Mark 1:16, commentary and pictures

As He walked by the Sea of Galilee Jesus saw Simon and Andrew at their ordinary work casting a net into the sea from their fishing boats at daybreak after a night without success. He chose humble, unlearned fishermen whose simple habits and freedom from worldly custom and prejudice made them teachable, and through association and training with Him they grew in mind and character. When He called them to leave their nets and boats they immediately left and followed Him to become fishers of men. That promise belongs to all who follow, men and women in humble occupations, whose path is self-denial and sacrifice to win souls and whose power will be felt through eternity. The same call still draws working people today away from farms, businesses, and trades to go out without long delay and warn the world.

Setting by the Sea

The call begins at the Sea of Galilee, where fishers worked from small sailing fishing boats on the water beneath low hills and shoreline. Simon and Andrew were there at their ordinary work as fishermen, casting a net into the sea with nets and ships, called to leave their nets and ships and boats to follow. It was daybreak after a night of fruitless fishing, with Jesus nearby when He saw them.

By the Sea of Galilee Jesus met them at a fisherman's boat and turned the shoreline into His pulpit. The Honored of heaven, the glorious Commander, sat in the boat swayed by the restless waves and proclaimed in the open air the good news of salvation and the great things of His kingdom. He spoke to common people pressing down to the water's edge, with the lake and the mountains and the spreading fields and the sunlight flooding the earth furnishing the most fitting objects to illustrate His lessons and impress them upon the mind. No lesson fell fruitless, for every message from His lips came to some soul as the word of eternal life.

Fishermen Chosen and Trained

Jesus called humble fishermen to follow Him, men whose lives had not been shaped by worldly customs and fashions or by bigotry. Their simple habits, candor, fairness, kindness, and freedom from hardened prejudice made them receptive to His teaching. Because they were free from hardened prejudice they could feel for the suffering of others as He did, and they were able to receive and retain His teaching and preserve it for the benefit of later generations.

Simon and Andrew were ordinary, unlearned fishermen, unlearned in the traditions of their time, yet they possessed native ability and were humble and teachable. Through training and association with Jesus they grew in mind and character until they were no longer ignorant or uncultured. Christ chose such lowly fishermen rather than Jewish dignitaries, and their lack of worldly rank and learning did not prevent their call. They were not filled with self-sufficiency nor spoiled by praise and flattery.

They did not receive their learning from the rabbis, for Christ Himself educated them in the teaching of the Old Testament and taught them as He walked with them. In choosing sturdy toilers from among the fishermen of Galilee as His co-laborers in the work of salvation, He selected humble men from whom went forth a power that will be felt through all eternity. Their training took place through practical work with Him after they left their nets to follow His call. That call was made more impressive by a first miraculous catch showing that success in their work depended on Christ's power joined with their effort, and a later miraculous catch renewed the lesson that even without His visible companionship He would care for and provide for the disciples as they carried out His work of becoming fishers of men.

Call to Follow Today

Simon and Andrew were at their ordinary fishing work casting a net into the sea when Jesus saw them and called them to leave their occupation and follow Him as fishers of men. They immediately left their nets and boats and ships and followed rather than turning to the priests and rulers. The call to discipleship is a call to leave former work and come to Christ.

Their leaving their nets to follow shows that Christ may still call people today away from farms and businesses and trades and other occupations to warn the world. Their example illustrates that people today may leave their occupations to proclaim the gospel.

Their response exemplifies beginning to work for God without first spending years in a place preparing. Those who know the truth should go out to work, under ministers' guidance if they lack experience, and visit people from house to house. Jesus called working fishermen to leave their ordinary work and serve, and He still calls people to go and teach others.

Jesus called His first disciples to leave their nets and follow Him with the promise that He would make them fishers of men, and that work belongs to all, whether men or women. True, humble workers who answer give the honor and glory of God the first place in their hearts. People in humble occupations may be called to carry the gospel message, for following Christ means a path of self-denial and sacrifice directed toward winning people to the Saviour.

The calling of fishermen establishes that God does His work through men and women raised up from among the common people and ordinary people. He fits them for the work by heavenly messengers to carry the truth to many places. That same calling will be repeated by the Lord using means not now seen.

A soon-coming awakening will surprise many, while those who do not realize the necessity of what is to be done will be passed by, making now the time to awake and do what can be done. In choosing sturdy toilers from among the fishermen of Galilee He selected humble men from whom went forth a power that will be felt through all eternity. The verse reproves those who divide religion from business, and teaches that working men and women who are willing to bear responsibilities with faith and hope find that which is great and good in life.