Verses 18-20: Jesus’ call is not an enthusiastic shout of temporary appeal but a summons to all-encompassing, whole-life commitment. Jesus gains at least four dedicated adherents, who follow him to Capernaum.
Jesus Calls the First Disciples
Mark 1:18 “And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.”
straightway they forsook... straightway Greek: eutheos, used 80 times; 40 times in Mark and 40 times by all other writers. Translated straightway, immediately, forthwith, as soon as, anon, by and by, and shortly. See note, Mark 3:6.
and followed him... I.e., became His permanent disciples (see note on verse 16).
This again, is a very short and precise statement about the call of Simon (Peter), and Andrew to go with Jesus and be His apostles. We find this statement almost exactly like this (in Mat. 4:18-22). The most vivid description of what happened however, is found in:
Luke 5:1-4 “And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,” “And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing [their] nets.” “And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.” “Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a drought.”
Luke 5:5-11 “And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.” “And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.” And they beckoned unto [their] partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.” “When Simon Peter saw [it], he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” “For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the drought of the fishes which they had taken:” “And so [was] also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.” “And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.”
Not that we need any reason for them forsaking all, and following Jesus, but they had just seen an overwhelming miracle, plus they had just heard Jesus preach. There would be no way that they would not follow Him.
You see, the very best way to explain a Scripture is to find a more detailed Scripture on the very same incident and let it explain it for you. Notice, that the Sea of Galilee and Lake of Gennesaret are one and the same. Peter was called by Simon also, and in one place called by both names at once, Simon Peter.
There is no further explanation necessary why they left their nets and followed Jesus. It was just because He told them to. They believed nothing was impossible to Him after seeing this miracle.
Nor does He, even now, finally and entirely call them away from their occupation. Some time is still to elapse, and a sign, especially impressive to fishermen, the miraculous draught of fishes, is to burn into their minds a profound sense of their unworthiness, before the vocation now promised shall arrive. Then He will say, from henceforth ye shall catch men: now He says, I will prepare you for that future, I will make you to become fishers of men. So underground is the suspicion of any confusion between the scriptures of the three steps by which they rose to their Apostleship.
At once euthys; cf. Mark 1:10 Simon and Andrew left their nets their old calling and followed Him. In the Gospels the verb follow akoloutheō, when referring to individuals, expresses the call and response of discipleship. Later events cf. Mark 1:29-31 show that their response meant not a repudiation of their homes but rather giving Jesus their full allegiance cf. Mark 10:28; 1Cor. 7:17-24.
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