Woman of Words (Jerusalem Road Book #3)

Angela Hunt

Description

Disciple Matthew, a former tax collector, is invited to work with Peter, James, and John in Jerusalem. He dreams of preaching and performing miracles like his fellow apostles, but he finds his dreams postponed because of a request from Yeshua's mother. Well aware of the passing years, Mary asks Matthew to help her record the stories of Yeshua while the eyewitnesses are still alive. Reluctantly, he agrees, though the longer he and Mary work together, the more difficult their task becomes. Not only are they pressured by opposition from friends and foes alike, but Gaius Caesar, better known as Caligula, is determined to raise a statue of himself in the Holy Temple, even if it means killing every man in Israel. As Matthew works to save his people, Mary encourages him to come to terms with issues from his past. When they finally near the completion of their project, Matthew realizes that the job he reluctantly accepted might be his God-given destiny.

Sujets

• Historical romance

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 04 mai 2021
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781493431564
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 4 Mo

Extrait

Cover
Half Title Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
© 2021 by Angela Hunt Communications, Inc.
Published by Bethany House Publishers
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Bloomington, Minnesota 55438
www.bethanyhouse.com
Bethany House Publishers is a division of
Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
Ebook edition created 2021
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-4934-3156-4
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Tree of Life Version. © 2015 by the Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society. Used by permission of the Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
Scripture quotations labeled NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
This is a work of historical reconstruction; the appearances of certain historical figures are therefore inevitable. All other characters, however, are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Maps are copyright © Baker Publishing Group.
Cover design by LOOK Design Studio
Cover photography by Aimee Christenson
Author is represented by Browne & Miller Literary Associates.
Contents
Cover
Half Title Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Maps
Epigraph
1. Matthew
2. Mary
3. Matthew
4. Mary
5. Matthew
6. Mary
7. Matthew
8. Mary
9. Matthew
10. Mary
11. Matthew
12. Mary
13. Matthew
14. Mary
15. Matthew
16. Mary
17. Matthew
18. Mary
19. Matthew
20. Matthew
21. Matthew
22. Mary
23. Matthew
24. Mary
25. Matthew
26. Mary
27. Matthew
28. Mary
29. Matthew
30. Mary
31. Matthew
32. Mary
33. Matthew
34. Mary
35. Matthew
36. Mary
37. Matthew
38. Mary
39. Matthew
40. Mary
41. Matthew
42. Mary
43. Matthew
44. Matthew
45. Mary
Epilogue: Matthew
Author’s Note
References
About the Author
Back Ads
Back Cover
The Old and New Testaments are filled with stories of daring men and noticeably few courageous women. This is not surprising, for the inspired writers could not recount every story of each man, woman, and child who experienced God. But even though few women’s stories are recorded, they are still worthy of consideration. The J ERUSALEM R OAD novels are fictional accounts of real women who met Jesus, were part of His family, or whose lives entwined with the men who followed Him.
Maps

Epigraph

I praise You, for I am awesomely, wonderfully made!
Wonderful are Your works—
and my soul knows that very well.
My frame was not hidden from You
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw me when I was unformed,
and in Your book were written the days that were formed—
when not one of them had come to be.
Psalm 139:14–16
ONE Matthew
R euven ben Yusef, leader of the assembly of believers at Capernaum, wore a look of thinly disguised disdain as he stared at me. “What do you mean, you have to leave? You are supposed to stay here and work for us. Have we not given you a place to lay your head? Have you ever had to eat Shabbat dinner alone? Have you not been welcomed by everyone in the community?”
I lowered my head in what I hoped was an attitude of supplication. “Reuven, you and the others have been most kind. But my brothers Peter and John have asked me to come to Jerusalem, where I can assist them with leading the growing assembly of believers. The ecclēsia there is growing, with new believers being added every day—”
“But we know you, Matthew. We have known you for a long time.”
“You can get to know someone else. I have found a replacement—”
“You are supposed to stay and marry my daughter!”
I blinked in honest astonishment. Reuven’s only daughter was not yet thirteen, barely mature, and I was a man of thirty-three. I glanced around the circle to see if any of the other elders expected me to marry their daughters, but apparently Reuven had been the first to claim me as a son-in-law.
“Surely, my friend—” I looked back at him and smiled— “there are dozens of men who would make a better husband for your daughter. I am ill-suited for her and not yet ready to settle in one place. I cannot say where the Ruach HaKodesh will lead me, but at this moment I am confident He is directing me to Jerusalem.”
Reuven narrowed his eyes as if weighing my sincerity, then he sighed. “I understand, Matthew, but you have broken my heart. My wife will never get over her disappointment. She has already embroidered linens for your bridal bed.”
I coughed and lowered my voice. “Be fair, Reuven. Did I ever do or say anything to make you think I was interested in marriage? At present I have only one purpose: to serve our risen Lord Yeshua. I served Him here by teaching the new believers; I will serve him in Jerusalem by preaching. Peter, James, and John are working mighty miracles and sharing the good news. I long to follow in their footsteps and do mighty works in the name of our Lord . . .” My voice trailed away as I folded my hands in grateful humility.
I stood in silence until Reuven sighed. “Apparently we have no choice: we must let you go. But remember one thing—my wife and I will keep our guest chamber in a state of readiness should you wish to return to Capernaum. And if the Ruach HaKodesh says you should take a wife, remember my Leah. She is fond of you, I can tell. As am I.”
I embraced the affable older man, kissed him on both cheeks, and knelt when he gestured to the floor. As I balanced on my knees, Reuven and the other elders stepped forward and placed their hands on me—head, shoulders, and back—until I was covered by their flesh as well as their prayers.
“Send him, HaShem,” Reuven prayed, “in the power of your Ruach HaKodesh. We willingly give our brother Matthew to the assembly in Jerusalem, to the community who needs every willing pair of hands. Strengthen his heart for the important work You will give him to do and strengthen his spirit to do Your will.”
He closed with a traditional Hebrew blessing: “Baruch Ata , Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, shenatan li tikvah v’ko-ach v’he-vi oti l’avodah hadashah zo, kach ani yochal l’hitparnas.” Blessed are you, Eternal our God, Ruler of time and space, who gives us hope and strength and has brought him to this new employment so he may make a living.
When we had finished praying, I stood and smiled at the men who had become dear friends. “I am not leaving you without help,” I said, walking around Reuven to place my hand on Yakov’s shoulder. “Young Yakov is a good teacher, and I have already taught him everything I learned from Yeshua. He will pick up where I have left off, so you will not even notice I am gone. But know this—he, too, is unmarried.”
A calculating look flashed in Reuven’s eyes as he studied the younger man. “Yakov, what sort of wife should a young man seek?”
Yakov hesitated only a moment, then replied with confidence, “A virtuous woman who is understanding. But above all, she must love Adonai and follow Yeshua.”
Reuven snorted in reluctant approval, then turned to me. “May Adonai keep watch between us while we are apart,” he said, his voice trembling. “And may He soon bring you back to us.”
I embraced Reuven again, then hugged the other men I had come to love and appreciate. When nothing remained to be said, I picked up the basket that held my few earthly possessions and walked through a group of older women who had gathered to bid me farewell.
I paused when one of them caught my sleeve. “In Jerusalem, you must find Mary of Nazareth,” she said, her birdlike fingers tiptoeing over my arm. “You must pay her a visit and give her a message for me.”
I smiled and bent lower. “What is the message?”
“Tell her—” she said, her voice cracking with age—“tell her the Ruach HaKodesh has impressed me to pray daily for her strength. She still has important work to do.”
I patted the woman’s hand and promised to honor her request. Then I stepped out into the night and breathed deeply of the cool evening air.
After two long years in Capernaum, I would soon be on my way to the Holy City. I would miss this Galilean town because it was home to so many memories—Yeshua called me here, along with Peter and Andrew, James and John. In the early months, Yeshua did many miracles here, and now the believers’ assembly was thriving. I had been so busy working with the believers of Capernaum I had not even participated in the annual pilgrimage festivals that would have pulled me away from this city.
But now I would have an opportunity to make up for missing those glorious festivals. I would soon be working with men I loved dearly, friends who knew me better than anyone on earth. Peter, James, and John needed me, they said, and like a parched man I thirsted for the joy of their company. The things we had shared together—adventures, lessons, laughter and tears—bound us closer than blood.
I hoisted my basket onto my shoulder and walked away from Reuven’s house, whispering as I went, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the House of Adonai . . .’”

The next morning, I joined a group of travelers moving south along the international highway. I would follow the road until I reached the Jezreel Valley, where I would doubtless bid farewell to most of my traveling companions as they took the longer route around Samaria. I would choose the most direct road because I was eager to get to Jerusalem as quickly as possible—and because Yeshua