Eleazar and the Messiah

By Robert Tremmel

My book presents the four gospels from the perspective of another eyewitness- a man named Eleazar. Eleazar is the Aramaic name for Lazarus who is an historical character in the Gospel of John. I believe, along with a minority of New Testament Scholars, that Lazarus was the principle author of that gospel. As such, he was certainly an eyewitness to Jesus' ministry in Judea and perhaps even Galilee. I tried to write this book by keeping that narrator , Eleazar in the background because I don't want it to read primarily as a first person novel. Actually, I do and I don't. I say that because it is a lot more than an historical novel. At times, it certainly reads like a novel but the scholarly element is always present. I do this be quoting most of the passages from the the four gospels and portions of Acts. All the quotes are in italics so the reader is sure they are from the New Testament. There are also numerous footnotes which are used to explain said passages. Eleazar is basically my sounding board as he reacts to the gospel story. He is actually myself and the reader as we struggle to understand the gospel message and its challenges. My aim in my ministry is to get people to read the Bible, particularly the gospels. This book gives them the opportunity to do that but in a more relaxed and convenient way. My book is not just for Catholics but everyone, regardless of their denomination. I respect all protestant denominations and have learned a great deal from many of them. My approach is that of a scripture scholar where-in I do not espouse a particular doctrine but merely let the words of scripture speak for themselves.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gatekeeper Press
• Release date: Apr 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9781662907043

Book preview

gospel.

CHAPTER ONE

John the Baptist

My name is Eleazar⁵, the son of Simon Bar Rueben who was a Pharisee⁶ and a very devout Jew. He died about four years ago leaving his estate in my care. My mother Hannah died when my youngest sister Miriam was born. Miriam is not married because she brought disgrace to our family and is no longer a maiden but, as we shall see, this was not her fault. My older sister Martha is widowed and childless. We all live together in Bethany, a small village about two miles east of Jerusalem. We are the wealthiest family in Bethany, rivaling even some of the rich families in Jerusalem. I myself am known to the High Priest and many in his household.

My story begins nearly three years ago. It is about Yeshua⁷ Bar Josef, a prophet whom I believe is Israel’s long awaited Messiah. Most of what I have to tell you I witnessed myself. The rest was told to me by others who were part of his inner circle, mostly Symeon Bar Yohanan who is also called Cephas.

John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. John was clothed in camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed: One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.⁸

(Mk 1:4-8)

I went to the place where Yohanan was baptizing, a full day’s journey from Bethany. It was east of the Jordan River about a mornings walk from the Salt Sea. The mount where it is believed Elijah was taken up into the heavens is nearby. It is a desolate place and the only things that are green are the tall reeds that grow along the river.

I had heard a great deal about Yohanan from the Pharisees who were friends of my father. Some of them thought he was a prophet. As many Pharisees quote the Law and The Prophets⁹ they recalled the words of the prophets Isaiah and Malachi:

Behold I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice crying out in the desert: prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.¹⁰

(Mk 1:2-3)

They said his garb made him look like Elijah and he said he was preparing the way for the Messiah.¹¹ Some even dared to say he was Elijah who had come back from the dead. But others, especially the chief priests and the Sadducees¹², said he was a false prophet who was misleading the people with the intention of starting a revolt against the temple and its leaders.

The man I saw was a wild man, thin and gaunt from fasting. His hair was in disarray, his beard unkempt. But his voice was strong and he spoke with authority. When he spoke you listened for it was like Adonai was speaking through him.

His challenge to repent kept nagging me. As a son of a Pharisee, I always kept the commandments and followed the law. But John wanted more. He said the end of our way of life was coming soon; the Messiah was coming and we needed to be ready. At first, I dismissed his warnings. There were always rumors about the coming of a Messiah and the end of the world as we know it. Since the Maccabean revolt,¹³ about two hundred years ago, Messianic expectations have been high. False prophets had led many into the desert only to be slaughtered by the Romans¹⁴. Was Yohanan just another fake prophet who would lead us to our