Two Fishermen Walking Above the Sea of GalileeBible World
4:22Matthew 4:22
And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
By the Sea of Galilee Jesus called James the son of Zebedee and John his brother as they were in the ship with their father mending their nets broken by the miraculous draught, to follow Him and become fishers of men. They immediately left the boat and their father and followed Him at once without delay, hesitation, excuses, or asking questions or stipulations. They were humble, poor, unlearned Galilean fishermen, chosen because they were teachable, honest, and free from worldly pride and false tradition, while the learned scribes, rabbis and rich were passed by because they felt self-sufficient and would not follow. They left their regular occupation, boats, nets, possessions, and home and family ties with no promised salary or worldly honor, trusting Him to sustain them and sharing His self-denial and suffering. He kept them with Himself for three years of training by word, example and miracle to make them like Him in mind and character and fellow workers in saving souls, and that same call still reaches each one today to leave nets, business and farms in prompt, complete obedience.
Setting by the Sea
Matthew 4:22 belongs to Jesus' work by the Sea of Galilee, where He taught crowds from a fisherman's boat and proclaimed salvation to ordinary people, using the lake, mountains, fields, and sunlight to illustrate lessons of eternal life. James the son of Zebedee and John his brother were in a ship with Zebedee their father mending their nets when Jesus called them. Those nets had been broken by the great weight of the miraculous draught of fishes.
The call to follow Him and become fishers of men came after that miracle and after the promise to Peter that from henceforth he would catch men. The verse marks a decisive commitment to leave fishing work and join Jesus as co-laborers. Before this they had witnessed His miracles and heard His teaching but had not fully left their employment, returning to fishing for a time afterward amid grief and fear after John's death. It belongs to their first experience of His ministry as the great Healer.
Those called were John, a Galilean fisherman on the Lake of Galilee and son of Zebedee, and James his brother. The Lord called John from fishing to make him a fisher of people and give him a part in the gospel work. That calling shows He takes men from ordinary occupations to share in His work.
Immediate Obedient Response
James and John immediately left the ship, or boat, and their father Zebedee and followed Jesus when He called them while they were mending nets with their father. Their response was at once, without delay, hesitation, or excuses, a prompt and unquestioning obedience that left boat and father to follow Him. It was the obedience He desires, for believing in Him means walking in His footsteps, and they shared in His self-denial and sacrifices rather than receiving any promised set sum, large salary, or certain payment for service. As humble fishermen called as His first disciples, together with Peter and Andrew, they were to work with Him to bring people from Satan's service into God's service and to witness to His truth free from human traditions.
They obeyed without asking a question, making excuses, seeking explanations, asking for explanations, or making stipulations. Christ gave no long explanation for the call, yet they responded at once and left boat and father to follow Him. Their prompt obedience without questions or promise of wages was to accompany Him in His public work, learn from His words and example, witness His miracles, and become prepared to carry out their commission with wisdom, patience, meekness, earnestness, and energy.
His short, brief invitation implied all He meant for them and carried an impelling, compelling, drawing power in His words that needed no long explanation. That compelling power of the invitation drew their prompt, unquestioning obedience, reflecting how at the beginning of His ministry He gathered helpers to walk and work with Him, practice His virtues, and be prepared to become fishers of men. Ministers are thus to seek and train others to help in the work rather than trying to do everything alone.
Under His influence they came right to His side in immediate and entire consecration, at once leaving ship and father to follow Him and work in harmony with Him. Their response illustrates the influence of Christ and the wholehearted commitment required of those who work in harmony with Him. Just such a response and harmonious work is to be carried on in the present time, and those who so consecrate themselves God will use to accomplish a good work with the mighty influence of His power attending them.
Humble Fishermen Chosen
Those called in the verse were humble, unlearned, poor Galilean fishermen and working men, Christ's first disciples. They were men of simple habits familiar with hardship, not driven by worldly riches, honors, praise, or flattery. While mending nets in a ship with their father Zebedee, James and John with Peter and Andrew were called to leave boat and father and follow, to work with Christ to bring people from Satan's service into God's service and to witness to His truth.
He chose them because they were humble and teachable, men of native ability and good natural capacity whom He could educate for His great work. They had honest minds, candor, fairness, and kindness, with hearts not hardened by blind prejudice and bigotry and not shaped by the customs, fashions, erroneous customs, and false traditions of the world, so that He could pour into them the new wine of His kingdom truth. What He taught them they would not forget but would preserve for the benefit of future generations, and they could feel for the woes and sorrows of others as their Master did.
In the common walks of life many patiently doing daily toil possess dormant powers and latent abilities which, if called into action, the touch of a skillful hand arouses and develops to an equality with the world's most honored men and fits for leadership and service. He deliberately selected fishermen because He knew they would be willing to be molded, educated, and made receptive. He connected such men with Himself and gave them the advantage of association with Himself as teacher, a teacher such as the world's great men never had.
He passed by the learned lawyers, scribes, elders, and rabbis, and the rich, talented, great, and educated men of earth, because those learned men would not follow Him. Coming from His home in glory He did not go to them to choose teachers because He knew He could not educate them, for they were exalted by worldly wisdom and self-righteousness, felt all-sufficient in themselves, felt no need of a Redeemer, trusted their learning and position, and with fixed characters would not receive His teachings. By contrast the humble fishermen and poor peasants rejoiced to be connected with Jesus and to become co-laborers with Him, willing to be taught.
The choice does not oppose education or despise learning, for the highest culture sanctified by the love and fear of God receives approval. He chose the unlearned not because He ignored learning but because they had not been schooled in the false customs and traditions of the world. Men who learn only what the world wants them to learn are not fitted for God's work, and He does not measure efficiency by fluency, knowledge of grammar, business ability, or a degree, nor is God dependent on those things, for the self-sufficient He cannot use but humble and contrite workers who know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent He can use, selecting whom He will on that basis.
His way is to pass by the learned rabbis and call young men from the humble walks of life, from poverty and obscurity, clothed with coarse raiment and looked upon by men as of little value, engaged in the common duties of life. In such men He sees infinite possibilities and great potential, and through His grace in His hands they become precious and useful jewels to shine brightly in the kingdom of God and in His service.
Cost and Trust Involved
Jesus offered no guaranteed wage, set payment, large salary, material gain, flattering prospects in this life, or worldly honor when He called, and to follow Him meant to share His self-denial, sacrifices, and sufferings. James and John answered at once without asking a question or making any stipulation about what they would receive, for His short invitation carried an impelling, drawing power that implied all He meant for them. Their leaving meant giving up their regular occupation, boats, nets, worldly possessions and security, and work, home, and family ties in obedience to His command. In doing so they recognized His divine authority, leaving nets and boats broken by the weight of the miraculous draught of fishes to follow the Saviour.
They did not hesitate or first ask how they would live and sustain themselves and their families and dependent friends, 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. Their unquestioning obedience was trust in His care, and that trust proved true. When He afterward sent them without purse and scrip and shoes they lacked nothing, showing that making God's service supreme and trusting His care leaves no lack.
Trained for Mission
The call was to stay with Him through His public work, to watch how He worked, to hear His teaching, to witness His miracles, and to learn from His words and example so as to carry out their commission with wisdom, patience, meekness, earnestness and energy. They were to become learners who walked and worked with Him, practicing His virtues, and fellow workers and co-laborers with Him in saving souls as fishers of men. That fishing for men meant bringing people out of Satan's service into God's service and witnessing to His truth free from human traditions and false teachings.
He kept them with Himself and connected them with Himself for three years of training under His own care, with Himself as teacher and the most perfect educator the world has known. It was the advantage of association with Himself such as the world's great men never had, a course of study more valuable than any in the schools of the rabbis or the halls of philosophy. Their obedience brought them into that close connection where He trained them to carry forward His work after He left the earth. The lessons of instruction He gave to fit them for future duties are recorded in the Word of God and retain their weight until the end of time.
By linking themselves with the Great Teacher they learned precious lessons from the Saviour, and the knowledge gained from the Scriptures qualified them to speak to others of Christ. Daily consecration to God and the renewing power of the Holy Spirit gave them practical, saving energy, making them truly wise because they were not too wise in their own estimation to receive instruction from above. 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 men took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus.
After He rose in triumph and ascended to His Father, those who had crucified Him were astonished at the boldness of the disciples and the excellent instruction they gave though they were known to be ignorant men, because they had been with Jesus and had learned of Him. Power went forth from these humble working men whom Christ chose to labor with Him in salvation, a power whose effects would be felt through eternity.
They became the foundation of His church and the architects of it whom He trained and educated to educate other workers and send them out with the gospel message to hew timber and quarry stones for the building. That church was to be built not on man's foundation but on Christ the true foundation. At first, however, their understanding of His kingdom and mission was limited and shaped by many false teachings accepted from the scribes and Pharisees, so what they had learned was mixed with error. They were not yet able to receive all the divine truths He wished to disclose, and their limited comprehension restrained what He could teach them.
John not only learned the lessons but put them in practice, and after his Master's death stood firmly upon those principles when assailed by the enemies of truth. Judas was not such a learner, for he did not let the lessons have a sanctifying influence on his heart and did not bring his natural disposition under discipline, which finally led to the betrayal of Christ.
Call Still Today
Jesus calls each person today in the same way He called James and John, and His call still reaches people to leave nets, boats, farms, business, the plow, and other trades and occupations to follow Him, warn the world, and proclaim the gospel. The Lord still calls people from ordinary occupations and from the plow to give the last note of warning to perishing souls, and He personally directs them in their field of service and methods of work. When His love moves the heart, compensation does not come first, for a person rejoices to work with Christ and trusts His care. There are many ways to work for the Master, and the great Teacher opens the understanding of these workers, enabling them to see wondrous things in His word.
Believing in Him means walking in His footsteps in prompt, complete obedience, following the example of James and John who at once left their work mending nets and left their father to follow Jesus when He called them. When the Lord decidedly calls to a certain work, obedience must be prompt and complete, walking by faith and not by sight, without waiting until all the necessary means are in hand. Their response illustrates the call to leave all and join Christ, learn from Him, and work for the salvation of souls. Those who give themselves to ministry must leave business entanglements that would coarsen their lives or hinder their spiritual growth and Christlike service.
Just such immediate and entire consecration and harmonious work is to be carried on in the present time, for at His call they came right to His side, at once leaving their ship and their father to follow Him and work in harmony with Him. Those who so consecrate themselves to Christ God will use to accomplish a good work, and the mighty influence of God's power will be with them. At the beginning of His ministry Christ gathered helpers, which teaches that ministers should seek and train others to help in their work rather than trying to do everything alone. Their example supports training young people and young workers under experienced, consecrated leaders for practical work and guidance in sharing the gospel.
Those whose hearts are touched by His love do not put compensation first but rejoice to be co-workers with Christ, make God their strength, and live with clear duty and unselfish purpose above sordid and selfish motives. He called with no flattering prospects in this life and no promise of gain or worldly honor, and they made no stipulation about what they would receive, obeying at once and leaving boats and nets even though some had friends dependent on them for support, without hesitating or asking how they would live and sustain their family. It was enough for them to be with the Saviour, to hear His words and unite with Him in His work, and their obedience proved that making God's service supreme and trusting His care leaves no lack, for afterward when sent without purse and scrip and shoes they lacked nothing. The same call comes today, setting the pattern that those called now rejoice to be co-workers with Christ without making compensation uppermost.
Workers for Christ need not have great education, college training, or schooling from the rabbis if they love Him, because without first going elsewhere to learn or consult others His spiritual teaching can take hold of mind, soul, and abilities and prepare them to preach effectively and carry truth to many places. God can choose people from among ordinary people and raise up ordinary people to do His work, equipping them to carry the truth to many places. By daily consecration to God even those too poor and unschooled to attend school become soul-winners, for as they consecrate themselves God works through them. The knowledge they gain from the Scriptures qualifies them to speak to others of Christ, linking themselves with the Great Teacher and learning precious lessons from the Saviour, and they become truly wise because they are not too wise in their own estimation to receive instruction from above, while the renewing power of the Holy Spirit gives them practical, saving energy. Their lack of college education did not prevent them from receiving an education in Christ's school, which can prepare willing, ready-hearted people for service.
The Lord Himself calls, instructs regarding field of labor and methods, opens understanding to see wondrous things in His Word, and personally directs service, so workers should be bound to God alone and remain free rather than binding themselves for years under human tuition, direction, or one branch of work. He must be given opportunity to show men their duty and to work upon their minds, so no one is to bind himself to serve for a term of years under the direction of one group of men or in one specified branch of the Master's work. Workers should remain free to follow God's direction rather than bind themselves for years to one person's supervision or a single branch of work. Their example shows that ordinary working people can serve in important responsibilities and that religion is not separate from daily work.
The verse teaches children and youth simplicity, and warns against straining to reach a wonderful height of learning, because desire for knowledge has destroyed many a youth before his education was completed. Christ Himself did not have a college education but lived His life in simplicity, living and preaching the truth, with the light of the gospel shining on the pathway of those who heard Him. He chose unlearned fishermen not because He ignored learning or despised education but because they had not been schooled in the false customs and traditions of the world, being men of good natural ability and of a humble, teachable spirit whom He could educate for His great work. In the ordinary walks of life many men patiently doing daily toil possess dormant powers which, if called into action, would raise them to an equality with the world's most honored men, needing only the touch of a skillful hand to arouse and develop them, and He connected such men with Himself and gave them three years of training under His own care as the best and truest educator, a course more valuable than any in the schools of the rabbis or the halls of philosophy. Every young man fails in duty to himself and to God's purpose if he does not improve and enlarge his faculties by study, reflection, and learning in the school of Christ.
Their example shows that people from ordinary walks of life can be called to labor for God in important responsibilities, that religion is not separate from daily work, and that Christ wants workers willing to learn from Him, serve wherever needed, and do any work without striving for supremacy. Christ chose men He could bring into close connection with Himself so He could shape them. Their prompt leaving of ship and father to follow Christ illustrates the call to leave other claims behind, join Christ, and learn from Him how to work for the salvation of souls, for Christ chose them and kept them with Him so He could educate and prepare them to carry on His work.
By the Sea of Galilee Jesus called James the son of Zebedee and John his brother as they were in the ship with their father mending their nets broken by the miraculous draught, to follow Him and become fishers of men. They immediately left the boat and their father and followed Him at once without delay, hesitation, excuses, or asking questions or stipulations. They were humble, poor, unlearned Galilean fishermen, chosen because they were teachable, honest, and free from worldly pride and false tradition, while the learned scribes, rabbis and rich were passed by because they felt self-sufficient and would not follow. They left their regular occupation, boats, nets, possessions, and home and family ties with no promised salary or worldly honor, trusting Him to sustain them and sharing His self-denial and suffering. He kept them with Himself for three years of training by word, example and miracle to make them like Him in mind and character and fellow workers in saving souls, and that same call still reaches each one today to leave nets, business and farms in prompt, complete obedience.
Setting by the Sea
Matthew 4:22 belongs to Jesus' work by the Sea of Galilee, where He taught crowds from a fisherman's boat and proclaimed salvation to ordinary people, using the lake, mountains, fields, and sunlight to illustrate lessons of eternal life. James the son of Zebedee and John his brother were in a ship with Zebedee their father mending their nets when Jesus called them. Those nets had been broken by the great weight of the miraculous draught of fishes.
The call to follow Him and become fishers of men came after that miracle and after the promise to Peter that from henceforth he would catch men. The verse marks a decisive commitment to leave fishing work and join Jesus as co-laborers. Before this they had witnessed His miracles and heard His teaching but had not fully left their employment, returning to fishing for a time afterward amid grief and fear after John's death. It belongs to their first experience of His ministry as the great Healer.
Those called were John, a Galilean fisherman on the Lake of Galilee and son of Zebedee, and James his brother. The Lord called John from fishing to make him a fisher of people and give him a part in the gospel work. That calling shows He takes men from ordinary occupations to share in His work.
Immediate Obedient Response
James and John immediately left the ship, or boat, and their father Zebedee and followed Jesus when He called them while they were mending nets with their father. Their response was at once, without delay, hesitation, or excuses, a prompt and unquestioning obedience that left boat and father to follow Him. It was the obedience He desires, for believing in Him means walking in His footsteps, and they shared in His self-denial and sacrifices rather than receiving any promised set sum, large salary, or certain payment for service. As humble fishermen called as His first disciples, together with Peter and Andrew, they were to work with Him to bring people from Satan's service into God's service and to witness to His truth free from human traditions.
They obeyed without asking a question, making excuses, seeking explanations, asking for explanations, or making stipulations. Christ gave no long explanation for the call, yet they responded at once and left boat and father to follow Him. Their prompt obedience without questions or promise of wages was to accompany Him in His public work, learn from His words and example, witness His miracles, and become prepared to carry out their commission with wisdom, patience, meekness, earnestness, and energy.
His short, brief invitation implied all He meant for them and carried an impelling, compelling, drawing power in His words that needed no long explanation. That compelling power of the invitation drew their prompt, unquestioning obedience, reflecting how at the beginning of His ministry He gathered helpers to walk and work with Him, practice His virtues, and be prepared to become fishers of men. Ministers are thus to seek and train others to help in the work rather than trying to do everything alone.
Under His influence they came right to His side in immediate and entire consecration, at once leaving ship and father to follow Him and work in harmony with Him. Their response illustrates the influence of Christ and the wholehearted commitment required of those who work in harmony with Him. Just such a response and harmonious work is to be carried on in the present time, and those who so consecrate themselves God will use to accomplish a good work with the mighty influence of His power attending them.
Humble Fishermen Chosen
Those called in the verse were humble, unlearned, poor Galilean fishermen and working men, Christ's first disciples. They were men of simple habits familiar with hardship, not driven by worldly riches, honors, praise, or flattery. While mending nets in a ship with their father Zebedee, James and John with Peter and Andrew were called to leave boat and father and follow, to work with Christ to bring people from Satan's service into God's service and to witness to His truth.
He chose them because they were humble and teachable, men of native ability and good natural capacity whom He could educate for His great work. They had honest minds, candor, fairness, and kindness, with hearts not hardened by blind prejudice and bigotry and not shaped by the customs, fashions, erroneous customs, and false traditions of the world, so that He could pour into them the new wine of His kingdom truth. What He taught them they would not forget but would preserve for the benefit of future generations, and they could feel for the woes and sorrows of others as their Master did.
In the common walks of life many patiently doing daily toil possess dormant powers and latent abilities which, if called into action, the touch of a skillful hand arouses and develops to an equality with the world's most honored men and fits for leadership and service. He deliberately selected fishermen because He knew they would be willing to be molded, educated, and made receptive. He connected such men with Himself and gave them the advantage of association with Himself as teacher, a teacher such as the world's great men never had.
He passed by the learned lawyers, scribes, elders, and rabbis, and the rich, talented, great, and educated men of earth, because those learned men would not follow Him. Coming from His home in glory He did not go to them to choose teachers because He knew He could not educate them, for they were exalted by worldly wisdom and self-righteousness, felt all-sufficient in themselves, felt no need of a Redeemer, trusted their learning and position, and with fixed characters would not receive His teachings. By contrast the humble fishermen and poor peasants rejoiced to be connected with Jesus and to become co-laborers with Him, willing to be taught.
The choice does not oppose education or despise learning, for the highest culture sanctified by the love and fear of God receives approval. He chose the unlearned not because He ignored learning but because they had not been schooled in the false customs and traditions of the world. Men who learn only what the world wants them to learn are not fitted for God's work, and He does not measure efficiency by fluency, knowledge of grammar, business ability, or a degree, nor is God dependent on those things, for the self-sufficient He cannot use but humble and contrite workers who know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent He can use, selecting whom He will on that basis.
His way is to pass by the learned rabbis and call young men from the humble walks of life, from poverty and obscurity, clothed with coarse raiment and looked upon by men as of little value, engaged in the common duties of life. In such men He sees infinite possibilities and great potential, and through His grace in His hands they become precious and useful jewels to shine brightly in the kingdom of God and in His service.
Cost and Trust Involved
Jesus offered no guaranteed wage, set payment, large salary, material gain, flattering prospects in this life, or worldly honor when He called, and to follow Him meant to share His self-denial, sacrifices, and sufferings. James and John answered at once without asking a question or making any stipulation about what they would receive, for His short invitation carried an impelling, drawing power that implied all He meant for them. Their leaving meant giving up their regular occupation, boats, nets, worldly possessions and security, and work, home, and family ties in obedience to His command. In doing so they recognized His divine authority, leaving nets and boats broken by the weight of the miraculous draught of fishes to follow the Saviour.
They did not hesitate or first ask how they would live and sustain themselves and their families and dependent friends, 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. Their unquestioning obedience was trust in His care, and that trust proved true. When He afterward sent them without purse and scrip and shoes they lacked nothing, showing that making God's service supreme and trusting His care leaves no lack.
Trained for Mission
The call was to stay with Him through His public work, to watch how He worked, to hear His teaching, to witness His miracles, and to learn from His words and example so as to carry out their commission with wisdom, patience, meekness, earnestness and energy. They were to become learners who walked and worked with Him, practicing His virtues, and fellow workers and co-laborers with Him in saving souls as fishers of men. That fishing for men meant bringing people out of Satan's service into God's service and witnessing to His truth free from human traditions and false teachings.
He kept them with Himself and connected them with Himself for three years of training under His own care, with Himself as teacher and the most perfect educator the world has known. It was the advantage of association with Himself such as the world's great men never had, a course of study more valuable than any in the schools of the rabbis or the halls of philosophy. Their obedience brought them into that close connection where He trained them to carry forward His work after He left the earth. The lessons of instruction He gave to fit them for future duties are recorded in the Word of God and retain their weight until the end of time.
By linking themselves with the Great Teacher they learned precious lessons from the Saviour, and the knowledge gained from the Scriptures qualified them to speak to others of Christ. Daily consecration to God and the renewing power of the Holy Spirit gave them practical, saving energy, making them truly wise because they were not too wise in their own estimation to receive instruction from above. 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 men took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus.
After He rose in triumph and ascended to His Father, those who had crucified Him were astonished at the boldness of the disciples and the excellent instruction they gave though they were known to be ignorant men, because they had been with Jesus and had learned of Him. Power went forth from these humble working men whom Christ chose to labor with Him in salvation, a power whose effects would be felt through eternity.
They became the foundation of His church and the architects of it whom He trained and educated to educate other workers and send them out with the gospel message to hew timber and quarry stones for the building. That church was to be built not on man's foundation but on Christ the true foundation. At first, however, their understanding of His kingdom and mission was limited and shaped by many false teachings accepted from the scribes and Pharisees, so what they had learned was mixed with error. They were not yet able to receive all the divine truths He wished to disclose, and their limited comprehension restrained what He could teach them.
John not only learned the lessons but put them in practice, and after his Master's death stood firmly upon those principles when assailed by the enemies of truth. Judas was not such a learner, for he did not let the lessons have a sanctifying influence on his heart and did not bring his natural disposition under discipline, which finally led to the betrayal of Christ.
Call Still Today
Jesus calls each person today in the same way He called James and John, and His call still reaches people to leave nets, boats, farms, business, the plow, and other trades and occupations to follow Him, warn the world, and proclaim the gospel. The Lord still calls people from ordinary occupations and from the plow to give the last note of warning to perishing souls, and He personally directs them in their field of service and methods of work. When His love moves the heart, compensation does not come first, for a person rejoices to work with Christ and trusts His care. There are many ways to work for the Master, and the great Teacher opens the understanding of these workers, enabling them to see wondrous things in His word.
Believing in Him means walking in His footsteps in prompt, complete obedience, following the example of James and John who at once left their work mending nets and left their father to follow Jesus when He called them. When the Lord decidedly calls to a certain work, obedience must be prompt and complete, walking by faith and not by sight, without waiting until all the necessary means are in hand. Their response illustrates the call to leave all and join Christ, learn from Him, and work for the salvation of souls. Those who give themselves to ministry must leave business entanglements that would coarsen their lives or hinder their spiritual growth and Christlike service.
Just such immediate and entire consecration and harmonious work is to be carried on in the present time, for at His call they came right to His side, at once leaving their ship and their father to follow Him and work in harmony with Him. Those who so consecrate themselves to Christ God will use to accomplish a good work, and the mighty influence of God's power will be with them. At the beginning of His ministry Christ gathered helpers, which teaches that ministers should seek and train others to help in their work rather than trying to do everything alone. Their example supports training young people and young workers under experienced, consecrated leaders for practical work and guidance in sharing the gospel.
Those whose hearts are touched by His love do not put compensation first but rejoice to be co-workers with Christ, make God their strength, and live with clear duty and unselfish purpose above sordid and selfish motives. He called with no flattering prospects in this life and no promise of gain or worldly honor, and they made no stipulation about what they would receive, obeying at once and leaving boats and nets even though some had friends dependent on them for support, without hesitating or asking how they would live and sustain their family. It was enough for them to be with the Saviour, to hear His words and unite with Him in His work, and their obedience proved that making God's service supreme and trusting His care leaves no lack, for afterward when sent without purse and scrip and shoes they lacked nothing. The same call comes today, setting the pattern that those called now rejoice to be co-workers with Christ without making compensation uppermost.
Workers for Christ need not have great education, college training, or schooling from the rabbis if they love Him, because without first going elsewhere to learn or consult others His spiritual teaching can take hold of mind, soul, and abilities and prepare them to preach effectively and carry truth to many places. God can choose people from among ordinary people and raise up ordinary people to do His work, equipping them to carry the truth to many places. By daily consecration to God even those too poor and unschooled to attend school become soul-winners, for as they consecrate themselves God works through them. The knowledge they gain from the Scriptures qualifies them to speak to others of Christ, linking themselves with the Great Teacher and learning precious lessons from the Saviour, and they become truly wise because they are not too wise in their own estimation to receive instruction from above, while the renewing power of the Holy Spirit gives them practical, saving energy. Their lack of college education did not prevent them from receiving an education in Christ's school, which can prepare willing, ready-hearted people for service.
The Lord Himself calls, instructs regarding field of labor and methods, opens understanding to see wondrous things in His Word, and personally directs service, so workers should be bound to God alone and remain free rather than binding themselves for years under human tuition, direction, or one branch of work. He must be given opportunity to show men their duty and to work upon their minds, so no one is to bind himself to serve for a term of years under the direction of one group of men or in one specified branch of the Master's work. Workers should remain free to follow God's direction rather than bind themselves for years to one person's supervision or a single branch of work. Their example shows that ordinary working people can serve in important responsibilities and that religion is not separate from daily work.
The verse teaches children and youth simplicity, and warns against straining to reach a wonderful height of learning, because desire for knowledge has destroyed many a youth before his education was completed. Christ Himself did not have a college education but lived His life in simplicity, living and preaching the truth, with the light of the gospel shining on the pathway of those who heard Him. He chose unlearned fishermen not because He ignored learning or despised education but because they had not been schooled in the false customs and traditions of the world, being men of good natural ability and of a humble, teachable spirit whom He could educate for His great work. In the ordinary walks of life many men patiently doing daily toil possess dormant powers which, if called into action, would raise them to an equality with the world's most honored men, needing only the touch of a skillful hand to arouse and develop them, and He connected such men with Himself and gave them three years of training under His own care as the best and truest educator, a course more valuable than any in the schools of the rabbis or the halls of philosophy. Every young man fails in duty to himself and to God's purpose if he does not improve and enlarge his faculties by study, reflection, and learning in the school of Christ.
Their example shows that people from ordinary walks of life can be called to labor for God in important responsibilities, that religion is not separate from daily work, and that Christ wants workers willing to learn from Him, serve wherever needed, and do any work without striving for supremacy. Christ chose men He could bring into close connection with Himself so He could shape them. Their prompt leaving of ship and father to follow Christ illustrates the call to leave other claims behind, join Christ, and learn from Him how to work for the salvation of souls, for Christ chose them and kept them with Him so He could educate and prepare them to carry on His work.