Fifth Gospel(58)

Andrew cocked his head to one side. He had not heard well in one ear from childhood, having sustained a beating from his father for his impertinence. Now he shook his head and said to his brother, ‘What did he say?’

Simon, whose task was to always repeat everything, sighed with impatience. ‘He says we should mind the priests, for they are closer to God.’

Andrew nodded gravely. ‘And James is right, they are closer to heaven…but only because you are too down to earth, Philip!’

They laughed like anything.

Little John of Zebedee said, between giggles, ‘And you…are down to earth…because you are so short!’

Philip was put out. Feeling himself abused he continued his work of liming the hull of the boat in a bruised silence.

‘Still,’ Andrew put in, ‘when the rabbi at our synagogue speaks, and his cold words gush out about the Messiah, my eyes almost see his words as fish, dropping from his lips!’

More laughs made Simon, who had listened to all of it, scratch at his greying beard. He decided to add wisdom to this foolishness.

‘It seems to me,’ he said, ‘that when the Messiah comes he won’t pass his days in Jerusalem among the proud priests and the law abiding Pharisees…he won’t answer to the rabbis, even in our synagogues. Perhaps he will come to sit here among us, where the sun marries the lake!’ He looked about him, at the incredulous faces. ‘Why not, you fools? Why would he not come to speak to those of ordinary expression and vocation, who are more likely to hear him and to love him?’

James threw him a sceptical eye. ‘What? You think he’ll come to stinking fishermen, to spend his time among fish guts and scales and turn away a life among the rich, with fine wines and good food?’ He shook his head. ‘Your head has seen too much sun, Simon! No…it is my guess, he shall do as all kings do!’

Simon tilted his head up, until it seemed as if his beard would near touch the sky. ‘Who can tell?’ he said, ‘Why should he be a king? Are we not told to expect a king and a priest, like two fish that move in different directions? One swims upwards, like this, to the heavens, while the other swims downwards, like this, to the earth? Don’t we have two eyes, two ears, two arms and two legs? With only one of each we should not see our fish, or make many steps on the ground, or steady ourselves on our boats or pull up our nets!’

Philip nodded, considering. ‘Think of it James! You are elevated to spiritual thoughts, when you are in the synagogue on the Sabbath, but the next day your mind turns only upon how much money you can make for your old father! You are also two men!’

These words made them all laugh again, even James, who recognised their truth.

Simon was made full of confidence by this support. ‘We are like fish ourselves! But we are also fishermen! Why should the Messiah not be like a fish, and also a fisherman?’ he ended with a slap on the knee, pleased with himself.

All could see that this was a fine comparison.

James sat forward, with a certain fear in his eye. ‘Lads! Lower your voices! What if this is blasphemy, to speak of fish and men?’

Simon dismissed it with a hand. ‘Glory be to God, James! Do the prophets not always speak of fish, and draw a line from them to men? Ezra and Habakkuk speak of fish, no one accuses the prophets of blasphemy!’ he said loudly, having lost his temper with himself for speaking out his philosophy and inviting ridicule. He put his head down and continued with knotting his rope, now in a dark mood.

Philip, having recovered from laughter, said to him, ‘Oh Simon, son of Jonah! One would think your father, was that same prophet who was spat out by a whale! You think too much of fish! And you think too much of fishermen!’

‘The Essenes spare fish,’ young John put in, ‘for they revere them.’

‘What did he say?’ Andrew asked.

‘He said the Essenes don’t eat fish!’ Simon answered.

Andrew nodded, ‘Yes, the boy is right, they don’t, and it’s a good thing there aren’t many of them, or else we would have no trade.’

Philip was not listening. His hand was raised high in the air, while the rest of him was stock-still. ‘Wait!’ he said, ‘I remember something…a short time ago I overheard a customer speak of a man who is not an Essene but who speaks with their words. He baptises in the Jordan for the remission of sins. I remember it only now!’ He looked at them with wide eyes. ‘This man says that because fish do not breathe air they are pure. He says that men must change their breathing, they must repent their sins and become like fish. And they must rise up out of the water and ready their hearts for the coming of the Messiah!’