“ARE YOU A MERRY ANDREW?”

The speaker’s voice snapped us to atten­tion at a secondary school Crusader rally. We knew where the question came from. We had seen the huge billboard posters about town, with these words stretched out above the picture of a large tin labelled ‘Andrews Liver Salts’. In those days this was a panacea for all liver disorders, and as a morning drink (fizzy, I think), guaranteed to brighten up our disposition and our day!

What has this to do with the Fish Gate?

The general and logical assumption is that this gate was near the fish market of Jerusalem. In came the fishermen with their catches, prepared for transport and sale by salting or drying. Being on the north wall, the nearest side of the city to the Lake of Galilee, it was convenient for those bringing in fish, and also convenient if any came from the Jordan, or from most parts of the Mediterranean coast. Thinking about this while preparing my article, suddenly I saw the possible answer to a question that had often puzzled me. Did you ever wonder how it was that the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem knew John, a fisherman from Galilee? Maybe he was the one entrusted by the firm ‘Zebedee & Co.’ (Matt. 2:21, Luke 5:10) to go to Jerusalem and sell their catch in that city? It is plausible that John may have travelled there regularly for this purpose, and through his trade become acquainted with the Tem­ple servants, and even known to the High Priest himself, (John 18:15), perhaps as a result of frequent worship as a devout Jew at the Temple.

Nehemiah tells that the beams and doors of the Fish Gate were assembled, bolts and bars affixed in place. But the men involved with this gate do not have their names re­corded. We just read of them as the sons of Hassenah, numbers not known. Even of the father we know nothing but his name. Man has forgotten the workers. Yet we may be sure that God has not. He inspired the fam­ily identification of apparently unimportant men who were entrusted with the protection and strengthening of this rather unromantic gate. Isn’t that encouragement? No matter how unimportant and ordinary we may seem to be, no matter how dull or unromantic our task, God notices faithfulness on the part of his followers. Every Christian’s contribution is important in God’s eyes.

A Gate for All Christians⤒🔗

Why was this gate, under the inspiration of God, second in the line, next to the Sheep Gate?

Look at the illustration of the Lord Jesus, seen in this. As we read of the well-used gate, we naturally think of fish and the trade of fishing. In His call of the fishermen, Jesus symbolically reminder us what every Chris­tian, to a greater or smaller extent, must undertake for the Lord. Each must start training immediately after crossing through the Sheep Gate. Not fishing for fish, but ‘fishing’ for men, was the first occupation for which He prepared His disciples. “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” It is appropriately built next to the Sheep Gate.

We get the same call. We are the ones who now must follow and fish, but only by being connected to the first gate, the Sheep Gate, the place of the Lamb of God. This is our starting point. Only then comes the Fish Gate. And from it we point those whom we would catch, to the starting gate from which we ourselves have come.

I don’t think this is fanciful on my part. There is a connection between these two gates. The wall joined them together, next to each other. I thank God for those who fished for me, and pointed me to the Sheep Gate. None of these were important people. One in particular was an old Brethren spinster, who had great influence on me sixty years ago, leading my Crusader group (now Secondary School Christian Fellowship). Her name must by now be all but forgotten, except by those of us who owed her a great deal – and I wonder how many of us are left? Some would have dismissed her as too old and old-fashioned to work with youth. We girls did not think so. An ordinary person doing an ordinary job? No, she was an ordinary person, doing under God, an extraordinary job. Like her, a multitude of people, who have themselves entered by the Sheep Gate, are now asked to take their own fishing rods or nets, and ‘fish’ for others. This is the way of the Fish Gate.

What is more, this can begin straight away. I have just read two accounts of Moslems who became Christians. One re­turned to his homeland where there were no Christians at all amongst his home group of over a million. He told the Good News, new to him, to his own family and some neighbours, (a dangerous thing to do), and 15 of them received the Lord. Five years later, five evangelists, being himself and four of the original fifteen, were working full time amongst this tribe. The second story, from a different country, was similar.

Bringing your Catch←⤒🔗

So, what has this all to do with the opening of this article, Are you a merry Andrew?

The questioner drew our attention to Andrew, as a less ‘important’ disciple. He was not one of the inner three, Peter, James and John. In fact, his activities are mentioned only three times in the Bible. But each time, he was fishing. Each time, he brought his catch to Jesus.

The first catch was his own brother, Peter. John 1:41 says that the first thing Andrew did after meeting Jesus was to find his brother Simon, and tell him, “We have found the Mes­siah.” Unimportant? What a catch that was! (Philip also, told his friend Nathanael.)

Andrew found a boy with loaves and fish, and brought him to Jesus. I wonder if the boy was reluctant to give up his lunch, but was persuaded by the disciple? Just a little boy. Only one? Unimportant? From this catch were fed five thousand. I read once of an evangelist who was disappointed at one of his meetings, because only one young per­son answered his call to follow Christ. Only one! Unimportant? If I remember aright, that lad’s name was David Livingston.

The third and last story recounted of Andrew was of his being approached by Philip, with some Greeks who wanted to see Jesus. Greeks?

Andrew brought them to Jesus.

So here are three types, the interested, the perhaps reluctant, and seeking foreign­ers, despised Gentiles. Andrew was able to deal with them all. Andrew was a superb ‘fisherman.’

Are You a Merry Andrew? An ordinary person, but used by God to bring others to Christ? There is no greater joy than to be one of God’s fishermen – as all of us should be.

The gate was not repaired by the nobles, the leaders, the academics, but by unnamed sons of an unknown father. Like Andrew, they seized the opportunity. Pray, and watch for opportunities that God brings your way. But make sure you point them in the right direc­tion – to the Sheep Gate.

The Wall←⤒🔗

Three generations of workers are given – Meremoth the son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz; Meshullam son of Berekiah, son of Meshezabel; then a two-generation family – Zadok son of Baanah. Faithful generations are the greatest blessing we can have as a family. Many of us rejoice in the faithfulness of generations of forefathers. Parents, bring your children up so that they too will want to build. Young people, determine on a Christian marriage in a partnership that will encourage both father and mother to continue bringing up children in the Lord’s way.

But there is a note of sadness in this section of the wall. The men of Tekoa worked here, but the nobles would not “put their shoulders to the work, under their supervi­sors.” This sounds as if they were too proud to work under someone else, if not too lazy. Or too proud for manual labour? Or was it just because they were too proud to work by the Fish Gate? Is this too a lesson?

There is building for all to do for the Lord. There is fishing not to be neglected. What excuse do we find for our failure to fish? Does hesitation or refusal indicate pride? It is difficult to be thought of as odd, a religious maniac, a fundamentalist (a dirty word these days, frequently substituted for fanatic.) Pride steps in, and we withdraw our fishing line.

Unimportant sons of Hassenah repairing the gate, did not find excuses, nor did the generations next to them, working on the wall. The puffed-up nobles did. For this, they are accountable to the Judge from heaven. How sad to be one who does not put his shoulder to the wheel, leaving the fishing and labour for others to do. Determine with God’s help, to be a son of Hassenah.

A Final Thought←⤒🔗

Andrew was a superb fisherman, but Jesus surpassed them all. Study how he dealt with Nicodemus, holding out the very bait that would catch his Pharisaic, scholastic mind. Then look at his method with the very opposite, the Woman of Samaria. The bait he dangled before her too, was perfect for her. The Lord can teach us all to use the best bait for our ‘fish’, but this takes willingness, effort, prayer, as did the work in the days of Nehemiah.

Don’t keep the Fish Gate closed.