Elijah of Capernaum (Pharisee)

Jesus returns to Bethany after the Feast of Tabernacles. He talks to Lazarus, who tells him about Joseph of Arimathea, as well as Nicodemus. The former wants to see him, and says that anyone who performs miracles has God with him. The second criticizes the presence of Judas in the apostolic group, because he's a chameleon. So the two friends discuss Iscariot, and then the vision ends.

Jesus is in Capernaum. Mary Salome and Mary of Alphaeus are there, preparing the kitchen. After greeting them, the mother of James and Jude tells him that Simon, another of her sons, has come. She's delighted, but she won't be truly happy until her whole family belongs to Jesus. The Lord assures her that this will happen, and then goes to find his Mother.

On the way, he meets Simon of Alphaeus, Alphaeus, son of Sarah, Joseph of Emmaus and the shepherd Isaac. The group chats for a while, and the Savior confides that he has three new disciples in Isaac. Then they go to eat, and it's during the meal that Elijah, the Pharisee from Capernaum, arrives.

The latter has many gifts for Christ, to thank him for the miracle for his grandson. Jesus accepts, and he also hears his cousin Simon announce that he is going to follow him. But once the Pharisee has left, he goes into seclusion, and Matthew joins him to keep him company. The future evangelist notices that his Lord doesn't look happy, and he reveals that Elijah's and Simon's conversions were only human, whereas the tax collector's was complete and sincere. After this morning, Elijah will become Elijah again, and Simon will always remain inhabited by his humanity.

The Master then invites his apostle to stay close to him, and when his disciple tells him that he doesn't know how to speak and that he fears he'll never be able to speak about the Messiah, Jesus comforts him and tells him that the publican is a "poor man who, thanks to his will, becomes the man, the just man dreamt of by God."He will therefore know how to guide souls, and the Savior asks him to lean on him, and to console him, for not being understood is one of his great bitternesses.

Jesus goes to Elijah, who has invited him to a banquet. Four other Pharisees are present: Uriah, Joachim, Simon and Samuel. On Christ's side, Judas accompanies him. The others did not come, and when Elijah notices, he worries that they may have been offended by his past behavior. But Jesus assures him that his disciples hold no grudges, nor are they proudly sensitive.

The Lord says a few words to Elisha, and then everyone settles down to eat. They start talking about the Roman vexations and the taxes imposed on the Pharisees. They take offense and ask Jesus for his opinion. He replies that as a Jew, he takes offense at the Roman incursions into the places of prayer, but as a man, he does not. He explains his thinking, pointing out that his interlocutors do business in the synagogues so that they can hide money from the tax authorities, safe from prying ears, and that this is why the Romans enter places of worship. He, on the other hand, is poor and doesn't have to worry about that, but he encourages his interlocutors to be honest, to tell the truth, about their wealth.

The conversation then turns to the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel, and Jesus quotes the Old Testament, when Saul offered the offering without Samuel, against the Lord's orders. Saul did not remain king. Likewise, God knows his time, and Jesus speaks very clearly of his Kingdom, which will be universal and will not be established by rebellion.

Finally, the Messiah encourages Elijah to come with him to give the obolus to the poor, but Elijah refuses, claiming that he is old and tired. He tells him to go with Judas, whom they know well, and once outside, the Iscariot leaps up in anger. Jesus calms him down and advises him to leave all judgment to God.