Rebecca Of Sepphoris

Rebecca was the eldest daughter of Ezra, a wealthy businessman of Nazareth. When she was sixteen she felt herself falling in love with Jesus who was, at the time, nineteen. Even though Jesus’ mother and sister discouraged her, she proposed marriage to Jesus at her seventeenth birthday party. But Jesus did not accept her proposal. This was so upsetting to Rebecca that she asked her father to move the family away from Nazareth. And he finally agreed to move to Sepphoris.

In her lifetime, Rebecca never married, although she was asked many times and by numerous other suitors; her love for Jesus never waned and she remained devoted only to him and his mission. She was present when Jesus entered Jerusalem just before his death, and she was one of the women who stood at the foot of the cross on the day of his crucifixion.

Even though Jesus and his family were very poor, this did not affect their social standing in Nazareth. Jesus held a prominent position among the city's youth and was highly esteemed, especially by most of the young women. Jesus was a remarkable example of physical and intellectual strength, and his reputation as a spiritual leader further added to his appeal. Consequently, it was not surprising that Rebecca, the eldest daughter of Ezra, a prosperous merchant and trader in Nazareth, gradually found herself falling in love with Joseph's son.

Rebecca initially confided in Miriam, Jesus' sister, who, in turn, discussed the matter with her mother. Upon hearing about Rebecca’s plans, Mary became deeply concerned. Was she on the verge of losing her son, who had now become an indispensable figure in their family? It seemed that her troubles never ceased. She pondered how marriage might impact Jesus' future path, remembering that he was a "child of promise."

After Mary and Miriam deliberated on the situation, they decided to take action before Jesus found out about it. They approached Rebecca directly, sharing the entire story about Jesus and honestly expressing their belief that Jesus was destined to become a significant religious leader, perhaps even the Messiah.

Rebecca listened attentively, and she was filled with excitement by the account she heard. She was now more determined than ever to align her destiny with this man of her choice and embark on a shared path of leadership with him. In her own mind, she reasoned that a man of his caliber would particularly benefit from having a faithful and capable wife by his side.

Rebecca interpreted Mary's attempts to discourage her as a natural response to the fear of losing the primary breadwinner and head of her family. However, knowing that her father approved of her affection for the carpenter's son, she rightly assumed that he would be willing to provide the family with sufficient income to compensate for the loss of Jesus' earnings.

Upon receiving her father's support for this plan, Rebecca engaged in further discussions with Mary and Miriam so as to reassure them. But, in spite of her efforts, she was unable to secure their approval or support. So, she took a bold step and decided to approach Jesus directly. And her father cooperated with her in this effort by inviting Jesus to their home to celebrate Rebecca's seventeenth birthday.

Jesus paid close and compassionate attention as he heard the account of these matters, first from Rebecca's father and then directly from Rebecca herself. In response, he offered a gentle and heartfelt reply, emphasizing that no amount of wealth could replace his personal responsibility to support and raise his own family, emphasizing the sacredness of the duty to one's own flesh and blood.

Rebecca's father was profoundly moved by Jesus' words that emphasized his dedication to family. After the conversation, he withdrew from the discussion. When he spoke to Mary, his wife, he simply said, "We cannot have him as a son; he is too noble for us."

Then, a noteworthy conversation with Rebecca began. Up until this point in his life, Jesus had not made any real distinction in his interactions with boys and girls, or young men and young women. His thoughts had been preoccupied with the immediate challenges of practical earthly matters and the compelling contemplation of his eventual mission to be "about his Father's business." This left little room for him to seriously ponder the ultimate expression of personal love through human marriage. However, at this juncture, he found himself confronted with yet another of those dilemmas that every typical human being must face and decide. Indeed, he was being "tested in all points like you are."

Jesus genuinely expressed his gratitude to Rebecca for her admiration, saying, “it shall cheer and comfort me all the days of my life.” But he went on to explain that he was not in a position to enter into serious relationships with any woman, other than those based on simple brotherly love and genuine friendship.

He told Rebecca that his foremost and primary duty was to provide for and raise his father's family, and that considering marriage would only be possible once that responsibility was fulfilled. Furthermore, he added, "If I am indeed a child of destiny, I must not undertake lifelong commitments until the time when my destiny becomes clear and evident."

Rebecca was devastated and her heart was broken. No one could comfort her; she pleaded with her father to leave Nazareth until he finally agreed to move to Sepphoris.

The tale of Rebecca's affection for Jesus was whispered about for a long time in Nazareth and later it was talked about in Capernaum. As a result, in the years that followed, while many women admired Jesus, he no longer had to turn down any more marriage proposals. From that point onward, human affection for Jesus took on more of a character resembling worshipful and adoring reverence. Both men and women loved him profoundly, appreciating him for who he was, without a hint of self-centeredness or a desire to possess his affection.

However, for many years, whenever the story of Jesus' human presence was recounted, the devotion of Rebecca remained a notable and cherished part of the narrative.

In the years that followed, when numerous men sought Rebecca's hand in marriage, she had only one answer: her life had just one purpose – to await the moment when the man she regarded as the greatest who ever lived would embark on his mission as a teacher of profound truths. She remained devoted to him as he went through the different stages of his public ministry, even though her presence often went unnoticed by Jesus.

On that memorable day when he entered Jerusalem in triumph, she was there, watching from the shadows. And on that fateful and sorrowful afternoon when the Son of Man was crucified, she stood “among the other women” and beside Mary. To her, and to many others, he remained "the one entirely lovely and the greatest among ten thousand.”

When the Master took his last breath during the fierce sandstorm, present at the foot of his cross were: John Zebedee, Jesus’ brother Jude, his sister Ruth, Mary Magdalene, and Rebecca.