Yeshua's Thief

by R. E. Addison

  “You forget, I was young once. Walks turn to passion quickly. I just don’t want you to get hurt when Rina is betrothed to someone wealthier than you.”

  “I know, Mom. You always tell me that. I will make a life that is better for all of us soon.”

  Ezekiel relished the Sabbath from sundown to sundown the next day. For a young man who worked tirelessly, a day of rest was not only sacred but welcomed. The time of silence and reflection seemed to repair the recesses of his soul. The only real action of the day came from the Romans, who respected the Jewish customs to keep the peace. So, Galilee’s streets were quiet, and the shops looked like rows of shut eyelids, napping through the afternoon sun.

  He could hear the families in their houses singing and passing the time with stories of high adventure. Grandpa Elyam had an endless number of stories he would tell. Each one ended with a twist that left the family laughing, even on the hundredth telling. Today, however, he was spending the Sabbath with his sister’s family in Jerusalem.

  The quiet allowed Ezekiel to mull over a plan. After five years, his father would not be coming back for the dagger. Ezekiel imagined him dead. The blade was worth at least eight boats. Ezekiel could build quite a life for himself with that many boats—a life that realized his every dream. He could have all his loved ones under one roof, safe from the uncertainty of the future. Ezekiel could sell the dagger and make Rina his bride.

  He felt as though sundown would never come. When the sun finally slipped below the horizon, Ezekiel took his oil lamp and went to the olive tree, where he had buried the dagger in a small wooden box. The ground around the tree roots was compacted and hard. He had to take a rock from nearby to break the ground before digging with his fingers. After a few moments, his fingers hit something hard. Anticipation swelled in his chest, and he began digging harder. Patches of the wooden box came into view. Lifting it from the ground, he peeled the beeswax seal off the lid. Inside was the dagger, still glistening as if it were made moments before. He quickly hid it in his cloak and walked back home. In the morning, he would find a merchant who knew its worth and would buy it for a fair price.

  The next day, the market was bustling with merchants eager to make up for the lost day of the Sabbath. Some of them were poor and would have worked seven days a week if it were socially acceptable. Others were greedy and wanted their underlings to make them money every day. Still, most everyone accepted the law, if for nothing else than fear of shame.

  The fish market would not open for several hours to allow that morning’s catch to come in. This gave Ezekiel time to find the right merchant, then find the right carpenter to build his boats. The first merchant he came to was Eliab. He was a friend of Elyam and the family.

  “Eliab, I have something to sell you,” Ezekiel said with a definite note of caution.

  “Come to the back here, young man. I’m intrigued.”

  “First, I need you to swear to secrecy. I can’t let people know what I have.”

  “I swear upon my family’s name that I will keep your secret. If I buy, I will simply say I found it on one of the street rats who no doubt lifted it from someone of means.”

  “I don’t know much about it.” Ezekiel produced the box from under his cloak.

  “It’s a beautiful piece. Greek, by the look of it. It must have come from someone important. Can I ask where you found it?”

  “On the shore by the Roman docks. It must have fallen off someone’s horse as they were traveling.”

  Eliab raised his eyebrows in suspicion. “How long have you had it?”

  “Five years.”

  “Well, that’s long enough for whoever lost it to give up on it. I can give you five hundred drachmas for it.”

  “It’s worth at least nine hundred.”

  “You see, here’s how this works. You found it, and now I found it. I could turn you in to the authorities, or I could give you a fair price for the dagger.”

  “Or I could let people know how you were dishonest with me and see if they believe me. The price is nine hundred.”

  Eliab laughed. “You’re going to make an excellent businessman, Ezekiel. Nine hundred it is.” He counted the coins into a bag and handed them to Ezekiel, who counted them again in front of him.

  “You insult me, thinking that I would cheat you.”

  “You insulted yourself when you tried to cheat me at the beginning of this exchange,” Ezekiel countered. “Do you know a good carpenter in town?”

  “Yes, I’ve never used him before, but Yeshua comes highly recommended.”

  “Where can I find him?”

  “He’s from Nazareth. I hear he is honest and does good work. I also hear he is tough like you. You should get along just fine. He has a shop where his father once worked at the north end of town by the sea, just a short distance from Nazareth.”

  “You know, I’ve met him before. He built a table for our fish stand at the market.”

  “See, it must have been destiny then. Good luck and give Elyam my greetings.”

  “Alright, thank you. I will.”

  Ezekiel headed directly for Hezekiah’s stand. When he arrived, he found the older man setting up.

  “Ezekiel? I wasn’t expecting you until much later today. I can’t pay you much if you come early. The catch this morning is not going well, and I don’t know if I’ll have anything to sell.”

  “Well, in that case, I could use the day off, if you wouldn’t mind.”

  “Take all the time you need.”

  “Thank you.” Ezekiel then left to find Yeshua.

  When he arrived in the northern part of town, the streets became very busy, making it difficult to catch the attention of a passerby.

  “Excuse me, do you know where I can find Yeshua?”

  The man just shrugged and kept walking.

  “Excuse me, can you tell me where the carpenter Yeshua is?” This time, an older man pointed to a little structure on one of the side streets. Ezekiel adjusted his cloak and set off.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, Ezekiel! Or do you not want me to call you Ezekiel, since we’re not officially friends yet?”

  Ezekiel looked puzzled.

  “Well, if you want me to build these boats, you might want to say something.”

  “How did you know?”

  Yeshua laughed. “You know, I never get tired of seeing that look on people’s faces.”

  “So . . . will you take the job?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “I think you already know the answer. You were entrusted with a stolen dagger by which you came into this money. If I take the money, knowing it was stolen, I am no better than the one who stole it. If I build you these boats and do not have the means to return the dagger or the money, it will result in someone very close to you being put to death. So here is what I am prepared to do. I will build you one boat free of charge, if you return the money to keep the dagger safe until its owner comes to retrieve it.”

  “Eliab must have told you I was coming.”

  “Eliab has never met me. What he told you is true. He is also honorable. If you return the money, he will return the dagger to you. But you must go now.”

  “I could just find another to build my boats.”

  “You could.”

  “I need to think about it.”

  “I see.”

  Ezekiel walked away slowly, looking at the ground. He would find another carpenter. He did, however, choose to go with only three boats at first. This way, he could build up to the eight-boat fleet he wanted. His thoughts quickly turned to Rina. The only chance for a future with her was this. Once again, he asked around the market for a carpenter willing to build his fleet. He found him on the coast mending nets and fixing boats with pitch.

  “Hello there,” said Ezekiel.

  “If you’ve come here to collect taxes, I have nothing to give you. My boat has been out of commission for seven days, and I’ve barely scraped up enough money to
fix her.”

  “I’m not a tax collector.”

  “In that case, my name is Simon. What can I do for you?”

  “I heard that you not only fish but also build boats.”

  “I’ve built a few. How many do you need?”

  “Three.”

  “Three boats are going to cost you, my friend.”

  “I have money. How much would you charge me?”

  “One hundred and fifty drachmas per boat, and you provide the wood.”

  “I can have someone else do it for one hundred, and they provide the wood.”

  “Then have them do it.”

  “Alright, I will.” Ezekiel turned to leave.

  “Wait!” Simon called. “I’ll do it for one hundred and thirty drachmas.”

  “One hundred and ten, and no more.”

  Simon looked him in the eye for a moment. A smile came to his lips.

  “I know you need the money. One hundred and ten is a fair price for any boat.”

  “Yes, I need the money. But understand you’re not just getting any boat for that price. You are getting the finest vessels ever to sail the Sea of Galilee.”

  “How long will it take?”

  “About three months. I can have them sooner if you pay me more.”

  “I will pay you half now and half when the boats are finished. I’ll be by every day to check on the progress. I will help if I need to, but they must be done in that amount of time.”

  “I understand, my friend. I’ll begin right now by purchasing the wood.”

  “See you tomorrow.” Ezekiel counted out the money before his trek back home.

  CHAPTER 4

  Day after day, Ezekiel visited Simon while he worked on his boats. Within a month, the frame boards were lashed together, revealing the shape. The process fascinated Ezekiel. The smell of pitch and freshly hewn wood filled his nostrils as the planks were nailed in place and shaped by Simon’s skillful hands.

  Toward the end of completion, Ezekiel took a few days off from the fish market. Simon needed to dry the cedar wood by the fire and coat the boats inside and out with pitch. Ezekiel manned the pots of boiling pitch so each boat would be watertight. It was hard, backbreaking work, but Ezekiel liked it, even though he came home smelling more pungent than usual. He could see what was accomplished. It was more satisfying to watch a hull take form than to look at empty baskets of fish every evening. At each sundown, the boats became darker with thickening layers of pitch.

  “So, how about the rest of the money?” Simon asked.

  “You’ll get it when the boats are tested.”

  “It will take a week for the pitch to dry fully. I can do no more as of now. I need the money.”

  “You will get the money when they are tested, no sooner,” replied Ezekiel.

  Simon shook his head as he picked up his tools. “Are you sure you don’t have Roman blood running through your veins?”

  “I’m Hebrew. Like you.”

  “No, you are nothing like me. Come, let’s go and find some fishing nets for your new boats.”

  Ezekiel smiled as he went after Simon.

  The market was slowing down as Ezekiel followed Simon through the winding streets. They came to a net and tentmaker of Samaritan descent. His face was pitted, and a scar, shaped like a jagged dagger blade, adorned the right side of his face.

  “Simon, my friend. Have you come here to cheat me again?”

  “Not this time, old man. I found some younger blood to do that for me. This is Ezekiel. He’s decided to get into the fishing business, though I don’t know why.”

  “I have my reasons,” Ezekiel stated.

  “You’re impudent, Ezekiel. That’s a good first step,” replied the Samaritan. “So where did a young rat like you get the money to buy boats and nets?”

  “That’s my business, not yours.”

  “It’s my business if you’re going to buy nets from me with stolen money.”

  “It’s not stolen money.”

  “I wish I could take your word for it, but it’s been my experience that only the best proof is what the Romans rely on these days.” He pulled his right arm from under his cloak, revealing a stub where a hand should be. “So telling me is not enough, I’m afraid.”

  The Samaritan looked closely at Ezekiel.

  “Sir, I need nets, and you obviously can’t use nets. I propose the less you know, the better. You can’t be held accountable for something you don’t know.”

  This brought a smile from the Samaritan. “You remind me of myself at your age. I think six talents for each net is a fair price. There are no finer fishing nets in all of Galilee.”

  “I’ll give you four.”

  The Samaritan laughed. “No, my boy, my price is firm. If you don’t like it, then you can find someone else in town who will give you a better deal. I don’t need your money.”

  “Then we’re done here.”

  “So be it,” the Samaritan replied with a sober nod.

  Simon pulled Ezekiel outside. “What are you doing?”

  “What am I doing? We could go before the Pharisees for going into his house.”

  “It was the best deal you could find.”

  “I wouldn’t be caught dead bartering with a Samaritan!”

  “And what makes you so different? You think I don’t know that your father was a thief?”

  Ezekiel just looked at him.

  “That’s right. I did a little digging. You insulted my friend. There may come a time when you need him. He may be a Samaritan, but he’s connected. Rest assured, if you ever do need him, he won’t be there for you now.”

  Despite Simon’s words, Ezekiel felt he was right. He decided to shake it off as he walked through the market to find another net maker. The shops, however, were about to close. After Simon said his goodbyes, Ezekiel decided to call it a day. He walked the familiar path back home, feeling good about the progress made.

  He would see if Rina was home and if she wished to walk with him. Coming to her house, he was greeted with a warm smile. Rina was covered in flour from preparing bread for the evening meal.

  “Mother is in the other room. You shouldn’t be here, you know.”

  “All the same, here I am.”

  “I just denied another suitor. Mother thinks I’m foolish. But I’m not ready to settle yet.”

  “Even with me?”

  “Look, Ezekiel, I don’t see a future with us. As much as my heart tells me to be with you, I must honor traditions. And, well, you don’t even have money for a dowry.”

  “What if I told you I did?”

  “Then I would have to question how you came into such an amount of money.”

  “I’ve been saving up.”

  “Really? Working at a fish market stand, you’ve been able to make enough to pay a dowry and sweep me off my feet? Ezekiel, I like you, but even my faith isn’t strong enough to believe that one. Why don’t you take me as your friend for now?”

  Ezekiel searched her face. Was she afraid? Did she like him? He said in a low voice, “If I were to get this sort of money together and build a life, would you want to be in it?”

  “Look, I care for you very much. And in some ways, I might even love you, but you and I both know that it’s impossible. I’m sorry. But I have to take a suitor sooner than you could get the money or a life together.”

  “Come with me. I have something to show you.”

  “I can’t right now. Can we talk after dinner? I’ll meet you near your spot if Elyam is back.” She breathed a quiet sigh of relief to herself. She had almost slipped and said our spot.

  “I think he decided to move to Jerusalem, but I will see if he is coming back,” said Ezekiel. “I can meet you there anyway.” Rina turned and left.

  Ezekiel nodded as he walked away. The east wind seemed unbearable under the weight of the unknown. His walk home had never seemed so long. Each memory of growing up on the Sea of Galilee had Rina in it. Somehow, the world made sense when sh
e was around. He could not imagine a life without her. Her eyes smiled when he was around, and he took comfort that she seemed at ease with him in a way she never was around anyone else. It was understandable of her to desire security. For the very poor, security was a treasure locked in a glass chest—something seen but never felt. To their imaginations, a windfall of money seemed as tantalizing as the food of God’s table. For Rina, her beauty was a currency that could be exchanged for a key—to unlock a lifetime of luxury. It would be a shame to throw it away.

  Though he understood that perspective, Ezekiel saw things differently. He felt as though they had just heard an enthralling call to adventure—as if some kind-faced king had charged them with a priceless dagger of his own making. It seemed that now Ezekiel and Rina stood at a cliff. He looked on as she considered casting the blade to the rocks, to the gnashing teeth of the tide, for fear it was secretly cursed. He hoped, as only a young man can hope, that she realized the promise of security—not their love—was secretly cursed, for no dowry, or marriage, or any other mirage of security could protect her from life’s sandstorms. Ezekiel had learned that lesson the day he finally accepted his father would never return.

  As he walked home, with her decision still uncertain and their cliffside moment suspended in time, Ezekiel felt that spirit roiling in his stomach again. He feared to lose the most precious thing he had laid eyes upon, and he imagined her standing in the doorway, freshly ground flour clinging to her palms. He remembered how a single lock of hair had escaped from her headscarf, lifted by a soft wind. The moment, vivid now in Ezekiel’s memory, felt like a good omen urging him forward. That playful lock of hair seemed to whisper a promise: “If you choose wisely, one golden evening, you will watch her take down every strand on her head—the day of your wedding.” Emboldened, Ezekiel channeled his energy into saving what stood to be lost forever. His love for her was an awakening, and there was no chance of falling back asleep.

  “Slow and steady will win,” he told himself as he neared his door.

  “You don’t smell of fish today. That’s a welcome change!” Aaliyah quipped, setting a place for dinner. “It’s just going to be the two of us today.”