They hoped to leave unseen, but many people followed them down to the lake where Simon"s boat was.
"Don"t you see what I mean?" exclaimed the Zealot. "What a wonderful chance we have to lead them against Herod!"
"Let us go over toward Bethsaida," replied Jesus. "I know a hill where very few people pa.s.s by." James and John turned the boat toward the hills nearly three miles across the lake.
The disappointed people watched Jesus and the disciples push off. A few men left the group and began to walk along the sh.o.r.e. Soon the others realized that they were going to go on foot around the lake. Some walked, but others ran.
"I believe the whole crowd is going to follow us," remarked Andrew, looking back.
"They are like sheep without a shepherd," remarked Jesus.
By the time the disciples had rowed across the lake, the people were beginning to arrive. "I think I know a place where we can get away from them," said Philip. He had lived in this part of the country.
"We cannot send them away, Philip," answered Jesus. When the boat landed he led the crowd to a gra.s.sy spot on the hillside overlooking the lake below.
All afternoon Jesus taught them. When at last the sun touched the hills of Galilee across the lake, the disciples interrupted.
"Master," they said, "don"t you think we had better send them away before it gets dark?"
"It is late," added Philip, "and there is no place to buy food here.
They will need to go to the villages."
"That isn"t necessary, is it?" said Jesus. "You give them something to eat."
The disciples looked at him blankly. "We didn"t bring any provisions with us. Master," said James. "And besides, even if we had, it would never be enough to feed this crowd!"
Jesus turned to Philip. "What shall we do, Philip?"
"Master, even if there were a town near here, it would take far more money than we have to buy enough food to give each person a tiny bit!"
"How many loaves have we all together?" asked Jesus.
The disciples found, as they expected, that the people had brought no food. "This seems foolish to me," remarked James. Finally Andrew found a boy with some loaves and fish. The boy let Andrew take the lunch to Jesus.
"Tell the people to sit down in groups," said Jesus. Before them all he held one of the loaves in his hands and thanked G.o.d for it; then he broke it in pieces. "Distribute this among the people," he instructed the disciples.
"This boy"s loaves and fish will satisfy your hunger now," said Jesus to the eager crowd. "If you eat only this kind of food, you will eventually die. I have another kind to give you: if you will eat the Bread of eternal life, you will never die!
"Come and eat this Bread--you will never hunger again. You must hear and believe my word, for the Father in heaven has sent me to you."
While the people ate, they whispered among themselves in amazement.
Where had this food come from? They could hardly believe what the people near Jesus said: that he had broken the loaves and fish again and again, until everyone had enough.
The Zealot turned to James. "They will do anything for a person who gives them food," he said.
Jesus knew the people were thinking how good it was to receive the food.
"G.o.d sent manna to your ancestors while they were in the desert," he cried out, "but they died. The true Bread from heaven gives you eternal life. Eat this Bread and you shall never hunger again!"
"Give us this Bread!" called out a man in the crowd. "We do not want to be hungry any more."
"Do not follow me because I give you loaves and fish--that kind of food perishes," replied Jesus. "Rather, believe my word, in order that you may have eternal life!"
But the people could think only of the free food Jesus had given them.
They paid no attention to his words. "We will do anything for you!" they cried. Then another shout grew loud.
"You shall be our king! You shall be our king!"
"They are going to compel him to be king!" exclaimed the Zealot.
Jesus turned his back and called his disciples about him.
"What is he going to do?" The Zealot was alarmed. "Surely he won"t miss this opportunity?"
"Let us go," said Jesus to the Twelve, starting toward the lake sh.o.r.e.
The Zealot caught Jesus" arm. "But, Master...." He let go as Simon gripped his shoulder.
"He will be king all right," Simon told him. "But he is not the kind of king these people want. I am sure of that."
The crowd were dumfounded to see Jesus leave them so quickly. A few attempted to follow, but they soon realized that twilight was swiftly fading into the darkness of night and they turned back.
"You row across to Capernaum by yourselves," said Jesus to the disciples. "I will follow later." The wondering men got into the boat and rowed away. Jesus stood watching them as they disappeared in the deep twilight. Then he turned and walked alone into the shadowy hills.
"Sometimes I wonder if he knows what he is doing!" burst out the Zealot, bitterly disappointed. "What an opportunity! He just turned his back on them!"
"You know he has no desire for political power," said John.
"How can we ever establish the government of G.o.d if we never do anything practical?" asked the Zealot. "What will his teachings ever amount to unless we put them in the place of the old laws?"
Simon could not forget the words of Jesus. "He did not say, "I am your King." He said, "I am the Bread of Life.""
"What do you mean?" asked the Zealot.
"Are you sure he intends to start a rebellion?" asked Simon.
"I don"t know what else all this talk of a Kingdom could mean!"
"If he were an ordinary political leader--or even a Rabbi--there would be no other way," said Simon, reflectively. "But there is something about him that makes me think he is not going to do what we expect at all!"
A gust of cold wind struck them, and the men looked up. Even the western sky was black. The boat was in the middle of the lake. Out of the dark night the wind blew in ever stronger gusts.
"We"re in for a squall," said James, worried. The boat rolled. It was heavily loaded, and water splashed in.
"Steer into the waves," called Simon. James and John tried to pull the boat around, but the wind had caught them. The boat swung broadside and lurched dangerously in the trough of the waves. Water poured in. Simon stepped swiftly to the center and sat down beside James. Together they pulled the heavy oar; after a tense moment the boat swung slowly around.
"We"ve got to bail this water out," said Simon. More came over the side with each roll.
"If we don"t get this water out, we"ll never get to sh.o.r.e," shouted Simon.