Fishers of Men

by Gerald N. Lund

  No one breathed. Every eye was fastened on the Master as he spoke.

  “And the Samaritan bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.”

  Jesus looked around, letting his eyes stop briefly on each person’s face. “And on the morrow, when the Samaritan departed, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the host of the inn, and said unto him, ‘Take care of this man, and whatsoever you spend more than this, when I come again, I will repay thee.’”

  Simeon was almost reeling. This was astonishing. A Samaritan! He too was at risk by stopping to help. The thieves along the road didn’t harbor any such worries about contact with the unclean. If the Samaritan had merely carried the man to the inn and dumped him there, hoping someone might help him, he would have done far more than either the priest or the Levite. But to pay, and then to leave a pledge of credit. Unheard of! Simeon shot a look at his father. Was this a true story?

  Jesus now looked directly at Reuben the scribe. “Which now of these three do you think was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?”

  Reuben was bewildered. “I—” But there was only one possible answer. He dropped his eyes. “He that showed mercy on him.”

  “If you would have eternal life, go then, and do likewise.”

  IV

  Bethany

  The home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus was a spacious two-story house set behind a high stone wall. The house was larger than Simeon had expected, based on the fact that just three people lived here, though it was not palatial by any means. The courtyard, however, was even larger than their own in Capernaum. He noted that one end of the courtyard had a series of recessed arches. In one of those, Simeon could discern the dark shape of an olive press. In another, there was a large millstone for grinding wheat.

  The courtyard was filled with people standing about or sitting on the benches. Only a few of the crowd that had come with Jesus had continued on when they reached Martha’s house. Most had come in. It was clear that Martha was surprised and a little dismayed to see the numbers that had come. So Deborah and Leah immediately left David and Simeon talking with Joseph of Arimathea, and went into the house.

  “We’re here to help,” Deborah said, pushing back the sleeves of her dress. “What can we do?”

  Martha turned in surprise. Anna, Peter’s wife, was there, as was Ruth, Andrew’s wife. They sat at a long wooden table with Mary, the mother of Jesus, peeling and cutting onions, potatoes, carrots, and beans into a large pot. Lazarus, Martha’s brother, was at a wash basin sorting clusters of grapes onto platters. Martha shook her head. “No, no. You go out and listen to Jesus. We’re doing fine.”

  Deborah just smiled. “There’ll be time for that after supper.” She saw a knife on a small chest and picked it up, then took the last remaining chair at the table alongside the other three women and started to work. “We had Jesus to our house for supper too,” Deborah explained. “We know how much work there is to do.”

  Martha gave them both a grateful look. “Thank you. I am running a little behind. I thought we were going to have only about fifteen people. Now it’s closer to thirty.”

  Leah nodded. “The night Jesus came to eat with us, Peter told us to expect about a dozen. We ended up serving over forty.”

  Martha smiled briefly, then wiped at her forehead with the back of her hand. “I haven’t counted lately. Maybe there are even more than I thought.”

  Leah saw that she was perspiring slightly. She also saw the lines of weariness around her mouth. Martha was in her mid-twenties, Leah guessed. She thought about what Peter and Anna had told them about this family. Widowed within a year of her marriage, Martha had not as yet remarried. She was the oldest of the three children and thus the matron of the house. Lazarus was a couple of years younger, about Peter’s age, and was not married either, though Peter had not indicated whether this was because Lazarus had never married or was widowed as well. Mary, the youngest of the three, who seemed to be about Leah’s age, was not promised to anyone as yet. The three of them lived in the home of their parents, who had both passed away unexpectedly several years before. As the oldest child, Martha inherited the house, but as was the custom in Israel, she had the responsibility to share that inheritance with the other children.

  Leah liked Martha very much. She was quiet by nature and yet had a warmth in her that made you feel comfortable almost immediately. She was lovely in her features, though not as striking as either Mary or Lazarus. She exhibited a deep maturity in spiritual things. It was obvious even from what little interaction Leah had seen between this family and Jesus that the Master was very close to them and enjoyed staying with them while he was in the Jerusalem area.

  Realizing that she was just standing there, Leah looked around. There were three melons sitting on the table, but no other knives with which to cut them. “What can I do?” she asked.

  A frown passed briefly across Martha’s face. “Did you see my sister, Mary, out there?”

  “Yes,” Deborah answered. “She was with Mary Magdalene a few moments ago. They were both listening to Jesus when we came inside.”

  “Then Leah, could you go tell her that I need her. The chickens are almost done, but there’s still a lot to do before we can start serving. Then once you get her, if the two of you could check the bread before you come back in, that would be the best thing. Mary can show you where the ovens are.”

  “All right.” Leah turned and went out the door and ran lightly down the stone stairs to the courtyard. Simeon and her father, who were visiting now with Luke and Matthew and John, started to move toward her, thinking she might want something, but she waved them back. She moved around the edge of the crowd, her eyes searching for Mary. She could hear Jesus speaking and caught the words, “kingdom of heaven,” but not much more. Then she saw her. Mary was on the far side of the group, still standing beside Mary of Magdala, her eyes fastened on Jesus as he spoke. Not wanting to interrupt what Jesus was saying, Leah moved quietly around to the two women.

  Mary Magdalene saw her and smiled, but Martha’s sister did not turn. Feeling a little embarrassed, Leah touched her shoulder. Surprised, Mary looked around. “Martha needs you in the kitchen,” Leah whispered.

  “Oh. All right. Tell her I’ll be right there.”

  Leah nodded and stepped back. Mary Magdalene had heard what she said and moved with her. “Can I help?” she whispered.

  “Probably. Martha is worried about having everything ready on time.”

  They waited a moment, but Mary had already forgotten them. She was totally engrossed in what Jesus was saying. The two women looked at each other, and Mary Magdalene shrugged.

  “Do you know where the ovens are?” Leah asked. “Martha wants us to see how the bread is doing.”

  “Yes. They’re behind the olive press.”

  Giving Mary one last look, the two of them moved away.

  When they went back upstairs into the kitchen, Deborah and Anna were still cutting up vegetables, talking about the story of the good Samaritan. Jesus’ mother and Martha were pitting olives. Lazarus had finished the grapes and was now washing some figs. At the sight of Leah with Mary Magdalene, Martha frowned.

  “The bread should be done in about five more minutes,” Leah said. “It looks good.”

  “And smells wonderful,” Mary Magdalene said, wrinkling her nose in pleasure.

  Martha looked toward the door. “Where’s my Mary?”

  “She said she’d be here in a minute,” Leah answered.

  There was a soft sound of exasperation; then Martha turned. “Lazarus. Will you get some of the men and set up the tables and benches in the courtyard? We will be ready in about ten minutes.” She moved to the window and looked down on her guests. “Let’s put them on this end. There’s shade there and then you won’t have to disturb Jesus until we’re ready to eat.”

  “Good idea.” He wiped his hands on a towel.

&n
bsp; “And tell Mary I need her,” she said, quite earnestly this time.

  He nodded and went out.

  “What can we do?” Leah asked. “Put us to work.”

  Martha went to a small box and retrieved two more knives. “You can slice the melons. Leah, there’s a large platter in the chest there.”

  V

  Ten minutes later, everything was in readiness. The round loaves of bread sat steaming on flat serving boards, the crust softened with melted butter. Bowls and platters were filled with melon slices, olives, figs, dates, pomegranates, almonds, grapes, and half a dozen other bounties from the fields and orchards. Eight roasted chickens were taken from the spit in the large fireplace and placed neatly on a bed of grape leaves.

  Martha looked up and down the table, her eyes checking everything. “All right, I think we’re ready to start carrying it down to the courtyard.” Her brow creased and she walked swiftly to the window. She leaned partway out. “Mary!”

  Leah moved forward enough to see. Below them, Mary was still where she had been when Leah spoke to her, still concentrating completely on Jesus. Several heads turned, but not her sister’s.

  “That girl!” Martha said, half-smiling, half-irritated.

  “I’ll get her,” Leah said. She picked up the platter filled with the melons she and Mary Magdalene had cut, and went out. To her surprise, as she reached the tables and set the platter down, Martha was at her side. She set a bowl of almonds and a bowl of olives down with a sharp thud.

  “I’ll get her,” Martha said shortly, and started across the courtyard. Without really thinking about it, Leah followed, curious to see what Martha would say to her sister. When they reached the spot where Mary was, Jesus was answering a question from two women on the other side of the group. Mary was rapt with attention.

  Martha laid a hand on Mary’s shoulder, causing her to jump slightly. “Mary,” she said in a low but urgent voice. “I need you.”

  Mary looked up, surprised at the edge to her sister’s voice. Jesus also turned. Flushing a little when she saw the Master was watching them, Martha spoke to him. “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Bid her to come and help. It is time to serve the supper we have prepared.”

  For a long moment, Jesus just looked at her. His eyes were large, searching her face with studied care. And then he spoke. Leah could not remember ever hearing more kindness and love in his voice than there was now. “Martha, Martha,” he said, “you are cumbered about with much serving. You are careful and troubled about many things.”

  He smiled then and it was filled with infinite gentleness. “But only one thing is needful. And Mary has chosen that good part. And that shall not be taken away from her.”

  Chapter Notes

  The interchange between Jesus and the Pharisees, as well as the parable that followed concerning being a watchful servant, is found in Luke 11 and 12. The bitter anger depicted here was based on Luke’s comment that “the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things” (Luke 11:53). In this chapter, the setting for those teachings was Jerusalem. Though Luke doesn’t specify a place, it is more likely that it happened in the Galilee.

  The Parable of the Good Samaritan, as it is commonly known, is found in Luke 10:25–37. Since Luke is the only Gospel writer to record this parable, the author has placed him in the story at the time the parable was given. There is no setting specified by Luke for the giving of the parable. Immediately following the account of the Good Samaritan, Luke says that the Savior went on his way and entered into the house of Martha (Luke 10:38). Then follows the account of Martha’s frustration with Mary not helping when she was “cumbered about with much serving” (see Luke 10:38–42).

  It should be noted that while it is called a parable, Jesus may have been recounting an actual incident, as the story of the Good Samaritan does not fit the traditional form of a parable.

  We know from the New Testament record that Jesus was very close to the family of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. No details are known about them personally other than what is briefly given in the Gospels, mostly by Luke and John. The fact that it was Martha’s house and that she was in charge has caused some commentators to assume she was the oldest in the family and not married at the time, and thus may have been a widow (see Fallows, 2:1119). The author’s suggestion of age and marital status for the three siblings is added here merely to give detail to the novel and is not based on information found in the New Testament. Other details of this incident are also fictional.

  In daily conversation, we glean enormous clues about what a person intends to communicate not only from what is said, but also how it is said, meaning the tone of voice, facial expression, and so on. Unfortunately, we are rarely told how Jesus said something. Knowing of his love for Martha, it felt right to assume that Jesus’ correction of her on this day was not a sharp chastisement, but was given with great love and tenderness.

  Chapter 21

  But one thing is needful: and [she] hath chosen that good part.

  —Luke 10:42

  I

  The road from Bethany to Jerusalem 9 April, a.d. 31

  The full moon that ushered in the Passover season was up when they left Bethany. There was a breeze coming off the Mediterranean Sea some twenty-five miles to the west of them, and the air was cool and pleasant. When they reached the spot at the top of the Mount of Olives where they had stopped earlier that day and looked out across the city, they paused again. Bethlehem was still about five miles away, and it wouldn’t do to push too hard or they would grow weary before they reached Benjamin and Esther’s house.

  Where before the city had been bathed in gold, now it glowed a faint silver. The temple itself almost seemed to float on a sea of soft light. The lines were muted, almost surrealistic. If anything, it was even more beautiful than it had been before.

  They stood in silence, drinking in the scene, breathing in deeply the air that smelled faintly of the sea. Then as David led out again, starting down the path that led into the Kidron Valley, Leah spoke for the first time since leaving the house of Martha.

  “I’d like to say something,” she said with some solemnity.

  Simeon was thinking about his interchange with Marcus Didius earlier that day and barely heard. David turned to look at his daughter, but it was Deborah who actually spoke. “What is it, Leah?”

  “I—” She took a quick breath and started again. “I know I shouldn’t say this, but . . . ”

  Her father half turned. “But what?”

  “But I didn’t like what Jesus did tonight.”

  Simeon’s head came around, Marcus Didius banished from his thoughts. He looked at his sister closely to see if he had heard right. It was hard not to show outright shock. Of all of the family, Leah had been the one to give herself to Jesus without reservation. She never had anything but praise for Jesus, and if anyone started asking questions about something Jesus had said, she would jump to his defense, even if he wasn’t under attack.

  Deborah was also staring at her daughter in surprise.

  Leah rushed on. “I don’t mean to be critical, but I felt really terrible for Martha.”

  “What happened to Martha?” Simeon asked.

  So Leah told them quickly. She told it all, from her first trip down to get Mary to the final exchange between Martha and Jesus. She was the only one who had seen the whole thing unfold. Deborah had been in the kitchen and had seen Martha’s exasperation with her sister, but she had not seen what happened. David had been there when Martha asked Jesus for help, but he did not know anything of what had brought it on. Simeon had not seen any of it.

  “I expected Jesus to correct Mary,” she concluded. “After all, it’s Mary’s house too. I’m sure Lazarus and Martha would have loved to sit and listen to Jesus, but someone had to get supper on.” She looked down, the guilt starting to rise as she realized the depth of her passion about this. “Instead, Jesus chided Martha and
said that Mary had chosen the better part.”

  David was watching her closely. “So that was it. I wondered when it happened what was going on. Martha was dismayed by what Jesus said.”

  “I’m sure she was really hurt, Papa. Why? Why would Jesus do that? I was so positive that he would chastise Mary a little, not Martha. I fully expected him to say something like, ‘Look, Mary, Martha’s right. We can talk later. She needs your help.’” Her shoulders fell a little. “I know I shouldn’t be critical, but it just really shocked me.”

  Deborah put her arm around Leah. “I’m sure there was a reason. We may not know everything that was going on,” she murmured.

  Simeon turned to their father to see what he would say. On the surface, at least, Simeon’s sympathies were with Martha, based on what he had heard. It was very unlike what Jesus would do. But his father was deep in thought and said nothing. Embarrassed by her outburst, Leah fell silent as they made their way downward.

  It was almost ten minutes before David slowed his step and looked at Leah. It was as though there had been no break in the conversation and he was answering the question she had asked just moments before. “What is really interesting is what happened just before that.”

  “What are you talking about, Papa?”

  “Before we got to Martha’s house, Jesus told the story of the good Samaritan. Think about that for a moment. What happened with that young man, the one named Reuben?”

  “He asked, ‘Who is our neighbor?’” Simeon said, not sure what his father was thinking.

  “Ah,” David said slowly. “That was what Reuben asked, but that is not what Jesus taught him. And us.” David smiled, pleased that they all were looking at him quizzically. He had their attention. “Think about it. Reuben asked what he had to do to inherit eternal life. The two great commandments were then cited—‘Love God and love your neighbor’—and Jesus confirmed that was the right answer. Then Reuben asked, ‘Who is my neighbor?’ In other words, Reuben wanted to know who he has to love in order to get eternal life.”