and followed Him.  Saint Matthew and Saint Mark, after relating the vocation of Peter and Andrew, speak of the definitive calling of Saint James the Greater and  John(Matt. IV, 21-22; Mark I, 19-20), which we affirm took place shortly afterwards, when these two disciples had brought their boat to shore a little distance from the other and were with their father mending their nets.  That is, Jesus, accompanied by Peter and Andrew, went over to where James and John were, and there He called them.  They, at once, leaving their nets and their father, followed Him.  Saint Luke records, according to our interpretation, the correspondence of these four disciples to Jesus' calling in the following words: "And having brought their ships to land, leaving all things, they followed Him" (Luke V, 11).

            63.  Finally, we record the doctrine that the brothers Peter and Andrew formed a co-partnership of fishermen with Zebedee and his two sons James and John, and that they had a number of workers.  Saint Luke (V, 7) alludes to this co- partnership: "And they beckoned to their partners that were in the other ship, that they should come and help them", the partners being James and John; and he confirms it in verse 10: "And so were also James and John, the sons of Zabedee, who were Simon's partners."  In chapter XXIX of this Treatise we affirmed that Peter owned a fishing business; and since we now know that it was a partnership, we teach as well that Peter was the manager and senior partner, and that he handed his authority over to his co-partner Zebedee when Jesus made him the definitive calling.

            64.  The day after the definitive election of the first four disciples, that is, on the 1st of July, Jesus called Philip, whom He found in Bethsaida busy at his duties as manager, who had been present at His last sermon by the Lake, and therefore a wit-ness to the miraculous catch of fish.  Jesus invited him to leave all and follow Him, and the disciple responded to the calling with whole-hearted abandonment.  Three days later, on the 4th, Thomas arrived at the town of Bethsaida to buy fish; and he too responded to Jesus' calling.  On the following day, the Divine Master together with His Divine Mother and His six disciples, went to Cana in Galilee, and there on that same day, the 5th, He called Bartholomew and the three brothers James the Less, Jude Thaddeus and Simon the Cananean, who, abandoning all, followed Him.  Jesus stayed in Cana until Sunday the 7th when He departed with His Divine Mother and the disciples.

            65.  The first three Evangelists (Matt. VIII, 2-4; Mark I, 40-45; Luke V, 12-16), relate the healing of a leper.  We affirm that it occurred on the outskirts of Magdala, through which Jesus passed on His return from Cana to Capharnaum, and that it was Monday the eighth of July.  Although Saint Luke says: "And it came to pass, when He was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy..." (Luke V, 12), it must not be understood that the healing occurred within the town, for the Law of Moses ordered lepers to live outside (Levit. XIII, 46).  What the Evangelist indicates is that when Jesus performed the miracle He was on ground pertaining to the city, uninhabitated  but close to it.  Saint Matthew and Saint Luke say that after Jesus cured the leper, He ordered him not to tell anyone, and to show himself to the priest in order to offer for his cleansing that prescribed by the Law of Moses (Levit. XIV, 4) for a testimony to them; with which Jesus taught him that before spreading the news of his cure to the people he should show himself to the priest in order to comply with the ordinances of the Law, and this would also serve the Jewish authorities as ineluctable proof that He was the Messias.  Saint Mark says the same, but differs from the others in that, instead of saying "show thyself to the priest", he uses these terms, - "show thyself to the chief priest" (Mark I, 44); by which he indicates that Jesus ordered the leper to go to the chief priest of the synagogue of his town, since there were other priests there.  Harmonizing the texts of Saint Mark (I, 45) and Saint Luke (V, 15-16) we conclude saying that as soon as the leper departed he began to reveal what had happened; as a result, the fame of Jesus spread abroad, and He could no longer openly enter the towns.  That is, His fame was such that Jesus had to enter in a discreet manner if He wished to avoid mass gatherings of people in the towns.

            66.  The ritual purification of the leper was carried out by the priest outside the town, after verifying the cure; there he immolated one of the two sparrows given him as an offering; consequently this rite never took place either in the synagogue or at the Temple of Jerusalem; but the offering of lambs and of other elements also demanded by the Law had to be made at the Temple by whoever had been cured.  But if it was not possible for him to do this, he was able to hand everything to the priest of his synagogue for the latter to send to the Temple; or, as well, give its equivalent in money in order for the priest to see to fulfilling that precept of the Law.  In cases of extreme poverty, the offering was reduced to the circumstances of the person concerned.  There existed besides the charitable custom amongst fellow citizens of pro-viding him with what was necessary to be able to fulfil the Law, if he lacked financial means.

            67.  It is impressive how in the Vulgate the Divine Paraclete inspired the insertion in Saint Mark's text of the words "show thyself to the chief priest", and not "show thyself to the priest" as appears in the texts of Saint Matthew (VIII, 4) and Saint Luke (V, 14) and as well the Greek version of their texts and of that of Saint Mark too.  Thanks to that, this Holy Council has been able to deduce certain aspects of the organi-zation of the Jewish Church not clarified up till now, and which we now set forth: In the first place we record that the term "chief priest" here used does not refer to the chief priests of the Sanhedrin, who resided in Jerusalem, since they constituted the Council of the Supreme Pontiff.  We also teach: that in addition to the priests who fulfilled their turn in the Temple, there were others who, when not required for that office, were at the service of the synagogues both of Jerusalem and of many other towns and villages; that, as well as  Jerusalem, other localities of certain importance had more than one synagogue; that in all of them, authority resided in the priests alone; and not in others, even though learned in the Holy Scriptures, such as doctors of the Law and scribes, - but the priesthood could be had simultaneously with one or other of these titles; that owing to the importance of certain towns, there were synagogues with a number of priests, and in each of these one held chief authority, and so was called `chief priest', as distinct from those synagogues with only one priest, called `chief of the synagogue' or `archsynagogue', or `head of the synagogue'; that some villages of little importance had a synagogue but no resident priests, and so relied on priests from other towns; that each priest had jurisdiction in none but his own synagogue and as dependent district.

            68.  Saint Mark gives continuity to our narrative when he relates that Jesus again entered Capharnaum after some days (II, 1), as to which we teach that it was on the morning of Saturday the 13th of July, and that He was accompanied by His Mother, ten of His principal disciples and many other followers.

            69.  Harmonizing the text of Saint Mark (II, 2) with that of Saint Luke (V, 17), we see that Jesus went to a house in Capharnaum - which we affirm belonged to Peter - and there, seated, He taught the multitudes that came to listen to Him; and that besides, also seated with Him were some pharisees and doctors of the Law come from Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem, whom   Jesus wished to convert.  We teach that this was on Sunday the 14th of July and that on the same day took place the healing of a paralytic, which both Evangelists relate (Mark II, 3-12; Luke V, 18-26), and likewise Saint Matthew (IX, 2-8).

            70.  The first three Evangelists, complementing each other, also record for us the definitive call of Matthew or Levi, son of Alpheus (Matt. IX, 9; Mark II, 13-14; Luke V, 27-28); the feast which this disciple offered Jesus in his house (Matt. IX, 10-13; Mark II, 15-17; Luke V, 29-32); and the dispute of the pharisees and the disciples of John with the disciples of Jesus, as well as the reply given by the Latter (Matt. IX, 14-17; Mark II, 18-22; Luke V, 33-39).  In accordance with our interpretation, we teach that after the healing of the paralytic in Peter's house, Jesus left after midday and went in search of Matthew, who worked towards the sea; and also that the people came to Him, and He taught them.  When He found the disciple, who was seated at the table of the payment of taxes, He said to him: "Follow Me.  And leaving all things, he rose up and followed Him" (Luke V, 27-28).

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