Ep. 19: Fishers of men
MATTHEW 4:18-22, MARK 1:16-20, LUKE 5:1-11
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As Jesus returned to Galilee, it would have been a relief to escape from the stifling spiritual atmosphere of Jerusalem; from the self-seeking, intellectual, heartless collection of Rabbis, whose first active persecution Jesus had just encountered in Jerusalem, to the honest, simple, earnest, impulsive Galileans.
His return to Capernaum could not have remained hidden. Close by, on either side of the city, the country was studded with villages and towns, a busy, thriving, happy multitude. During that bright summer he had walked along that lake and by its shore and in the various synagogues preached his Gospel. And they had been ‘astonished at his doctrine, for His Word was with power.’ For the first time, they had heard what they felt to be ‘the Word of God’ and they had learned to love its sound. What wonder that, immediately on his return, ‘the people pressed upon him to hear it’.
Now let us consider fishermen and the scene that next confronts Jesus in our story. It was a busy scene for, among the many industries by the Lake of Galilee, that of fishing was not only the most generally pursued, but perhaps the most lucrative. Tradition had it that since the days of Joshua, and by one of his ten ordinances, fishing in the Lake, though under certain necessary restrictions, was free to all. And as fish was among the favourite foods, whether on weekdays or especially at the Sabbath meal, many must have been employed in connection with this trade.
Those engaged in that trade, like Zebedee and his sons, were often men of means and standing, including some Rabbis. We can picture it, on that bright autumn morning, the busy scene by the lake, with the fishermen cleaning and mending their nets, perhaps not noticing the gathering crowd. It was Jesus’ first walk by the lake on the morning after his return from Judea. They would probably not have known of his presence until he spoke to them. The lives of four of them were about to change. It was time for a commitment to permanent discipleship. The expression ‘Follow Me’ would be readily understood, as implying a call to become the permanent disciple of a teacher. Similarly, it was not only the practice of the Rabbis but also regarded as one of the most sacred duties for a Master to gather around him a circle of disciples.
Thus, neither Peter and Andrew, nor the sons of Zebedee, could have misunderstood the call of Christ, or even regarded it as strange. Much had changed since their initial call after Jesus had returned from his wilderness temptations. Since then, Jesus had suffered the first persecutions from the religious authorities and proved that he meant business. Now they were giving up their professions to follow him. These four disciples were the first to follow Jesus and would now enjoy the closest relationship with the Master as his mission unfolds.
On that memorable return from his temptation in the wilderness, they had learned to know him as the Messiah and they followed him but now the Messianic activity of Jesus had passed into another stage and that call would not come as a surprise to their minds or hearts. This now was something totally different from a call to any other discipleship. It was not to learn more of doctrine, but to begin, and to become, something quite new. The disciples of the Rabbis, even those of John the Baptist, followed in order to learn; in this case, they were to become fishers of men. This was a major call on their lives and demanded a special commitment.
What had passed between Jesus and, first the sons of Jonah and then those of Zebedee, happened very quickly. But already the people were pressing around the Master, hungry for the Word. Simon Peter’s boat became his pulpit; he had consecrated it by consecrating its owner. When Christ is in the boat and bids us let down the net, there must be a great multitude of fishes. And all this in this symbolic miracle. Already the net was breaking, when they beckoned to their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. But what did it all mean to Simon Peter? he had been called to full discipleship and he had obeyed the call. He had been in his boat beside the Saviour and heard what he had spoken and it had gone to his heart. And now this miracle which he had witnessed! Finding such a quantity of fish on one spot on the Lake of Galilee was not strange, the miracle was in knowing where this spot was! Jesus could see through the intervening waters, right down to the bottom of that sea; he could see through him, to the very bottom of Peter’s heart. This is what he meant when ‘He fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.’ And this is why Jesus comforted him, ‘Fear not; from now on you shall catch men.’
This is an extract from the book, Jesus : Life and Times, available for £10 here (Finalist for Academic Book of the year at 2023 CRT awards)