Gospel of Mark Chapter 1 Vs. 20

 Jesus Calls the First Disciples

Mark 1:20 “And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.”

with hired servants... How many hired servants or how big the fishing business was that they had is unknown. The important thing is that they obeyed Christ, and for doing so they became the greatest religion on earth (Eph. 2:20-23). This indicates that Zebedee’s fishing business was a prosperous one and that he was a man of importance (John 18:15).

With the hired servants

Peculiar to Mark. It may imply that Zebedee carried on his business on a larger scale than ordinary fishermen.

Fishing was an honorable way of making a living. These were men who knew how to work hard to get the job done. They, without hesitation answered the call Jesus had placed on their lives. We see here that James and John had given up family, job, their home, and security to follow Jesus.

In Mark 10:29-30, we see what happens to those who give up things of this world to follow Jesus.

Mark 10:29-30 “And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,” “But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.”

Very charming, very powerful still is the spell by which Christ drew His first apostles to His side. Not yet are they told anything of thrones on which they are to sit and judge the tribes of Israel, or that their names shall be engraven on the foundations of the heavenly city besides being great on earth while the world stands. For them, the capture of men was less lucrative than that of fish, and less honorable, for they suffered the loss of all things and were made as the filth of the earth. To learn Christ’s art, to be made helpful in drawing souls to Him, following Jesus and catching men, this was enough to attract His first ministers; God grant that a time may never come when ministers for whom this is enough, shall fail. Where the spirit of self devotion is absent how can the Spirit of Christ exist?

On the same occasion Jesus saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee (cf. Mar. 10:35), in their boat, preparing from katartizō put in order, make ready their nets for another night’s fishing. They were partners to Simon (cf. Luke 5:10). Without delay euthys Jesus called them to follow Him. They left behind their old way of life fishing boat and nets and prior claims their father Zebedee and the hired helpers and followed lit., went away after Him as disciples.

Mark did not mention any previous contact with Jesus by these fishermen (cf. John 1:35-42). Later Jesus gathered the Twelve around Himself in a Teacher-pupil relationship (Mark 3:14-19). Mark abbreviated historical events (Mark 1:14-20) to emphasize Jesus’ authority over people and the obedience of His followers.