Continued research for my next historical novel: Peter and Paul.
Ready or not, a time comes to start writing. Not
that I have all the answers, but I think I exposed most of the questions; at
least enough of them to start the story.
I will continue with research; I usually do while I write. Below a short sample how the
story could (but not necessarily will) start.
Chapter ONE (draft)
“I miss fishing,” he said out loud
to no one in particular, his mind drifting back, far, far back to a different
life, a different reality. His eyes wandered aimlessly, reaching beyond today,
beyond the immediate, a wistful smile barely widening his mouth.
“I miss fishing,” he repeated,
seemingly to himself.
They were all gathered, still
together, in Bethany, were the Master had left them. Only one week ago. He
didn’t say goodbye. No, not goodbye, just so long. In fact He’d said that He’d
never leave them. Never.
It didn’t feel like it.
"I miss fishing,” Shimon
said, once again, his tone filled with longing. It was beginning to sound like
a far-eastern mantra the Master once told him about.
Then he sighed deeply. He always
sighed when he thought of the Mount of Olives. That is where he escaped into
memories of way-back-when. When he’d first met the Yeshûa. Then he relaxed and allowed his mind to retreat even further
back. Back to when he’d cast nets in the Lake Gennesareth. The Lake of his
childhood.
“I’ll make you fisher of men,” He’d said.
Only He didn’t. And now,
He’d left. And I am still here. Alone. Quite alone. Why do they look up to me?
I am nobody. I’m ignorant. I know nothing. I am a fisherman. A fisherman of
fish, in my lake.
His eyes reached far from shore, fishing for memories.
(to be continued)
I am adding my comments with tongue in cheek because although I have spent much time reading different books and the 500 Gnostic texts that the Nicene Council threw out, for the sake of stimulating your blog, I will throw in some things.
ReplyDeleteI am of the opinion that Yeshua knew all of the men he selected to be his disciples. They were all of Galilee; all of Yeshua'a teachings were in Galilee and it was a rich area consisting of farming and fishing and that is why his parables were of farming and fishing.
By the Gnostic Gospels, Peter was fairly well off and owned a fishing boat and he was exceedingly stubborn. IN fact after Yeshua passed, he left his wife to spread the word and wouldn't let her be with him. He was like the old Jewish tradition that women should stand back.
According to the Gnostic texts, different disciples did not get along with each other and they traded off as partners as they spread out through the territories.