Seven

Jesus was off at full speed, with Philip following as well as he could. Andrew saw that he had a stitch in his side, and finally had to stop and rest. He had evidently run down to the boats from the house.

The others, of course, had to take care of the fish, and were considerably delayed. Finally, Andrew felt that everything there was safe enough, and dashed off, with Simon close behind.

Jesus had met John and James already; when Andrew and Simon drew in sight of them, they were running to the house. John burst open the door, and cried, "Is he all right?"

What happened inside was lost on Andrew until they arrived at the door, all out of breath. At that moment, they heard Zebedee exclaim from within, "What happened? The pain is gone! It almost feels as if I could walk!" The two went into the house, still panting.

"Try," said Jesus. "I will help you up." He put his hand under his shoulder and lifted him to a sitting position, and Zebedee swung his perfectly healed legs over the edge of the bed, and stood up. "I cannot believe it!"

"I would not tell this to anyone, if you please; it is not yet my time," said Jesus. "You may say that you had a narrow escape from something that looked at first to be very serious--which is certainly true."

"You did this!"

"As I say, I would really prefer that this not be known."

"How did you do it? How could you have done it?"

"Well, I am aware that John has told you a bit about me--"

"You mean that what he told me was actually true?"

"Come, now, Zebedee; you know your son is not a liar."

"But--but he was spouting some nonsense about the sky opening up and a voice from heaven, and you being able to read his thoughts, and--and I know not what!"

"As I say, he is not a liar."

"Those things actually happened?"

"John was not the only one who saw them. Andrew and Simon here did also--and that was before I had a chance to speak to them and 'befuddle' them, as you said. I waited two days, in fact, before I spoke to them."

"And now you have made my legs whole by simply touching them! It is beyond belief!"

"A great deal that is beyond belief is going to happen in the near future. And not simply by me, but by your two sons and Andrew and Simon, and Philip--you know, the wine-merchant's son, the one who helped carry you here--and some others you are acquainted with. I have been sent to restore the world to what it lost when Adam disobeyed. And ordinary people will help me and do things that no one since Elijah has been able to do. You will see."

"I cannot take this in! It is too much!"

"Your son felt thus--he still does. I realize that it is a bit overwhelming. But what I am telling you is true, and I am afraid it was necessary that something drastic happen in order for you to be persuaded. I am sorry for the pain and inconvenience, but it did not last long, and you will come to see that it was necessary."

Zebedee stood there gaping at him, unable to say a word.

Jesus then turned to Andrew and Simon. "Perhaps it would be well for you to go back and take care of the fish. There is nothing very pressing here." Andrew and Simon looked at each other and nodded. It was clearly a dismissal. "Fish?" said Zebedee. "What fish?"

"Oh, we had quite a large catch a few moments ago," said Simon nonchalantly.

"A few moments ago?" After dawn?"

"Jesus told us to throw out the nets, and both our boats were swamped with fish."

"I do not believe it."

"Now Andrew and Simon are liars," said Jesus.

"But--then this also was your doing!"

"They and John did not require anything so drastic--as long as they also were to know what happened to you."

"I must see this!" said Zebedee, and since he was perfectly healthy, strode toward the shore ahead of Andrew and Simon.

Simon said, "Perhaps Zebedee would consider taking Malachi with us, now that he has not enough men to make a viable fishing business on his own."

"That sounds like an excellent idea. Malachi is extremely good, and must be at a complete loss with both of his sons gone."

"I will go after him and see what he thinks. Look at him walking there, as if nothing had happened!"

Andrew, as he walked along slowly, letting Simon also get ahead of him, mused to himself that this--or rather these two events--were obviously the sign their father and especially Zebedee required--in fact, demanded. Was it accidental that it it would involve serious injury to Zebedee and his possible death? If only a short time of pain and a severe fright? Was Jesus sending a message that he would do good things--even miracles--for those he loved, but was not to be trifled with? If he was God somehow poured into human skin, then this would be consistent with the Master's behavior in the past. Think of the waters of Meriba and the snakes when the Israelites complained.

In any case, it was certainly effective. How, after this, could Zebedee stand in the way of losing almost all of his fishing fleet? But also if one related it to the past behavior of the Master, it probably also implied that his business would not suffer for the loss either. And it did seem that he had Malachi to make up for some of the loss. Did not Job say, "He bruises people and then bandages them; he wounds them and his hands heal them." But when one looked at the events in this way, the whole thing was frightening. But from a different point of view, it was extremely clever. Ingenious.

"Who is it I am getting involved with?" thought Andrew, and recalled with some trepidation how often he had all but accused the Master of being unfair. "Am I to suffer some terrible injury for my temerity?" It was by no means impossible, if this was not a coincidence. And how could it be a coincidence?

Jesus and John were also coming down to the shore, it seemed; Andrew could hear them walking behind him. He had lapsed into wondering why, if Jesus was what he seemed to be, and what he clearly thought he was, he had been chosen, since in that case, he did not need Andrew or anyone else to do whatever he had to do. "And what can I do?" he asked himself. "I know how to row a boat, and perhaps throw out a net. But how could I be a fisher of men?" Up to this moment, he had been supremely self-assured, convinced that he could do anything he put his hand to. But now? For perhaps the first time in his life, he felt totally inadequate.

As if in answer, he heard Jesus say"Fear not"; but it was to John."I am here," he continued. "All will be well. I told you that it will be difficult, but all will be well--if you too become a trusting soul."

"I hope I can be so," said John.

"You cannot. Have no trust in yourself. Trust me. It will not be hard to do so as time goes on. See what I did to your father. You will see much greater things. Nothing is impossible with God." Andrew surmised that he had heard this because it also somehow applied to him. "And it does almost sound as if he is calling himself God," he thought. But is not that in effect what the thunder said?

"Very true," said Jesus, and John turned scarlet. Jesus laughed. Apparently, he had had more or less the same thought, which Jesus answered without hearing any words. He was speaking to two people's thoughts at once. Amazing, if true.

Shaking his head, Andrew, sill deep in meditation, joined the group at the shore, and then Jesus and John came up. John looked happy to see him. It made his heart warm that John still seemed to admire him, especially after he had been thinking of himself as hopeless.

"As I told you," said Jesus to them as he came up, "we had an errand to do with Zebedee, who, I believe you have found out, is not really seriously injured after all."

"I still cannot believe it!" cried Andrew suddenly, waked from his reverie. "You know, Simon had got the idea that we should consult him about taking Malachi as a partner, since he had lost Thomas and Samuel, and he went ahead to find him. And there he was, walking about as if nothing had happened, and moments before, he was at death's door!

"Yes, well," said Jesus, "it might not be prudent to advertise the real situation; it is too early, really, but it was necessary if we are to begin properly. Zebedee had reason to be worried. But all will be--if not well, exactly, satisfactory--even there, or I miss my guess."

"You will not convince Philip of that," returned Andrew. "You know how he is--or perhaps you do not know. He saw him, and knows that it is a miracle if he merely did not die."

"Actually, I know that. In fact, I have talked to Philip, and as it happens, he also has seen Zebedee walking, and, in spite of what you might think, Andrew, he was convinced. Ask John here. Philip, by the way, is on an errand for me at the moment."

"Incredible!"

"I should warn--or perhaps advise--you to prepare yourselves for amazing things. Soon they will begin happening thick and fast, and you yourselves will be doing many of them."

No one had any reply to that. "James," said Jesus, partly to break the embarrassed silence, "Could you introduce John to those here he does not know?"

And James, a rather sociable sort, who had apparently met most of them, began introducing them to the newcomers, including Andrew, who was too confounded by all that was going on to pay any attention. The whole episode washed over him like a wave that washed into a boat, and left nothing but more water in the bilge. Well, he would straighten it out as time went on. He was not good at this sort of thing.

"And you found it was not." an extremely handsome man was saying to John. "I had the same experience, more or less, but only after years of pursuing the studies."

"Indeed?"

Were they talking about John's week with the school?

"Judas is a priest," said James.

"Ah," said John.

"Of course," Judas answered, "One is a priest by birth, so there is nothing in that. But one must do some studying to discover what one must do, must one not? And I was quite captivated by it at the beginning, I must say."

"It is a very--one could get very absorbed in it."

"If one is a certain type of person. I imagine it would be a bit confining for one used to the outdoors, such as a fisherman." Yes, they must have been talking of John's trial stay at studying to be a rabbi.

"One of the students there . . ." Andrew thought there was something familiar about the man John was speaking with, but could not place him. In answer to what John was saying, he said, "Did you! I saw him myself. Did you see him when he was bathed?" Ah, of course! He was the one he saw just after Jesus. Andrew remembered that he was very good-looking. Yes, this must be the man. And, in fact, he said, ". . . and I happened to be present when Jesus stepped up to be bathed."

"Then you saw what occurred."

"I did. Most people said that it thundered from a clear blue sky, but I thought the thunder said something. And a bird came from nowhere and lit on Jesus's shoulder. My hair stood on end."

"I heard the words--or not words exactly, but--and I saw the dove also."

"It was a dove, now that you mention it. A symbolic bird--of course. And I know what you mean about the words. I thought I was hallucinating."

"No, there definitely was something, and the thunder meant something like, 'This is my son, the one I love; I am pleased with him.'"

The man became excited, "Exactly! So it was real! At any rate, shortly afterward, I introduced myself to Jesus, and he said he would meet me here in Galilee after forty days. I gather he intended to make a forty day fast to prepare himself for his ministry."

"Oh, is that what it was?"

"Well, it is pure speculation on my part. But if he is the Prince, and is about to make himself known as such, it would sound reasonable."

So that was why--or probably why--Jesus had not appeared for over a month. This man must have reason; it would be fitting for him to start his new life with a forty-day period of prayer and preparation.

"Well," said John, "but I must become accustomed to a completely new Jesus, no matter how much he is like the old one."

"So must we all," replied Judas. "Even those of us who knew nothing of him before are discovering new wonders in him every day. This business with your father, for instance. Who could do it except the Prince? And I understand that there was a catch of fish before it that was all but miraculous also. And I have no doubt also that he knows--if he wishes--every word we have said."

"You have had that experience also? I found he not only knows words he could not have heard, but my very thoughts! It is most disconcerting!"

"Actually, I was prepared for it. You see, I did a good deal of studying of Greek philosophy--Plato and Aristotle and especially Plotinus--because when I dipped into it, I found to my astonishment how very close they, especially Plotinus, came to what we Judeans believe in. They proved it scientifically, if you will. And Jesus clearly has what Plotinus called the 'One' flowing through his soul. I was not at all surprised that he knew others' thoughts."

John, who had never heard of these philosophers, said, "It is--it is a frightening experience."

"Indeed it is. Fortunately, this incarnation of God, if you wish to put it so, is one of love and not mere indifference, and so one fears with the fear of awe, not of terror."

Andrew certainly hoped that that was the case.

"I think one can say that. I hope one can say that. No, I know one can say that. He may be awesome, but he is a friend."

Andrew turned to Simon, who was beside him. "Who is that?" he asked.

"Oh, that is one of the two Judases in the group. Judas Iscariot, who is a priest. The other is someone who is so shy, it is embarrassing to speak with him."

Andrew seemed to remember having been introduced to someone of that sort. But he continued, "And was not this one the one we saw talking to Jesus after he had been bathed?"

"I believe he was, now that you mention it."

Andrew lapsed into silence. It seemed that this Judas--Judas who? Ah, Iscariot, so from Kerioth. That should be easy to remember--might be a person it would be well to cultivate. He seemed learned, and it sat well on him; he was not parading it, and so might be someone who would not be talking down to people like Andrew, who just happened to have devoted their lives to fishing. He seemed quite easy with John--though of course John could read, and had been studying to be a rabbi.

Well, he would see. Perhaps he would be able to pick up some suggestions on what he should be doing to prepare people for the advent of the Reign of God, whatever that would turn out to be.

At this point Jesus, who was standing at the edge of the group, evidently watching, pointed off in the distance, where two men were approaching, and said, "Now there is a real Israelite; there is nothing devious about him."

A man approaching, stopped and gaped at Jesus. "Where do you know me from?" he asked.

"Before Philip called you," replied Jesus, "I saw you--under the fig tree."

This obviously gave him an intense shock. Andrew wondered what had gone on under that fig tree to startle him so severely when Jesus merely mentioned that he saw him there. When he found his voice, he exclaimed, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" It must have been something amazing.

Jesus laughed. "You believe just because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see more marvelous things than that." He looked up to heaven. "Amen amen I tell you, you will see the sky open up and God's angels going up and coming down upon the Son of Man!" As he said this he raised and lowered his arms over his chest as if he were following them there.

But the sky did not open this time, and apparently there was to be no explanation of this little exchange, because Jesus then turned to the astonished group and said, "But if you others would excuse the two of us for some moments, I would speak to Nathanael privately. Then, if he wishes, I will introduce him to you." So this man's name was Nathanael.

He drew apart, and what was obviously his slave began to follow them. "In a moment, Ezra," he said. Another remarkable thing was that the slave he was referring to was as black as night, though his skin was shiny and reflected the sunlight in brilliant white patches, and his eyes and teeth would give him away in the shade. He also wore a mantle that was almost as white as the togas the Romans used as their formal wear, which added to his startling appearance.

He did not seem very large until one looked at him, and then Andrew realized that he was almost, if not fully, as big as he was. His black color seemed to diminish him somewhat.

But then Andrew turned his attention to Jesus and--who was it? Nathanael--who were talking earnestly together. One did not pay attention to a slave, who was simply part of the scenery. This one was an interesting part, that was all.

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