ALIVE: Chapter 145, The Servant Fish

While Jesus and His disciples we approaching the village at the foot of Tabor they saw in the distance a small crowd in turmoil. A woman was crying out loud, “Why, o why?” Her 8 year old son was in the midst of a seizure, his brown eyes reaching into his forehead, drool dripping from the corners of his mouth. His father and uncles yelling at Bartholomew and Thomas who were trying to calm them down and defend themselves. Jesus studied the scene from afar as He was approaching it, seeing the details with His mind’s eye.

The father looked away from the target of his wrath and spotting Jesus approaching, he shot himself out from the harangue and ran up to the Miracle Worker. When he reached Jesus, he collapsed to his knees and cried, “Lord, have mercy on my son, He has seizures. We are all suffering because of them. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they were useless.”

Jesus looked with compassion on the father, then over to Bartholomew and Thomas who sheepishly turned away from Jesus’s piercing glare. Jesus turned His face toward the child in mid seizure with compassion. Then He  pivoted back to Bartholomew and growled, “You unbelieving and perverse generation, how long must I stay with you? How long do I need to I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.”

The father and uncle calmed down. The mother and her sister heard that and immediately grabbed each of the boy’s arms, to lift him and drag him over to where Jesus waited for them. The child was writhing and shouting all along.

Peter, James, and John looked on the scene and then over to their brothers who look as frustrated and helpless as they had ever seen them before. Matthew was sitting on the bench with his head in his hands wondering why they were so incompetent. Jesus made His healings look so easy.

In a strong authoritative voice, Jesus spoke to the demon that controlled the child, “How dare you latch on to this child! Be gone this minute!”

The boy let out a scream, evidently it was the sound of the demon’s pride, its impotent arrogant attempt to defy the infinitely more powerful Holy Spirit. Jesus touched the boy’s forehead. He jumped back and tried to push Jesus away.  The mother and aunt managed to restrain the child. Then his body collapsed, but let out a piercing shriek from which words emanated. “Go away! I don’t want you!’ Foam came out of his mouth, along with an unbearable stench. The people watching were frightened. Jesus reassured them, “It is coming out, don’t be afraid.” Jesus barked, “Satan, leave!” A demon that looked like a growling black dog came out of the child, leaving him in a quiet faint. Heads looked up to marvel at the apparition as it faded in its ascent.

The mother hugged her son tightly. His limp body. His eyes closed. She wiped the sweat off his young brow and stroked his wet hair with her sleeve. Feeling his mother’s gentle touch, the boy slowly opened his eyes. His mother noticed how clear they looked. The boy started to weep from relief. Jesus looked at the mother and father and said, “Take the child home, bathe him and feed him. He will not be tormented again, I promise you.” The aunt went over to Jesus to thank Him with a hug, the father shook His hand, which Jesus accepted. “Now go. He is hungry. Go and worship God.”

After the parents had gone and the other villagers went their own ways to spread the news, Jesus was left with His disciples. Bartholomew preempted another chiding, by saying, “I’m very sorry Master. We tried and tried. Why couldn’t we drive the demon out?”

Jesus replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you truthfully, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there, and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

The disciples heard that with mixed emotions of shame and regret, but also confusion.

Jesus said, “Let’s go home.” and silently lead His band of brothers, some walking in twos and threes, and others alone on the empty dusty road to Capernaum.

After walking for a couple of hours, Jesus stopped for a break at a cluster of large rocks. Each man took out his water pouch and drank; he also ate whatever he had left. Now that they felt a bit refreshed, Jesus said to them, “I must tell you something serious. I want you to know this before it happens. The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and on the third day He will be raised to life.”

The disciples knew that He was speaking about Himself and were filled with grief and confusion. James wondered why He spoke as if referring to someone else, when He said “They will kill him.” James stopped listening to think about it. He obviously meant Himself. He guessed that it was because of the many facets of His being. That they could only kill the body, and He was so much more. Satisfied with the explanation he gave himself, James resumed listening to Jesus.

Meanwhile, Andrew was wondering how Jesus, who had such power over Satan could become a victim of such evil and injustice. It didn’t make sense. Yet, of all Andrew witnessed, he noticed that nothing, not even nature itself was purely logical and inflexible. He slowly learned by experience that the world as Jesus showed them was not at all captive to unbending natural laws, but rather there was an invisible higher power, a supernatural presence, illogical, above reason, a contradictory power that operated in this world. It was so unusual, so mystical that probably no one else, but Jesus and perhaps the prophets Elijah and Elisha, and a few others could grasp the various spirits at work on this earth.

Andrew wanted the faith that Jesus described, but all he knew he could do was to stick close to Jesus and emulate Him as best as he could. He figured that since Jesus kept saying that God was His Father, the closer he got to Jesus the more he would be able yield himself to the Creator of the universe in all its abundance. Andrew was a naturally happy man. He knew that God had sent him to Jesus and every day of his life he sensed the uniqueness of his situation and gave glory to God for it. When Jesus told them He had to be killed, Andrew simply accepted it, as he did so many situations that he didn’t understand. While he couldn’t yet heal as he wanted, he could grow to trust. He figured that if Jesus could know about His impending death and accept it, then Andrew had to accept it too.

The travelers finally arrived in Capernaum and went straight to Peter’s house. Peter, James, and John felt as if they had travelled from heaven atopTabor to hades with the news about His death, all in one day. They were especially exhausted. It was nightfall before they arrived at the house, and soon went straightaway to their beds. Peter’s house had become a home-base for them, so each man knew where he would sleep, and the chores he could do for the women.

As they were in bed preparing to sleep, Peter, James, and John were thinking about how Jesus shined at the top of Tabor, and how astounding it was to be in the presence of Moses and Elijah! James thought about how, when God first called Light into being, days before the sun was created, how that kind of bright light may have been like the unusual light that filled Jesus that morning. John thought to himself, “I heard the voice of God today!!! How can I sleep remembering that.” John was so overwhelmed with emotion, he wanted to cry.

The next morning as the men were collecting the breakfast dishes they heard a hard knock on the door. Peter went over to open the door to find two burly tax collectors.

The tallest one in a gruff authoritative voice said, “We are here to collect the two drachma temple tax from Peter. Pay up.”

The shorter tax collector looked into the room and spotted Jesus who had just gotten up from the divan and was walking towards him.

The short tax collector looking at Jesus approaching said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”

Peter replied, “Yes, He does.”

Jesus, standing before Peter looked at him and then at the taller, tax collector and said, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?”

“From others,” Peter answered.

“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him and added, “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

Peter looked at Jesus, smiled and looked over at the tax collectors and said, “Follow me.”

The two men shrugged their shoulders, the taller wondering if this was a ploy to get rid of them along the way, but nevertheless followed Peter out the door and down the steps. A few of the other disciples, including young John followed the tax collectors to the lake.

When they arrived, Peter said, “Excuse me, let me get into my rowboat and cast away from the shore a bit.

“We’re coming with you!” demanded the tall tax collector.

“Can I come too?” chimed in John.

Peter said, “Sure kid.”

So the two tax collectors, Peter and John climbed into the boat while the others stayed on shore.

While Peter rowed, John prepared the line with a sinker and bait. When they were about 100 feet from the shore, Peter stopped rowing, stood up and caste out his line. The tax collectors dubiously looked at each other wondering if this was some kind of a trick, but played along.

Within ten minutes Peter felt the familiar tug on his line and reeled in the large mouth bass. It was a beauty, all silvery with clear eyes.

Peter held the squirming fish tightly to remove the hook and firmly opened the bass’s mouth. All eyes were on that fish.

Sure enough behind the hook was a four drachma coin!

Peter smiled wide. His eyes met the tall tax collector who was astounded. He reached in and took out the coin and handed it to the tall tax collector, then he threw the still squirming fish back into the sea.

I Peter then said, “Is this what you came for?”

John just kept laughing and laughing.