Why does Joel follow Jesus in The Bronze Bow?

Joel does not ever completely commit himself to following Jesus, although he is drawn inexplicably towards the Teacher.  He goes to hear Jesus frequently when He talks to the fishermen in Caparnum, and finds that Jesus helps him, by "explain(ing) several points of the Law that have always puzzled (Joel)".  Joel is mystified, because although it is not clear to him where Jesus got his religious training, He obviously knows his scripture extremely well.  Joel says that Jesus "has a way of making something very clear and - uncomplicated - so that you wonder why you never thought of it that way before" (Chapter 13).  Joel is confused, because, like Daniel, he hopes that Jesus is the promised Messiah who has come to free the Israel from the Romans.  In their minds, however, the Messiah will lead the Jews in a mighty battle against the Romans to win their freedom, but Jesus, despite His message of hope and his promise of lthe Kingdom, seems to be speaking of a different kind of liberation.

Joel eventually leaves to study to be a Rabbi in Jerusalem, but before he goes, he expresses his confusion about Jesus.  He tells Daniel, "I wish...but it's too late for me now...perhaps we made a mistake...maybe Jesus is really the leader we're waiting for" (Chapter 20).

Why does Joel start to listen to Jesus in The Bronze Bow?

In Chapter 13, Joel mentions to Daniel that he hasn't been completely honest with him. Joel tells Daniel that he has been meeting up with Simon in Bethsaida to see Jesus. Joel continues to tell Daniel that he has been waking up early in the mornings to listen to Jesus preach to the fishermen. Daniel asks if Joel thinks that Jesus will help their cause, and Joel admits that Jesus has helped him. Joel says that Jesus has helped explain several points of the law to him that have always been puzzling and hard to understand. Daniel is shocked because Jesus is only a carpenter and Joel is a scholar in training. Joel tells Daniel that he doesn't know where Jesus got his training from, but mentions that Jesus' ideas go deeper than Hezron's. Jesus has the ability to take abstract thoughts and apply them to the Jewish scriptures in a way that appeals to Joel. Joel essentially begins to listen to Jesus in order gain further insight into the scriptures.