And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.
Mark 1:18 records the moment on the shore of Galilee when fishermen mending nets broken by the great catch left nets, boats and livelihood at once in obedience to Christ's call to follow Him and become fishers of men. It marks their change from partial following while still keeping their employment to full union with Him as co-laborers, forsaking their former life to unite their interests with His. It shows that God passes by worldly rank, wealth and learning and chooses humble, teachable working men and women, esteeming them for piety and fitting them to carry His work. True response is immediate obedience that sets aside ordinary business and trade and business entanglements in self-denial and sacrifice in order to win souls. That same call still speaks to all, men and women from farms, trades and common walks of life, to go at once with zeal to warn the world and teach all He commanded.
Setting by the Sea
Mark 1:18 belongs to the call by the sea, given also in Matthew 4:18-22 and Luke 5:1-11. It is set where Jesus sat in a fisherman's boat on the Sea of Galilee and proclaimed salvation and His kingdom in the open air to common people pressing to the water's edge. The glorious Commander honored in heaven sat in a boat swayed to and fro by restless waves to proclaim the good news of salvation and the great things of His kingdom. The lake, the mountains, the spreading fields, and the sunlight flooding the earth gave a fitting setting that furnished objects to illustrate His lessons and impress them upon the mind. No lesson fell fruitless, and every message came to some soul as eternal life.
The verse is set on a morning after a night of unsuccessful fishing, when the disciples had come ashore and Jesus used Peter's boat to teach the gathered crowd from the water. It marks the change from partial following to full union as co-laborers, for until then the disciples had witnessed miracles and heard teaching without entirely leaving employment. After John's imprisonment and disappointment they had returned for a time to fishing, but now were called to forsake their former life and unite their interests with His, leaving all at once. The call was spoken on the shore while the fishermen were mending their nets broken by the great weight of fish just taken.
The call began in the disciples' ordinary workplace, and they learned not from the rabbis but through the Old Testament and Christ's teaching as He walked with them, modeling the call to become co-workers with God. The calling began a work the disciples were still responsible to do after Jesus' death. The later miraculous catch reminded them that their risen Saviour cared and would provide for them as they worked. They would succeed as divine power united with their human effort in connection with Christ.
Humble Fishermen Chosen
Straightway leaving their nets and livelihood to go with Christ when called shows that God passes by worldly genius, high birth, wealth and titles, which bring no special favor with Him, and chooses men from humble walks of life and esteems them for piety alone. Lowly position and lack of learning did not prevent His choice, for earthly rank and status had no value in it. People of quick understanding and talent who are not ordained ministers, when consecrated and humble and following on to know the Lord, become fit to understand His work and to be entrusted with His goods to trade upon, so their judgment in the management and working of the cause must not be ignored.
Their worldly simplicity, candor, fairness, kindness, and freedom from hardened prejudice made them fit for the work, for He could teach them ideas they would remember and preserve for future generations. Their humility and freedom from worldly customs and prejudice made them receptive to teaching, and though lowly in the world's eyes they were chosen because they were candid, fair, kind, and able to feel for others. Jesus chose sturdy toilers from among the fishermen of Galilee to be His co-laborers in the work of salvation. These humble working men reprove those who divide religion from business, and from them went forth a power that will be felt through all eternity, teaching that working men and women who are willing to bear responsibilities with faith and hope find that which is great and good in life.
The disciples were humble and teachable, and their time with Jesus trained them for His work and shaped them in mind and character. They left their ordinary work to follow when called and were trained through practical work, which supports training young people for mission work under experienced, consecrated leaders by combining instruction with active service. At once they left nets and boats, gave up regular occupation and left worldly possessions in obedience to the command of their Lord, because they recognized the divine authority of Jesus. Their immediate leaving was obedience and willingness to give up regular work, accepting His call to become fishers of men.
That call to leave nets and follow with the promise to be made fishers of men belongs to all, whether men or women, and Christ speaks to the souls of His ministers to lead them to lay hold of His work. True, humble workers put the honor and glory of God first in their hearts. As Jesus called ordinary fishermen who left their work to follow Him, so God still calls men and women from among the common people to do His work. Heavenly messengers fit and equip them to carry the truth to many places and to others. Those who fail to recognize the work that needs doing may be passed by, so now is the time to act.
Leaving All to Follow
The call is to leave ordinary business and trade to take up work for Christ, just as the fishermen left their nets to follow Him and just as Matthew joyfully left his work as a publican in obedience. That same call still applies, for Christ calls men from farms, from merchandise, and from various trades to go forth and warn the world, and people today may likewise leave their vocations to proclaim the gospel.
True response is immediate obedience that sets aside ordinary work when called, leaving nets and ships at once, and following Him means walking in self-denial and sacrifice without seeking the highest seat in order to win souls to the Saviour. God still calls men from humble walks of life such as the plow and the vineyard to go forth with the gospel message for this time. Those who give themselves to ministry must by that example leave business entanglements that would coarsen their lives, tarnish their Christlike character, or hinder spiritual growth. Ministers must give their undivided interest to the Lord's work and not let personal business enterprises distract them from leading souls to the Saviour.
Leaving the nets and immediately following illustrates coming to Christ and answering God's call, entering into right relation with God, and cooperating with Jesus. The very same Jesus and the very same teacher who called fishermen right from their boats and set them to work still calls people today to go with that same zeal and earnestness. They are not to stay content with unwarned neighbors and unwarned cities, but to warn everyone that the Lord is coming and to teach them all He commanded, with His presence to the end of the world. Union and connection with God and being moved by His Spirit causes those who see the work and hear about it to go in the same immediate way the disciples went just as He said, at once. The call is not to remain in one place for years to get ready, but for everyone who has a knowledge of the truth to start out and go to work at once, laboring under ministers if without experience, going out among the people from house to house.
Mark 1:18 records the moment on the shore of Galilee when fishermen mending nets broken by the great catch left nets, boats and livelihood at once in obedience to Christ's call to follow Him and become fishers of men. It marks their change from partial following while still keeping their employment to full union with Him as co-laborers, forsaking their former life to unite their interests with His. It shows that God passes by worldly rank, wealth and learning and chooses humble, teachable working men and women, esteeming them for piety and fitting them to carry His work. True response is immediate obedience that sets aside ordinary business and trade and business entanglements in self-denial and sacrifice in order to win souls. That same call still speaks to all, men and women from farms, trades and common walks of life, to go at once with zeal to warn the world and teach all He commanded.
Setting by the Sea
Mark 1:18 belongs to the call by the sea, given also in Matthew 4:18-22 and Luke 5:1-11. It is set where Jesus sat in a fisherman's boat on the Sea of Galilee and proclaimed salvation and His kingdom in the open air to common people pressing to the water's edge. The glorious Commander honored in heaven sat in a boat swayed to and fro by restless waves to proclaim the good news of salvation and the great things of His kingdom. The lake, the mountains, the spreading fields, and the sunlight flooding the earth gave a fitting setting that furnished objects to illustrate His lessons and impress them upon the mind. No lesson fell fruitless, and every message came to some soul as eternal life.
The verse is set on a morning after a night of unsuccessful fishing, when the disciples had come ashore and Jesus used Peter's boat to teach the gathered crowd from the water. It marks the change from partial following to full union as co-laborers, for until then the disciples had witnessed miracles and heard teaching without entirely leaving employment. After John's imprisonment and disappointment they had returned for a time to fishing, but now were called to forsake their former life and unite their interests with His, leaving all at once. The call was spoken on the shore while the fishermen were mending their nets broken by the great weight of fish just taken.
The call began in the disciples' ordinary workplace, and they learned not from the rabbis but through the Old Testament and Christ's teaching as He walked with them, modeling the call to become co-workers with God. The calling began a work the disciples were still responsible to do after Jesus' death. The later miraculous catch reminded them that their risen Saviour cared and would provide for them as they worked. They would succeed as divine power united with their human effort in connection with Christ.
Humble Fishermen Chosen
Straightway leaving their nets and livelihood to go with Christ when called shows that God passes by worldly genius, high birth, wealth and titles, which bring no special favor with Him, and chooses men from humble walks of life and esteems them for piety alone. Lowly position and lack of learning did not prevent His choice, for earthly rank and status had no value in it. People of quick understanding and talent who are not ordained ministers, when consecrated and humble and following on to know the Lord, become fit to understand His work and to be entrusted with His goods to trade upon, so their judgment in the management and working of the cause must not be ignored.
Their worldly simplicity, candor, fairness, kindness, and freedom from hardened prejudice made them fit for the work, for He could teach them ideas they would remember and preserve for future generations. Their humility and freedom from worldly customs and prejudice made them receptive to teaching, and though lowly in the world's eyes they were chosen because they were candid, fair, kind, and able to feel for others. Jesus chose sturdy toilers from among the fishermen of Galilee to be His co-laborers in the work of salvation. These humble working men reprove those who divide religion from business, and from them went forth a power that will be felt through all eternity, teaching that working men and women who are willing to bear responsibilities with faith and hope find that which is great and good in life.
The disciples were humble and teachable, and their time with Jesus trained them for His work and shaped them in mind and character. They left their ordinary work to follow when called and were trained through practical work, which supports training young people for mission work under experienced, consecrated leaders by combining instruction with active service. At once they left nets and boats, gave up regular occupation and left worldly possessions in obedience to the command of their Lord, because they recognized the divine authority of Jesus. Their immediate leaving was obedience and willingness to give up regular work, accepting His call to become fishers of men.
That call to leave nets and follow with the promise to be made fishers of men belongs to all, whether men or women, and Christ speaks to the souls of His ministers to lead them to lay hold of His work. True, humble workers put the honor and glory of God first in their hearts. As Jesus called ordinary fishermen who left their work to follow Him, so God still calls men and women from among the common people to do His work. Heavenly messengers fit and equip them to carry the truth to many places and to others. Those who fail to recognize the work that needs doing may be passed by, so now is the time to act.
Leaving All to Follow
The call is to leave ordinary business and trade to take up work for Christ, just as the fishermen left their nets to follow Him and just as Matthew joyfully left his work as a publican in obedience. That same call still applies, for Christ calls men from farms, from merchandise, and from various trades to go forth and warn the world, and people today may likewise leave their vocations to proclaim the gospel.
True response is immediate obedience that sets aside ordinary work when called, leaving nets and ships at once, and following Him means walking in self-denial and sacrifice without seeking the highest seat in order to win souls to the Saviour. God still calls men from humble walks of life such as the plow and the vineyard to go forth with the gospel message for this time. Those who give themselves to ministry must by that example leave business entanglements that would coarsen their lives, tarnish their Christlike character, or hinder spiritual growth. Ministers must give their undivided interest to the Lord's work and not let personal business enterprises distract them from leading souls to the Saviour.
Leaving the nets and immediately following illustrates coming to Christ and answering God's call, entering into right relation with God, and cooperating with Jesus. The very same Jesus and the very same teacher who called fishermen right from their boats and set them to work still calls people today to go with that same zeal and earnestness. They are not to stay content with unwarned neighbors and unwarned cities, but to warn everyone that the Lord is coming and to teach them all He commanded, with His presence to the end of the world. Union and connection with God and being moved by His Spirit causes those who see the work and hear about it to go in the same immediate way the disciples went just as He said, at once. The call is not to remain in one place for years to get ready, but for everyone who has a knowledge of the truth to start out and go to work at once, laboring under ministers if without experience, going out among the people from house to house.