Story: The Calling of the First Disciples

Category: New Testament
Scriptures: Matthew 4:18-4:22 Mark 1:16-1:20 Luke 5:1-5:11 John 1:35-1:51

Commentary

When we examine the call of Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Levi, we see a radical departure from custom. Normally among the Jewish people, when someone wished to study with a rabbi, he would make an application just like students do today to get into their favorite college, to study with their favorite person, to become an apprentice to a great master.

Jesus did not do it that way, however. He went out and recruited those whom He wanted to be tutored by Himself. He called them not to a study of the law, biology, chemistry, or physics, but He called them to Himself.

Any time Jesus calls someone to discipleship, He is calling them to Himself, to belong to Him, to follow Him, and to learn not only from Him, but to learn of Him. He called to Him those that He Himself wanted. Membership in the disciple band of Jesus was by sovereign election.

Jesus called the ones He wanted, and that call was sovereign because everyone He called to that office came, and they came willingly to join a band of men that would take part in who He was. In a sense, we get a microcosmic look at what Jesus does for the whole kingdom of God, that is, that He calls those whom He will.

See Commentary

Matthew 4:18-4:22

18 Walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

19 He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men.”

20 They immediately left their nets and followed him.

21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them.

22 They immediately left the boat and their father, and followed him.

Mark 1:16-1:20

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.

17 Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men.”

18 Immediately they left their nets, and followed him.

19 Going on a little further from there, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets.

20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him.

Luke 5:1-5:11

1 Now while the multitude pressed on him and heard the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret.

2 He saw two boats standing by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

3 He entered into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch.”

5 Simon answered him, “Master, we worked all night, and took nothing; but at your word I will let down the net.”

6 When they had done this, they caught a great multitude of fish, and their net was breaking.

7 They beckoned to their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. They came, and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.

8 But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord.”

9 For he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had caught;

10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will be catching people alive.”

11 When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything, and followed him.

John 1:35-1:51

35 Again, the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples,

36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”

37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

38 Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), “where are you staying?”

39 He said to them, “Come, and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about the tenth hour.

40 One of the two who heard John, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

41 He first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which is, being interpreted, Christ).

42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is by interpretation, Peter).

43 On the next day, he was determined to go out into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”

44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter.

45 Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

46 Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said about him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”

48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are King of Israel!”

50 Jesus answered him, “Because I told you, ‘I saw you underneath the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these!”

51 He said to him, “Most certainly, I tell you all, hereafter you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”