Mark 1:19
And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.
When He had gone a little further by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother in the boat at their ordinary work mending their nets, which had been broken by the great weight of fish just taken, and called them to follow Him.
They were humble, lowly, common toiling fishermen, unlearned and without earthly rank or distinction, yet candid, teachable and free from the prejudice and self-sufficiency of the scribes and Pharisees, and therefore fit to learn from Him.
At once recognizing His divine authority, they obeyed His promise to make them fishers of men, leaving their nets, boats, father and regular occupation to follow Him and carry salvation to the world.
He took them from their fishing work and trained them for ministry by close association and walking with them, so that they grew in mind and character, and their training is the pattern for training young workers under experienced leaders.
The very same Jesus who called fishermen from their boats still calls men and women today from ordinary occupations to leave all at once, put God first, and go with zeal under the Holy Spirit to warn the world and win souls.
Setting by the Sea
This call took place by the Sea of Galilee after the fishermen had toiled through a fruitless night, and as the disciples came to land Jesus taught the waiting crowd from Peter's boat. It is the same calling of the fishermen disciples told in Matthew 4:18-22 and Luke 5:1-11, set on the Sea of Galilee among sailing fishing boats with fishermen aboard and mountains along the shore.
Seated in a fisherman's boat swayed to and fro by the restless waves, He proclaimed in the open air to common people pressing down to the water's edge 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 furnished objects to illustrate His lessons and impress them upon the mind, giving Him no more fitting scene for His labors. No lesson there fell fruitless, but every message from His lips came to some soul as the word of eternal life.
The nets that James the son of Zebedee and John his brother were mending on the shore with the other fishermen had been broken by the great weight of fish just taken. Though Satan was opposing the work, the Spirit of Christ was at work until there came a message acknowledging Him as the Son of God.
Called from Their Nets
Going a little farther on, Jesus saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother in the ship at their ordinary work mending their fishing nets, and called them to follow Him. The nets they were mending on the shore with the other fishermen had been broken by the great weight of fish just taken, and there He spoke to them the same calling given to Peter, to follow Him and be made fishers of men.
They were humble, lowly, common, sturdy toiling fishermen of Galilee, unlearned in the customs of their time, called from common occupations to do His work. He chose them rather than the nation's dignitaries, showing that earthly rank, wealth, and public distinction did not determine whom He valued or called, and their ordinary work and humble standing did not prevent them from being chosen. He honored humble working men in this choice, whose labor-born power will be felt through all eternity.
They had not been shaped by worldly customs or the bigotry of the scribes and Pharisees, but were candid, fair, kind, and free from prejudice. They were naturally able, humble and teachable, not spoiled by praise or flattery and not filled with self-sufficiency, and so were fit to learn from Him and serve His work. Through training and close association with Jesus they became fit to work with Him and grew in mind and character.
At once recognizing His divine authority, they obeyed His promise to make them fishers of men. They left their nets and boats and their father, giving up their regular occupation and fishing and leaving their possessions and worldly goods to follow Him. In doing so they left their work to serve Christ and to carry His teaching to the world to bring people to salvation.
He took them from their fishing work and trained them for ministry, teaching them through the Old Testament and by walking with them. That training of the fishermen who left their nets at His call is the model for training young workers under experienced, consecrated leaders.
Following the Call Today
James and John were at ordinary work in a boat mending their nets when Jesus called them to follow Him, and they left that work to serve Christ. Their leaving a former vocation to follow Him shows that Christ may call people from ordinary occupations and common work to warn the world. People today may likewise leave their occupations to proclaim the gospel, for God calls people from common occupations to serve in His work.
Jesus called His first disciples to leave their nets and follow Him with the promise to make them fishers of men, and that call to leave all and follow Christ to become fishers of men belongs to all, whether men or women. Christ speaks to the souls of His ministers, leading them to lay hold of His work and become fishers of men. True, humble workers put the honor and glory of God first in their hearts. Jesus calling James and John from ordinary work as fishermen exemplifies how people in humble occupations leave daily work to serve Christ and carry the gospel, following Him in self-denial and sacrifice to win souls.
The very same Jesus who called fishermen right from their fishing boats and set them to work still calls people today to go with zeal and earnestness under the Holy Spirit. Those so called refuse to stay content while neighbors and cities remain unwarned that the Lord is coming. They teach all He commanded with His promised presence to the end of the world.
Christ calling the fishermen to leave nets and boats at once and follow Him is the pattern for everyone who has a knowledge of the truth. Union with God and moving by the Spirit of God leads to going at once to the work as the disciples went, without waiting years in a central place to get ready. Beginners should start out and labor under experienced ministers, going out among the people from house to house.
Of old Christ called fishermen, common people, to do His work when He called James the son of Zebedee and John his brother from mending their nets in the ship to be His disciples, and the same pattern will be repeated. The Lord will raise up men and women from among the common people to accomplish His work, with heavenly messengers working with those called common people and fitting them to carry the truth to many places. There will soon be an awakening that will surprise many, and those who do not realize the necessity of what is to be done will be passed by, so now is the time to awake and do what can be done. Choosing co-laborers in the work of salvation from among the sturdy toilers who were fishermen of Galilee reproves those who divide religion from business. Christ honored humble working men whose labor-born power will be felt through all eternity, and working men and women willing to bear responsibilities with faith and hope find that which is great and good in life.