This episode begins where Episode 2, Shabbat ends: Simon leading Romans to his fellow Jewish fishermen in the act of fishing on Shabbat. The Romans do not care about that as a violation of Jewish law, but want to punish the fishermen for not reporting their catch to avoid taxation. As several soldiers row the boat, Simon is on the lookout. He pulls out a fishing bobber and tells the Roman leader that means they are close. That officer commends Simon, but Simon takes another look at the bobber and recognizes a Hebrew letter that gives him a secret change of heart. He suddenly orders the Romans to alter their course, which makes the soldiers row more rapidly, thinking they are about to catch the fishermen. Simon, however, hangs onto the edge of the boat just before it careens into a sandbar. He acts surprised and blames the Romans, but the leader does not look like he is fooled.
Now on shore in the hands of the soldiers, Simon says lightly, "Accidents happen. Nothing to be ashamed of, boys." The leader tells him, "That was no accident. You know this sea better than anyone, which is why you smell of it." He slices Simon's ear with his sword, insisting he is doing Simon a kindness compared to what the Roman praetor Quintus will do if he does not keep his promise, and tells him he has only about a week to deliver.
Later, Simon brings over drinks to a table at The Hammer, where Andrew is seated with three other fishermen. He thanks the eldest, Zebedee, for coming with his two sons, fellow future apostles James and John. Zebedee, an observant man, inquires about Simon's ear. Simon makes a joke about it. Zebedee's sons laugh, but Zebedee is wary, saying, "Maybe someone didn't like your sense of humor. Why are we here, Simon?" Simon tells him honestly, "I made a deal with the Romans." James and John begin protesting, but their father quiets them and tries to make them think: "It doesn't look like Simon gave them what they wanted, does it?" Simon explains his desperate tax situation: giving up a fleet fishing on Shabbat or losing his boat and house.
John points angrily to Andrew, asking, "You knew about this?" Zebedee quiets him again and says calmly, "Thank you for your honesty, Simon. If I may return the favor, I'm shocked you'd show your face here, much less ask me to join you." Simon tells him, "I won't argue that. I'm trapped, but it puts me in a valuable position." John tells Simon he's finished on the docks and moves with James to get Zebedee to leave the table. Simon tells them exactly where they were fishing and places the fishing bobber on the table. It is etched with the Hebrew equivalent to the letter Z. They all sit down again.
Simon lets them know he made sure the Roman boat had an accident and he lost part of his ear to avoid running into Zebedee's fishing fleet. James thanks him, but Zebedee tells him not to, wanting to know what Simon expects of him. Andrew warns them Simon's idea is foolish, and it is: Simon asks Zebedee to turn over his catch to him and stay off the seas on Shabbat for awhile so he can tell Quintus the problem is solved. Zebedee and sons laugh in his face. Simon retorts, "It's just one night's work." "Forty nights!" corrects Zebedee: "one for every man who made the sacrifice to be away from his family." "Forty who went home because of me," counters Simon. "Yes," says Zebedee, "because you couldn't bear it if you ruined us as you ruined yourself! We owe you a great debt for that, but I cannot repay you by stealing food from the mouths of my men. I'm sorry."
In the morning, a Roman soldier leads Matthew, the Jewish tax collector, before Quintus, who likes to give lectures before getting to his point. He tells Matthew, "The fruit here is incredible: pomegranates, dates, figs, berries, the olives. Everything that grows here is immaculate, except the people. You're such a miserable lot: you worship one god and yet you're all divided. You see, people complain we Romans run the world, but I know a dirty secret: you people want to be ruled. You want an excuse to complain; it's part of your nature. Do you understand that, Matthew?"
Matthew, who has been listening patiently, stops to think and says, "I don't know." Quintus chuckles and comments, "No, you wouldn't. You are a single-minded machine. These things are beneath you." Quintus, noticing Gaius is absent, asks, "Where is your escort?" Matthew tells him honestly, "He didn't want to enter. He feels that my lack of social graces—" Quintus finishes the thought: "He thinks you'll get him killed." "Yes," affirms Matthew. "No, not today," says Quintus with another chuckle. "Today I am in need of your mind. You might have been right about Simon: he double-crossed me, maybe. Probably. The truth is, I don't have many seaworthy troops here. It might have been an accident. Follow Simon. I want to know where he goes, with whom he meets, anything."
Matthew tells him, "That may prove difficult. I am not accepted anywhere. I am a tax collector—hated. You were born a Roman; I made the choice." Quintus responds, "So go in disguise. I don't care," and gives Matthew a small writing tablet so he can collect details on Simon and his movements. Quintus asks, "Is your booth protected?" "Yes, Dominus," Matthew quickly reassures him. "My dog guards it while I am away." Gaius laughs loudly and pronounces, "Oh, Matthew, you are a priceless treasure! Of course you have a dog." Matthew looks at him quizzically, not used to this kind of conversation.
In the Capernaum synagogue, Rabbi Shmuel tells Rabbi Nicodemus and others with alarm: "I saw it myself: the line stretched from the edge of the Jordan River into the acacia groves as far as the eye could see, all of them awaiting an immersion in the river by a loud man in camel skin." "Not for purification?" inquires one rabbi. Shmuel explains, "He called it a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin." The same rabbi asks what exactly he said and if Shmuel had seen this man before. Shmuel says no and asks Nicodemus if there is precedent for this.
Nicodemus, like the other rabbi, wants to know the man's message and if he advocated violence. Shmuel answers, "Not violence, but I haven't told you the worst part. One of our own approached him and he called all of us snakes!" "Religious leaders?" asks another incredulously. "Yes," continues Shmuel, "he ranted like a madman about how worthless we are." "What else?" asks Nicodemus calmly. Upset, Shmuel says, "What could be worse than that?" Nicodemus answers solemnly, "It depends on who he is." Shaking his head, Shmuel goes on, "He told tax collectors and soldiers not to extort money or collect more than they are authorized to." Shocked, another rabbi asks, "They were present when he said this?" "Yes," answers Shmuel, adding, "he told the commoners to share food and clothing with those who have none."
One rabbi concludes about this preacher, "He is preaching a populist message." Nicodemus tells them, "In Jerusalem, I heard talk of a wild man who entered the king's court with a list of the evils done by Herod Antipas and his family." Rabbi Yussif asks, "What can be done, rabbi? Should we bring him in for questioning before the Sanhedrin?" "If it is the same person," says Nicodemus, "he does not answer to Sanhedrin, and we're not his only targets anyway. He seems to relish rejecting anything with tradition or anyone with influence." Turning to Shmuel, he asks, "Do they say he performs miracles?" "I don't know," answers Shmuel. Nicodemus adjourns the meeting, but Shmuel looks uneasy.
Simon enters his house to the sound of whispers. His wife, Eden, is with her brothers, Jehoshaphat and Abrahim. Simon asks what is going on. They dance around the subject, but Simon soon learns that their mother, Dasha, is seriously ill and now in Simon and Eden's guest room. Simon, panicking, tells them, "This is a really bad timing." Jeho asks, "When is a good time to fall ill, Simon?" Simon firmly says no, and Eden at first appears to back him, but only in the sense that she will take on all the care of her mother herself. She firmly tells Simon, "If I can't be there for my own eema when she is sick, what am I?" Her brothers leave so they can have a private conversation.
Simon says to Eden: "I can't do this anymore. I haven’t been honest with you. A few days ago I looked you in the eyes and told you, 'I’ve got this.' I lied. I've been fishing on Shabbat because I've had no choice. Andrew and I have tax debts. We haven’t been able to keep up. I did some things I’m not proud of to try to fix it, and now it has gone bad. We need a miracle. I could go to prison. We could lose the house. This cut on my ear is from a Roman. If I don't catch a ton of fish or get help somehow, they'll arrest me." "Or kill you," says Eden. "They are Romans!" Simon tells her he needs to go so he can catch every fish he can before his time is up.
Before Simon leaves, he tries to persuade Eden that this is not a good time for her mother to be staying with them, but she refuses to have her mother dragged into this problem. Eden tells him, "You have had your eyes closed around here, and God is with me, even if you are not." "I'm sorry," whispers Simon. "Where is your faith?" Eden asks. "Faith isn't going to get me more fish," says Simon. "I'm not talking about tonight," clarifies Eden. "I am talking about long before tonight. You've been different. Before it was gambling and now it is working and trying to do everything yourself: the popular Simon, fixing everything and charming everyone all by yourself. And fishing on holy days without even thinking about it, with no respect for our God!" Simon asks, "What about pekuach nefesh? We can break a commandment to save a life. Our lives are at stake here." Eden tells him, "You don't know that because you have not pursued the Lord lately, not like the man I married. That is why you are stuck and you feel desperate, so you are off to try to fix it yourself again. So go," Eden concludes, weeping. "I don't want you here tonight anyway."
Simon, looking like her words have hit home, drops his head and mumbles, "I'm sorry." Eden says, "I know and I'm glad you were at least honest with me, but no more talking. Maybe God can get your attention now." Simon steps outside of his house, punches a wooden post, and paces about in desperation.
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| "Maybe God can get your attention now." |
Andrew, who has been helping John the Baptizer (whom Shmuel was telling the other rabbis about), runs out of breath toward his dispirited brother. Simon asks if he ran all the way from Jerusalem. Andrew gasps out, "We're saved, Simon! I saw Him with my own eyes," explaining that John pointed to Jesus by the Jordan River and called Him "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, the man we have been praying for our whole lives!" Simon, however, says he isn’t interested in anything "Creepy John" says about lambs, but Andrew counters joyously: "If the Messiah is here, the Romans don’t matter—anything is possible now!"
Simon says to Andrew, "That would be nice," pats him dismissively on the shoulder, and walks off. Andrew suddenly notices Matthew standing nearby watching them and taking notes. When Matthew realizes Andrew sees him, he clumsily tries to hide behind foliage. Andrew shakes his head over this inept watcher and walks inside.
Simon, walking by Matthew with his fishing supplies, notices Matthew's movements and says, "So you're following me now, huh?" Matthew tells him, "It's a matter of accountability." Simon concludes, "You're here to make sure Quintus knows where to go when it's time to hurt me." Matthew attempts to rephrase the matter: "To settle your debt. I keep track of things. I do it well." Simon says with a smirk, "You're a little off, aren't you?" Matthew, used to ignoring insults, says, "You should turn yourself in." Simon tells him he is still pursuing every option. "There are none," states Matthew. "You must provide information implicating the guilty fishermen or balance the books somehow." Simon puts down his gear and faces him: "Andrew says anything is possible." "Not mathematically," counters Matthew. "What if?" says Simon. "You'd only be subjecting your family and friends to needless anguish by prolonging the inevitable," Matthew replies. "You use a lot of big words," observes Simon. "But no one listens to me," says Matthew honestly. "Not like they do you: you have a singular talent." Simon smiles a bit and says, "That's something at least."
As Simon walks away with his gear, Matthew asks, "Can I assume you are not going to the authorities?" Simon tells him, "I'm going fishing." "Variables. People are always adding variables," says Matthew. "Does it change anything to know you have only until sunup?" That stops Simon, who observes that Shabbat is not for three more days. Matthew informs him Quintus is convinced Simon deceived him and is coming after him. Simon tells Matthew he is still going fishing, adding, "If I'm going down, it will be doing what God built me to do. Tell your boss he can come get me off the water."
Nicodemus is having dinner with his wife, Zohara. She tells him they should be counting their blessings because of how well their trip has gone, predominantly from a material standpoint. Nicodemus responds, "Adonai is great. My eyes are always opened anew in this land." Zohara is dismayed when he informs her they will be staying perhaps weeks longer so he can conclude his research. She counters, "But Nico, surely you can conclude your research in Jerusalem. The archives are there." He simply informs her the matter is decided.
They are both surprised by a knock at the door since they are not expecting anyone. It is Rabbi Yussif. He tells Nicodemus, "I bring news regarding the heretic called John." "The Baptizer?" inquires Nicodemus. "Romans have taken him into custody," says Yussif. He knows this from Shmuel, adding, "I believe he may have given the Romans his location." Nicodemus tells him disapprovingly, "We do not lightly turn Jews over to the Romans. Did the Sanhedrin order this?" "No, teacher," states Yussif. "I want to question the Baptizer myself," says Nicodemus. "I'll make inquiries. Thank you, Yussif." Before Yussif leaves, Nicodemus adds, "I will discuss this with Shmuel myself, huh?"
At night Simon pushes his boat out to sea and casts net after net in different locations and ways not too far from the shore. Matthew, still spying on Simon, hears him after awhile grunting loudly in frustration over not catching anything. Matthew says to his dog with him, "People sometimes bark, too."
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| "Sometimes people bark, too." |
Simon begins speaking to himself in the boat as he labors feverishly, "Cast after cast," and then focuses his attention on God, saying bitterly, "'I will make your descendants as many as the stars in the heavens.' And then what, huh? Make the chosen as many as the stars only to let Egypt enslave us for generations! Bring us out of Egypt, part the Red Sea, only to let us wander in the desert for 40 years! Give us the land, only to let us be exiled to Babylon! Bring us back only to be crushed by Rome! You’re the God I’m supposed to thank? You know, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say You enjoy yanking us around like goats and can’t decide whether we’re chosen or not. Which one is it, huh?"
At this point, Simon’s boat is joined by another, carrying Andrew, Zebedee, James, and John. When they ask who Simon is talking to, he says, "Apparently no one." John is quick to say, "You shouldn't joke like that, my friend." James adds, "Your friends might think you've lost faith." Andrew explains they were tipped off by Eden that Simon needed help. Simon tells them this is his last night as a free man since Quintus is coming for him in the morning. They all work hard to help him catch fish, but do no better together than Simon did alone. Andrew tries to bring up the subject of John pointing to Jesus the Messiah, the Lamb of God. Simon quickly shuts him down, but not without arousing the curiosity Zebedee and his sons. They wonder if Simon should try running away, but Simon does not want to leave the land of their fathers, and is sure the Romans would catch him anyway.
In the morning, Zebedee sighs and says, "Sometimes the sea bests all of us." Simon tells them, "All right. Time to be done." Matthew wakes up on the shore and sees they appear to have caught nothing. As the boats turn toward the shore, Zebedee calls out in alarm to warn them of a crowd there. They assume they are Romans, but as they approach, Andrew excitedly recognizes the man John the Baptizer pointed to teaching the crowd!
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| "Sometimes the sea bests all of us." |
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| "It's Him!" |
Jesus, seeing their boat land in the sand near His feet, asks them if He can come on board to finish His teaching since the crowd is having trouble hearing Him and His shouting voice is "hard on the ears." Andrew quickly says yes. Sullen Simon reluctantly agrees with Andrew's urging and Jesus's kind, understanding demeanor.
Jesus, holding up one of Simon’s nets, says: "This net gathers fish—all kinds," a point He emphasizes twice, especially to Simon and Andrew. "The Kingdom of heaven is like this. After the net is full, the good fish are gathered in barrels and the bad fish thrown away. So it will be at the end of the age. Angels will come and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into a fiery furnace. Do you understand?" He concludes, "Therefore, every scribe who has been trained for the Kingdom of heaven, like you all are now, is like the master of a house who brings forth his treasures, both new and old (Matthew 13:51-52). You are to do the same with this knowledge. These parables I tell make sense to some, not to others. Be patient. That is all for today. I have some business to tend to with My new friend."
Zebedee and his sons are watching and listening with interest by their boat on the shore as they clean and wrap up their nets nearby. So is Matthew. Mary Magdalene, with James and Thaddaeus, were in the crowd that disbursed at Jesus's word, but have stayed to see what Jesus will do next. They do not have long to wait.
Jesus asks Simon to put his boat back out a little into the water and let down his net for a catch. Simon does not want to, but something about the way Jesus looks at him convinces him to at least humor Him—and the net soon becomes so full of fish, it is in danger of breaking! Andrew says to Simon, "I told you!" Zebedee quickly runs over with James and John to help. Soon Simon’s boat is filled with fish! The others look on amazed. Mary brushes aside tears of joy and wonder. Jesus smiles and nods, casting a grateful glance heavenward.
Jumping out of his boat when realizing it can no longer bear his weight with all that fish, Simon kneels before Jesus and says, "You are the Lamb of God, yes?" Jesus answers, "I am." Simon then says humbly, "Depart from me. I am a sinful man. You don't know who I am and the things I've done." Jesus tells him gently not to be afraid. Simon, his eyes cast down, says, "I'm sorry. We have waited for You so long; we believed, but my faith—" Jesus says, "Lift up your head, fisherman." Looking into Jesus's eyes Simon asks, "What do You want from me? Anything You ask I will do." Jesus kneels down and says to him with a smile, "Follow Me." Simon says he will and rises to his feet.
Andrew steps forward next to his brother and addresses Jesus as rabbi. Jesus gives Andrew an approving look and calls over James and John to follow Him as well. Zebedee nods at them joyfully and announces, "I'll take the fish into market and settle up Simon's debt." John asks, "Are you sure?" James wonders what he will tell their mother. Zebedee laughs and says, "You've just been called by the man we've prayed for our entire lives, and you ask me what will I say when you miss supper? Go, now!"
As Jesus walks with His latest disciples, Simon wonders if He would like to do the miracle of the fish a few more times. Andrew quiets him, but Simon claims he was just joking. Jesus, putting a hand on his shoulder, tells him, "Fish are nothing. You have much bigger things ahead of you, Simon, son of Jonah. Did you understand that parable I told earlier? From now on, I will make you fishers of men. And you are to gather as many as possible—all kinds. I will sort them out later."
While Jesus speaks with His disciples, 6 now including Mary, James, and Thaddaeus with the 3 new ones, Zebedee is working with the fish. Matthew walks up to him and says, "This catch is worth a lot." Zebedee chuckles, responding, "It's amazing!" Matthew, looking troubled, states, "It's impossible."
A door creaks open in a dark prison. Rabbi Nicodemus enters hesitantly. Noticing, a slender man seated behind wooden bars in a jail cell says to him, "You are supposed to be the powerful one, yet you are more frightened here than I am." Nicodemus asks him, "Are you the one they call John the Baptizer?" John answers yes as he rises and hobbles over to where they can see one another better. Nicodemus tells him, "I have questions for you about miracles." John looks at him with wide eyes and begins to grin.
Illustrated Summaries of All The Chosen TV Series Episodes (Quotes, Links, and Photos)
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