Passing
along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men.”
Mark 1:16-17
Mark 1 [14.] Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of God’s Kingdom, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.”
Mark 1 [16.] Passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men.”
Mark 1 [18.] Immediately they left their nets, and followed him.
Meaning:
Right after announcing that God’s Kingdom is at hand (Mark 1:15), Jesus begins to gather followers. His first disciples are not scholars or leaders, but ordinary working men at the lakeside. In a single sentence Jesus calls them, gives them a new purpose, and begins to shape the people who would carry His message to the world.
- Jesus Takes the Initiative:
"He saw Simon and Andrew": In Jesus’ day, students usually chose a rabbi to follow. Here it is the other way around: Jesus sees these men and calls them. Discipleship begins with His call, not with our qualifications. John’s Gospel records that Andrew had already met Jesus and brought his brother Simon to Him (John 1:40-42); now Jesus calls them to leave everything and follow Him.
- Come After Me:
"Come after me": The call is personal. Jesus does not first hand them a set of rules but invites them into a relationship: to walk with Him, listen to Him, and learn from Him. Following Jesus still means more than agreeing with His teaching; it means going where He leads and putting Him first (Matthew 16:24).
- Fishers for Men:
"I will make you into fishers for men": Jesus speaks to them in the language of their trade. The skills of patience, hard work, and perseverance that made them good fishermen would now be used to bring people into God’s Kingdom. Notice the promise: "I will make you." Jesus Himself would form them for this task. The same men would later carry the Good News far beyond Galilee (Acts 1:8).
The Significance of the Call
- Ordinary People, Extraordinary Purpose:
God delights in using ordinary people. These fishermen became the foundation of the early church. Whatever our background, Jesus can take who we are and use us for His purposes.
- A Call to Every Believer:
The call to be "fishers for men" was not only for the first disciples. Jesus’ final commission sends all His followers to "make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19-20). Sharing the Good News is part of what it means to follow Him.
- Responding Without Delay:
The very next verse says, "Immediately they left their nets, and followed him" (Mark 1:18). Their quick response challenges us not to postpone obedience when Jesus calls.
Cross-References:
John 1:40-42: "One of the two who heard John, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah!”" Andrew’s first act as a follower of Jesus was to bring his brother to Him, already becoming a fisher for men.
Matthew 16:24: "If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Jesus explains what "come after me" will cost.
Matthew 28:19-20: "Go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." The call to fish for people becomes a mission to all nations.
Acts 1:8: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth." The fishermen of Galilee are empowered to become witnesses to the world.
Conclusion: Mark 1:16-17 records Jesus calling Simon and Andrew from their nets to follow Him and become fishers for men. The call is personal, gracious, and purposeful: Jesus takes ordinary people and makes them into His messengers. Today He still calls people to follow Him and to bring others into His Kingdom.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible