Matthew 4:18, commentary and pictures

Jesus walking by the Sea of Galilee saw the two brothers Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea because they were fishers. He found them at their ordinary daily work earning their living as fishermen, and that work became the setting for His call to follow Him. These humble, poor working fishermen were His first disciples, and their call marks the very commencement of laying the foundation of the Christian church. He passed by the learned rabbis, lawyers, scribes and dignitaries who felt self-sufficient and would not follow Him, and chose instead men of humble, teachable, obedient spirits who were open to instruction and willing to be shaped. He called them directly to leave nets, boats and occupation and follow Him to become fishers of men, and they straightway left their nets and followed Him promptly without question or hesitation though He promised no gain, wealth or worldly honor.

Setting by the Sea

Jesus walking beside the Sea of Galilee saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea because they were fishers. They were brothers and fishermen at work on the water when He saw them and called them to follow Him and become fishers of people. He took them directly from that work to learn beside Him as He taught the crowds and gave them further explanation afterward.

He found them at their ordinary daily work where they earned their living as fishermen, and that work became the setting for His call to follow Him. He met Simon Peter and Andrew while they were casting a net into the sea and called these working fishermen directly to follow Him and serve in the salvation of souls. Their ordinary occupation sets the scene for His call to give their work a new purpose in helping bring people to salvation, and their immediate response shows faithful obedience even when it means leaving occupation.

The scene came after a night of unsuccessful fishing when the disciples returned discouraged by failure. They were grieving John's death and troubled by doubt, fear and unbelief, and after witnessing His miracles and hearing His teaching they had still gone back for a time to fishing for brief diversion from anxiety. Jesus used Peter's boat to teach the gathered crowd about salvation and the mysteries of the kingdom, with lake, mountains, fields and sunlight illustrating His teaching and bringing eternal life to hearers. He then proved His divine power by a miraculous draught that filled and broke the net and nearly sank the laden boats, convicting Peter of sinful unbelief so that he fell at Jesus' feet.

These humble, sturdy, poor working fishermen were His first disciples, chosen as ordinary working men at the Sea of Galilee. Their call marks the very commencement of laying the foundation of the Christian church. Following Him meant sharing His self-denial and sacrifices rather than receiving a promised payment, certain sum, or fixed wage for service.

The later abundant catch after His resurrection renewed the meaning of that first scene. Though they would no longer have His visible companionship or rely on fishing for livelihood, the risen Jesus would care for them as they carried out His work. Their labor would succeed when joined with Christ's power, and their commission remained after His death as divine power joined human effort and provided for their needs.

Peter's former occupation as a fisherman evokes the simple early Christian assemblies in which he presided, marked not by formal display but by the Spirit's power.

Why Humble Fishermen Chosen

Choosing these humble, uneducated fishermen did not show a preference for ignorance, contempt for education, or opposition to learning. The highest culture, when sanctified by the love and fear of God, receives His approbation. Learning in Christ's school could give an education higher and more far-reaching than the school of the prophets, and no course in rabbinic schools or halls of philosophy could equal that schooling in value. He joined the fishermen to Himself so He could educate them and prepare them to carry on His work after He left, and His knowledge and teaching qualified them for their high commission so that their words and works had world-changing, far-reaching results. Their simple lives, familiarity with hardship, and freedom from love of riches and worldly honor made them receptive to truth and able to develop love for mercy, righteousness, justice, and holiness, while the selection reflected the corruption of religious knowledge by human teachings and worldly ambition among the learned of that time.

He passed by the learned rabbis and chose instead of learned lawyers, scribes and elders, dignitaries, and the rich, talented, great and educated. Exalted by worldly wisdom and self-righteousness, intellectual superiority and trust in learning, position and human wisdom, they felt all-sufficient in themselves with no special need of a Redeemer. With fixed characters and schooled in false traditions and erroneous customs, they would not follow Him and receive His teachings. Those qualified and learned people who believed Him lacked the courage to confess Him and serve despite opposition at risk to standing, and men of learning are not easily reached by practical truth nor easily made humble learners in the school of Christ. Jesus could work with the humble fishermen and train them for the highest work given to mortals.

The fishermen were men of native ability and good natural ability with humble, teachable, obedient and faithful spirits. They were candid, fair, compassionate, kind and sympathetic, open to instruction and willing to be taught and shaped. Free from worldly customs and the religious leaders' bigotry, praise, flattery and self-sufficiency, and unschooled in the traditions and erroneous customs of their time, they rejoiced to be connected with Him and become co-laborers with Him. He saw each person's possibilities and infinite possibilities in them, so that in His hands they would become precious jewels to shine brightly in the kingdom of God, and personal contact and association were how He trained them. When they came forth from His training they were no longer ignorant and uncultured but had become like Him in mind and character, so that others recognized they had been with Jesus.

Trained by hard work and hardship in poverty, obscurity and common duties, clothed with coarse raiment and regarded as of little value, their low social standing did not keep them from serving Him. Their humble occupation as working fishermen of Galilee did not prevent them from becoming workers whose influence would endure with lasting value through eternity. Though unschooled in rabbinic learning and customs, they had ability and a teachable spirit, and He chose people beyond the bounds of rank, wealth, and learning. Their call from the lower ranks of life in the humble walks of life kept the simplicity of habit He had preserved from His life at Nazareth working at the carpenter's trade through His public work proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom to its close.

Yet their understanding of His kingdom and mission was limited because they had absorbed false teachings and the mixed and objectionable sayings of the scribes and Pharisees. They could not yet receive all that He wanted to teach about divine truth, which put a restraint on what He could disclose to them. He had to make room for the new wine of His kingdom in hearts ready to receive His truth.

Call to Become Fishers

Jesus spoke directly to the fishermen at their nets and called them to follow Him, leaving nets, boats, regular occupation and worldly possessions to serve in the salvation of souls. He did not send them to prepare under Jewish teachers, rabbis, or the school of the prophets, but took them straight from their work to be trained by Himself. His word, Follow Me, carried an impelling influence and drawing power that implied all He meant for them, so no long explanation was needed.

With Him they would become fishers of men, turning the work of catching fish into the mission of gathering people. That meant leading souls out of Satan's service into God's service, to gather and warn the world. They would work in faith to save souls by sharing the truth as human channels, while divine power joined their human effort to make the work effective.

He took them to walk and work with Him and to practice His virtues, learning beside Him as He taught the crowds, healed the sick, and traveled from place to place ministering to needs, with further explanation given afterward. They were chosen to witness His miracles, words and works, that they might testify to what they had seen and heard. His meeting them at their labor shows His varied ways of gaining attention in order to proclaim the gospel, and personal contact and association was the method by which He trained them.

They were joined to Himself as first pupils from the common people and were subject to His refining influence for three years under Him as the most perfect educator the world has ever known. No course in rabbinic schools or halls of philosophy could have equaled that schooling in Christ in value. That training qualified them for their high commission, making the ignorant and uncultured like Him in mind and character, so that others took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus. Their testimony was freed from tradition and bigotry, and their words and works had world-changing, far-reaching results, with recorded lessons that carry weight until the end of time.

The call proves that Christ Himself is the only authorized leader of His people, who personally calls His followers. He gathered these helpers at the very beginning of His ministry, laying the foundation of the Christian church.

Immediate Obedience and Sacrifice

Their minds were under Christ's influence, so at His call they came right to His side and straightway left their nets and followed Him. They obeyed promptly, immediately and without delay, without one question, without hesitation, and without dwelling on reasons not to obey. Their response illustrates how those influenced by Christ answer His call, showing faithful obedience to His summons to serve. That obedience takes precedence over binding commitments to human beings, even when it means leaving occupation and father to enter right relation and cooperation with Jesus.

He did not promise them a certain sum, a fixed payment, or a salary equal to their former occupation. He offered no flattering prospects in this life and no promise of gain, wealth, or worldly honor. Following Him meant sharing with Him His self-denial, sacrifices and sufferings, and giving up self-seeking.

They immediately left boats and nets without stipulation, without demand, and without waiting to ask how they would live and sustain family, friends and dependents, though some had friends dependent on them for support. It was enough for them to be with the Saviour, to hear His words and to unite with Him in His work, content in trust in His care. That trust was afterward vindicated, for when they were sent without purse, scrip, shoes or provisions they could answer that they had lacked nothing.

The same call comes today to all whose hearts are touched by His love, including men and women. Faithful, humble workers put God's honor and glory first, and hearts touched by His love put compensation aside. They rejoice to be co-workers with Christ and trust His care without fear. By making God their strength they gain clear perception of duty, unselfish aims and noble purpose above selfish, sordid motives, and entire consecration brings with it the mighty influence of God's power.

Pattern for Gospel Workers

The calling of the two brothers casting their net is the example of how to work that all are to follow. The Lord Himself still calls men and women in the same direct way, from fishing and farming, from the plow and from other common, humble walks of life. He raises up common people without great education, not judging fitness by grammar or business ability but by knowledge of God and willingness to learn and follow, to give the last warning to perishing souls and carry truth to many places. As John was called from his fishing boat, so workers are called from ordinary work for the closing work.

Those so called are not to bind themselves in advance to serve for a term of years under the direction of one group of men, under one branch, or under one human teacher. The Lord Himself must be given opportunity to show duty and to work upon minds. He Himself instructs regarding field of labor and the methods to follow, and as the great Teacher He opens the understanding to see wondrous things in His word. There are many ways to work, including unworked highways and byways, entered with wonderful blessing.

Leaving nets and fishing vocation to join the great Teacher, learn His methods and plans, and work for the salvation of souls is the pattern for today. Men and women will leave their vocations to proclaim the gospel so that multitudes are gathered into the fold. By these eleventh-hour comers the broken ranks left by those who corrupted their way and departed from the faith are filled. Entering thus into right relation with God and cooperation with Jesus, they give up self-seeking and follow in self-denial and sacrifice to win souls.

Christ trained those He gathered at the very beginning by drawing them into practical work beside Himself as He traveled from place to place teaching the people and ministering to their needs. He gathered them about Him while sitting on a rock or some elevated place and gave them instruction, while hundreds would soon listen to His words. This is the model for preparing young people, city workers, and gospel medical missionary evangelists through supervised hands-on labor under experienced leaders, with a place to return for prayer and shared accounts of experience. Such living connection with Christ and following in His footsteps is the highest education, making men laborers together with God, and it teaches ministers to look for and train helpers rather than trying to do everything alone.

Called from their nets without college education, they linked themselves with the Great Teacher and learned precious lessons from the Saviour and knowledge from the Scriptures that qualified them to speak to others of Christ. Only by daily consecration to God can workers be made soul-winners, for humility to receive instruction from above rather than wisdom in one's own estimation, with the renewing power of the Holy Spirit, gives practical, saving energy and true wisdom. Those too poor to pay for schooling and destitute of school knowledge can do the same work where they are for those around them when as sons and daughters of God they consecrate themselves and God works through them. The learning of the most learned remains foolishness for that work unless learned in Christ's school.

They were sturdy, humble, working fishermen of Galilee, chosen to labor with Him in the work of salvation in keeping with the simplicity of habit He preserved from the carpenter's trade at Nazareth with His parents through His public work to its close. Their patient labor in humble occupation, acting with faith and hope and bearing responsibility, shows that religion belongs in daily business and honors faithful work with influence lasting through eternity. That simplicity teaches children and youth, and warns against straining to reach a wonderful height of learning, since desire for knowledge has destroyed many youths before their education was completed.

God accepts the humble, and He selected poor fishermen as companions and scholars because He could not educate the talented and great, schooled as they were in other ways. He chose these humble and unlearned first disciples to train and educate as architects of His church, who in turn were to educate other workers and send them out with the gospel message. The church is thus built on Christ as the true foundation and not on any human foundation, by going constantly from place to place proclaiming salvation through Christ to fill God's house, gathering those who received Jesus as Messiah and were expelled from the synagogues, rather than building fine churches and settling down over them as pastors. The lessons of instruction given them are recorded and will have weight until the end of time, and they must be let to have sanctifying influence on the heart, bring the natural disposition under discipline into practice, and be stood firmly upon when assailed, lest truth be betrayed.