Lamb of God: A Novel

Chapter 20

Jesus says, "Great. I'll watch from the coastline."

Then Jesus gets off the boat and lands on the water. Jesus is midway under the line between water and not-water now. Jesus has to walk up to the shore... and carefully. The rocks under the water can be really slippery sometimes.

Simon and Andrew set sail. Once they are in the deep water, the brothers throw out their fishing nets into the water. After a while, they pull them out... or so they try. The nets are somehow filled with fish.

"What?" exclaims Andrew. "How is it possible?"

"I don't know," answers Cephas, excited over this. "I don't know."

"Look, Simon," says Andrew, pointing to the nets, "They're breaking!"

So they call their partners, James and John. So they sail on their boat with their father and the hired servants.

"How is this possible?" says Cephas at last. "Fish come out at night, not day!"

Both boats are filling with fish, and so much that the boats are starting to sink. Cephas turns to Jesus, who is yet at the shore. He's smiling! Yes, he's smiling!

"A miracle," Simon inaudibly says.

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When they get to land, Cephas immediately runs to Jesus and kneels down. "Master," he says afraid, "please leave me, for I am a sinful man!"

"Do not be afraid, Cephas," answers Jesus. Then he turns to Andrew, who is just getting out of the boat. "Come and follow me. I will make you fishers of men. Yes, you will catch men."

So they both agree to stay with Jesus as actual disciples of Jesus. Walking a bit on the shores, he turns to see James and John still at their boat with the others. "James and John, follow me. I'll make fishers of men out of you."

They too obey. And so the five men walk from the coasts of Galilee.

Capernaum

And now Jesus is at the synagogue in Capernaum. It is the Sabbath, and he teaches the people in the synagogue. Unlike the people of Nazareth, the people of Capernaum receive him well. There is something unusual about him, and different from their scribes. He isn't citing the ancient scribes and experts, as the scribes routinely do. As if Jesus is his own authority. Amazing!

All is calm as Jesus speaks about his mission. "It is my work to present the truth," says the Rabbi. "My mission follows with Isaiah's prophecy, just read. It is for me to set free the captives."

Jesus notices his audience carefully. There are many crowded in this nicely built synagogue. Jesus just likes just how interested the people are. As nice they are as the basalt wall of the house of worship.

Earlier, as Jesus and his disciples were entering the building, he noted the nice design and the red bricks on the roof. Jesus walked in to see the benches opposite the entrance. Someone noticed just how absorbed he is at the building itself—as if he had not seen a synagogue like this before—and said, "You like it, Jesus? The centurion funded for this."

Jesus was feeling the heart-shaped supports, constructed at each of the four corners around the center of the synagogue. Jesus is now preaching in the midst of the synagogue. The Messiah continues his lecture. "I will release the ones made captive by the devil, enemy of all truth—"

"Auughhhhhhhht!" a scary voice shrieks, startling the hearing.

Then the one to whom that expression belongs rushes forward from among the audience. He faces Jesus with burning eyes. "Will you just leave us alone?" he screams. "What have we in common, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know you. Yes, you're the Holy One of God!"

Jesus looks at the demon-possessed man and directly reprimands, "Be silent! Come out of him... and now!"

Then the person is being shaken and thrown into the midst of the traumatized people. The demons then shriek so loudly—and by the mouth of the poor man—that nobody moves. The man finally collapses, having fallen to the ground.

Then the man, after some six seconds, finally gets on his feet. He mutters, "I've... I've been saved."

He finally speaks up before all: "I've been saved from that wretchedness! You hear me: saved! Oh, oh thank you, thank you, Jesus!"

All around are stunned. No one speaks a word. Exorcists tend to use complex invocations to drive out evil spirits—but here Jesus merely ordered it to leave, and leave it did.

When the people can finally speak, it is in praise to Jesus. "A miracle!" "What can this be but a teaching with authority." "He can command demons—and they obey!" "He has true authority." "Yes, authority and power!"

As this is happening, Jesus turns to go out the doorway. Cephas, Andrew, James, and John come out with him. "Rabbi," says Simon, "where are you going?"

"To your house, Cephas," responds Jesus. "That was really wearing me. I need a little rest."

"Okay."

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"Oh Simon!" exclaims Cephas' wife. "My mother is sick with the heat of fever!"

"Oh no," says Cephas, just coming into his own home. "Is she suffering?"

"Yes!"

Then Jesus walks inside. Then enter Andrew, John, and James. He says, "Your mother-in-law has a high fever?"

Cephas' wife nods her head. "In bed. Can you do something about it?"

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That's it. Jesus rebuked the fever, and the fever had gone from Cephas' wife. The next thing they knew, she was serving them.

And now, the holy day past, the house of Cephas is all surrounded by people. Many are here to bring their sick and ill—even those demon-possessed in the city.

Hour after hour rolls by. Jesus keeps on healing people. When they all finally leave—with everyone healed—Jesus alone, Jesus can see many stars in the sky, the dark sky.

It's way into the night now. Jesus finally can rest. So he proceeds to get to sleep. What an action-packed day.

+

Cephas and the other three disciples find Jesus, praying in a solitary place, around nature—just as he likes it.

Jesus was actually here while it was still dark. Jesus is a man of prayer. But he just finishes and turns to them as they say, "Everybody is searching for you."

And then more people congregate. They have followed Cephas, Andrew, James, and John. "What—" goes Cephas.

But he doesn't finish. He actually decides not to say anything.

Meanwhile, the people can see Jesus is preparing to leave. They beg, "Jesus, please don't leave us."

"I have to," states Jesus. "I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also, for I was sent for this." Now he turns to his disciples. "Come on, let's go to the other towns, that I may also preach in those cities."