Turning His back upon Nazareth, Jesus established a new centre or home in Capernaum, which place remained the nearest approach to home to Him during the remainder of His Ministry and until His death.  The traditions have it that His mother came to live also at Capernaum, together with some of His brothers.  It is also related that his sisters and brothers, both those remaining at Nazareth and those removing to Capernaum, were sorely vexed with Him at His conduct at the synagogue, which they deemed not “respectable” nor proper, and they accordingly looked upon Him as an eccentric relative whose vagaries had brought disrepute upon the family.  He was regarded much in the light of a “black-sheep” and “undesirable relation” by all of His family except His mother, who still clung to her beloved first-born.  The mother made her home with some of the brothers and sisters of Jesus, but He was not made welcome there, but was looked upon as an outcast and wanderer.  He once spoke of this, saying that while the birds and beasts had nests and homes, He, the Son of Man, had nowhere to lay his head.  And so He wandered around in His own land, as He had in foreign countries, an ascetic, living upon the alms of the people who loved Him and listened to His words.  And in so doing He followed the plans and life of the Hindu ascetics, who even unto this day so live, “with yellow-robe and begging bowl,” and “without money or scrip in their purses.”  The Jewish ascetic—­for such was Jesus—­has His counterparts in the wandering holy-men of India and Persia today.

But it must be remembered that even in Jesus’ time, the spectacle of a rabbi living this ascetic life, forsaking the emoluments of His priestly rank and deliberately taking up the roll of a poverty-stricken mendicant, was a rare one.  It ran contrary to all the thrifty and prudent customs and ideals of the race.  It was an importation from the Essenes, or from the strange people of far-off lands, and it was not relished by the Jewish authorities, or people who preferred the synagogues and Temple, with their sleek, well-fed priests, with fancy robes and attractive ceremonies.

Making His base at Capernaum, Jesus began to form His band of disciples with more show of a working organization.  To some He delegated certain authority, and bade them perform certain dues of the ministry.  For some reason He selected some of His leading lieutenants from the ranks of the fishermen who plied their vocation along the waters of that port of the country.  The fishers of fish became the fishers of men.  Jesus became very popular among the fishing fraternity, and the legends, as well as the New Testament narratives, tell of instances in which He bade His poor fishermen friends (who had been unfortunate in their day’s haul) to let down their nets at some point indicated by Him, when to their surprise and joy their nets would be filled to overflowing.