Samuel the Saphorim
He is roughly the same age as Jesus, but he is smaller. Samuel has a thick black beard. He is the "dearest" disciple of Jonathas ben Ouziel, an adversary of Jesus. But "he is the most exalted and most exaltable of his Disciples," says Judas of him.
He is sent to capture Jesus, who has taken refuge in Samaria at Ephraim, following the decree of the Sanhedrin.[1] A hurricane forces him to take shelter in the cave of Gofena where Jesus is, although he does not know him. But the Christ perfectly knows his intentions. From this confrontation arises the conversion of Samuel, struck by the non-violence of Jesus.[2]
He now follows Jesus as a disciple. But his presence does not go unnoticed: Judas, close to his final betrayal, disturbs him:"He has poisoned my joy of being in justice. He poisons it with such skill that I feel like a traitor here, both to You and to myself," Samuel confides to Jesus.[3]To free him from Judas's influence, Jesus brings him into the group of Apostles. There he will be supported because Judas is already distancing himself from them.
His name
Samuel (לשמוא = Shemouél or Chemouel) means "Heard by God". Historical reference: the great prophet and last of the judges whom Elqana miraculously had late in life following the supplication of his wife Anne to God.[4]
Where is he mentioned in the work?
EMV 561 EMV 564 EMV 565 EMV 566 EMV 567
Learn more about this character
Excerpts from the Dictionary of Gospel Characters, Salton Maria Valtorta (Mgr René Laurentin, François-Michel Debroise, Jean-François Lavère, Salvator Editions, 2012):The word Sophêr means a scribe. Its plural is Sopherîm (the scribes). The use of the plural here implies that Samuel presents himself as (a member of) the Saphorim.