One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of
the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon (Peter) and his brother Andrew throwing a net
into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come,
follow Me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their
nets at once and followed Him. A little farther up the shore Jesus saw
Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets. He called them
at once, and they also followed Him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat
with the hired men.
Mark 1:16-20 (NLT)
Mark
1:16-20 gives the first account of Jesus’ call of His first four disciples, who
were commercial fisherman (see parallel references at Matthew 4:18-22; Luke
5:2-11; John 1:35-42). These four fishermen were common and ordinary working
men and they worked in the very popular fishing industry of the first century. In
the first century world, most people ate fish and the fishing industry was very
expensive and burdened with heavy taxation from the Roman government. The
fishing industry was strenuous and physically demanding work. The men who
worked in the fishing industry were not very religious and did not recognize
the Sabbath laws or the laws of clean and unclean. Also, fisherman bargained
with other fishermen and they often were around all kinds of wicked and
dishonest people.
One
day as Jesus was walking along the shores at the Sea of Galilee, Jesus called four
ordinary fishermen while working. First, Jesus saw Simon (Peter) and his
brother Andrew fishing with nets and Jesus said to the two men, “Come, follow
Me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” (Mark 1:17 NLT). Another
translation said, “Come, follow Me! And I will make you fishermen for the souls
of men!” (Mark 1:17, TLB). At once, Simon and Andrew immediately left their
nets and followed Jesus (Mark 1:18). A little farther up the shoreline, Jesus
saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat mending their nets (Mark 1:19).
Once again, Jesus He called the two brothers while working, and immediately James
and John left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed
Jesus (Mark 1:20).
Mark
uses the term “following Jesus” or “following Me” nineteen (19) times in his
Gospel. One of the fundamental purposes of Mark’s Gospel is to help readers
understand and accept the call to follow Jesus. “Following Jesus” describes
what it means to live in an intimate relationship with Jesus. The Gospels reveal
that the call to discipleship is definite and demands a response of total
commitment or allegiance to Jesus with a genuine heart devoted to Him above all
else (e.g. see also Matthew
4:18-22; Luke 5:27-28; Luke 14:25-27; Luke 18:28-30). Following Jesus requires right
heart motives and not selfish reasons (Mark 8:34). Jesus asks for lifelong
allegiance (Luke 9:57-62) as the essential means of doing the will of God (Matthew
12:49-50; John 7:16-18). Most important, following Jesus means genuine
repentance (turning from sins and turning to God) and belief (faith
and trust) in Jesus (see Mark 1:14-15). In essence, being a disciple is a
matter of following Jesus with a willing, obedient, and repentant heart (e.g.,
see Matthew 4:17; John 13:34-35; John 15:9-17). To follow Jesus for our own selfish
purposes would be asking Jesus to follow us.
Even
more, those who follow Jesus are promised entrance into God’s eternal Kingdom
(see John 3:15-21; John 11:25-26). Also, followers of Jesus receive God’s
forgiveness for their sins (1 John 4:9-10; see also Mark 2:7, 10; Romans 3:23-26;
Romans 5:9-11; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21), and membership into God’s family (John
1:12-13). Followers of Jesus are saved from judgment and condemnation (Ephesians
2:8-9) and obtain eternal life (Titus 3:3-8). Amazingly, becoming a genuine
follower of Jesus takes us way from a life of egotism, self-centeredness, and
narcissism to a life of honest love of God and love of others (Matthew
22:34-40; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 10:25-37; John 13:34-35). As followers of Jesus,
we actually become better people and God works all things for our good (Romans
8:28)
These
four ordinary men – Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John – called by Jesus did
not make excuses or hesitate when called by Jesus. Immediately, these ordinary
men left at once and followed Him. Jesus told called these four ordinary men to
leave their fishing business and become “fishers of people” (Matthew 4:19) and
to help others find God. Jesus was calling these four ordinary men away from
their productive business to be productive spiritually by seeking people for God.
The God of the universe was fully in Jesus (Colossians 2:9).
When
first following Jesus, these four men did not fully understand Jesus’ mission
and role as Messiah, Son of God, and King of Israel until after Jesus’ death. These
men’ faith often wavered or faltered during Jesus’ earthly ministry. Despite
their wavering faith and lack of understanding during Jesus’ earthly ministry,
these men became powerful witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection and the saving acts
of God. Most important, their lives were transformed by God's Holy Spirit. After
Jesus' ascension to heaven, these men were filled with God’s Holy Spirit and
empowered to continue Jesus’ ministry to the world.
When
looking at these four ordinary men who left all to follow Jesus, Christians
today would call these four men heroes for following Jesus. In the first
century, these men would have been looked upon as shameful and disgraceful. In
the first century, a man’s first loyalty was his family in obedience to the
Fifth Commandment (see Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16). In the first century
Jewish world, the Fifth commandment was taken very serious. In that culture,
families had no other means or social network to survive without family
support. In Rome society, children and older adults were sometimes abandoned if
no families were available for care and support. In Jewish society, caring for one’s
family were held in high esteemed. So these first disciples who abandoned their
families and followed Jesus would have been considered shameful and disgraceful.
Also
at this point in Jesus public ministry, who was Jesus? Nowhere at this point had
Jesus obtained the level of rabbinic authority although later in the Scriptures
Jesus was considered a Rabbi (e.g., see Matthew 26:25, 49; Mark 9:5; Mark 10:51;
Mark 11:21; John 1:38, 49; John 3:2, 26). In the first century, one became a
rabbi after two significant events. First, one had to apply for admission to
the rabbi and the rabbi had to accept the student as his disciple. Second, the
rabbi then taught his disciples the oral interpretations of the Law which his
disciples memorized. The disciples did not follow the rabbi but the disciples
followed the content of the rabbis’ teaching. The first century Jewish world
was an oral society and teaching was often passed down through oral
communication and then memorized. The Talmud was the written version of the
oral interpretation of the Law. Thus, the rabbis passed the oral interpretation
of the Law from one disciple to another disciple. Rabbis even taught their
students certain ways to prayer as noted in the Gospels with the disciples
asking Jesus for a special prayer.
In
many respects Jesus differed from the traditional rabbis. In the Gospels, the
disciples do not first come to Jesus but Jesus takes the initiative of first
calling the disciples. Jesus’ calling of disciples was the very opposite of the
way first century rabbis called disciples. Jesus called the disciples to
“Follow Me” (Luke 5:27). In the first century, disciples of the rabbis could
select their rabbis. Also, Jesus called His disciples during their ordinary fishing
duties. As indicated above, a fisherman’s job was very strenuous work and Jesus
sought these disciples while working their very strenuous fishing jobs. Also,
Jesus’ call to become His disciple is opening ended with the statement “follow
Me”. Jesus did not tell these four men to come and follow a particular
interpretation of the Law or a body of teaching but to come follow Him as a
Person. Jesus’ calling of His disciples were very uncommon in the first century
Jewish world. Thus, Jesus’ call of His first disciples was considered radical
and not typical of first century rabbis calling their disciples. Yet Jesus’ calling of these disciples would
also be considered a disgraceful event because these first four men left their
families and their responsibilities to follow Jesus.
Most
important, Jesus’ call of His first disciples reveal the Kingdom of God
involves ordinary people taking radical steps towards God. God’s Kingdom is
present in everyday and ordinary life. God’s Kingdom arrived in the Person of
Jesus (see Matthew 4:23; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:18-21, 42-43). For these
fishermen, the Kingdom of God came in the ordinary daily activities of life
even in the pit of working. The incarnation (advent) of Jesus reveals God is
omnipresent every day. The Kingdom of God also has a future and
not-yet-realized dimension that awaits Jesus’ second return (Mark 14:25, 61-62).
The ultimate judgment of evil, the final establishment of justice, and the
extermination of disease, poverty, and even death will find their fulfillment
when Jesus returns in glory (see Mark 13:24-27), judges the world (Mark 8:38; Mark
13:26; Mark 14:62) and resurrects the dead (1 Corinthians 15:12-57; 1 Thessalonians
4:13–5:11). Thus, the Kingdom of God arrived at the first advent (incarnation)
of Jesus and will be finalized at Jesus’ second return.
Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to Him
those He wanted, and they came to Him. He appointed Twelve -- designating them
apostles -- that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to
preach and to have authority to drive out demons. These are the Twelve He
appointed: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter); James son of Zebedee and his
brother John (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder);
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus,
Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him. Mark 3:13-19
(NIV)
Mark
3:13-19 gives Mark’s account of the choosing of the Twelve (see parallel
references at Matthew 10:2-4; Luke 6:12-16; Acts 1:13). The four lists
of the Twelve in the New Testament are sometimes called “disciples” and “apostles”.
The exact names of the Twelve disciples in the New Testament are not consistent
but varied in Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16; Acts 1:13. In the
early church, the names and identities of the Twelve apostles were not
important. Instead, the early church emphasized there were Twelve apostles
appointed by Jesus to represent the Twelve tribes of Israel. Thus, Jesus did
not choose Twelve disciples for practical reason but as a connection with
Israel (Matthew 19:28), showing the connection between the old religious system
and the new one based on Jesus' new covenant. Many people followed Jesus,
including women (e.g., see Mark 15:40; Luke 8:1-4; Luke 23:49; Luke 24:10; John
19:25). However, the Twelve received the most intensive training from Jesus. We
see the impact of these men and women throughout the rest of the New Testament.
Peter, James and John dominated the story.
Most
important, Mark 3:14 also gives another definition of discipleship. The disciples
were called to be with or follow Jesus so they would preach and have authority
to “cast out demon”. So there are three things to be a disciple (1) intimate fellowship
or association with Jesus Himself; (2) to preach the Kingdom of God – Jesus came
preaching the Kingdom, and (3) to cast out demons (e.g., see Matthew 10:1,5-15;
Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-6). Such good tasks were not limited to the Twelve
apostles (Luke 10:1-24).
At
Mark 3:14, Jesus called the Twelve men “apostles.” The difficult question is
what was the place of the Twelve apostles in the life of the early church and
that answer is not clear from the reading of the New Testament. There were
differing meanings of the role of the apostles in the New Testament. The word
“apostle” basically means a person who is sent on a mission as a messenger or
authorized representative (Mark 6:30). In the New Testament, the term “apostle”
primarily meant that group of people within the early church who were eyewitnesses
of the historical Jesus and traveled with the Lord Jesus from the time He was
baptized by John the Baptist through His resurrection until the day He was ascended
to heaven (Acts 1:21-22). Jesus originally gave the title “apostle” to His
closest circle of friends, the Twelve (Luke 6:12-16).
Apparently
Jesus’ disciples first included “a great multitude of disciples” (see Luke 6:17;
Acts 1:15). Jesus formed certain smaller and more specifically defined groups
within that “great multitude.” These smaller groups would include a group of
“seventy” or “seventy-two” (Luke 10:1, 17), the “Twelve” (Matthew 11:1; Mark
6:7; Luke 9:1), and perhaps an even smaller, inner group within the Twelve,
consisting especially of Peter, James, and John — whose names (with Andrew)
always figure first in the lists of the Twelve (see Matthew 10:2; Mark 3:16-17;
Luke 6:14; Acts 1:13). Peter, Andrew, James,
and John’ calling stories are especially highlighted in the Gospels (see Matthew
4:18-22; John 1:35-42), and these inner circle of men (Peter, James and John)
accompanied Jesus on certain significant occasions of healing and great revelation
(see Matthew 17:1; Mark 13:3; Luke 8:51). The New Testament frequently uses the
term “disciple” to refer generally to all those who come to Jesus in faith,
having heard and believed the Good News (Gospel), and obey His teaching with
allegiance and faithfulness (e.g. see Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 6:1-2, 7)..
Essentially, the words “apostle,” “believer,” and “disciple” are synonymous.
After
the first Easter, the term apostle was expanded by the early church to include
not only to the Twelve, but to a wider circle of authoritative people that had
eyewitness and proclaimed the resurrected Jesus (e.g. see Acts 14:4,14; Romans
16:7; 1 Corinthians 4:9; Corinthians 15:5-9; 2 Corinthians 11:13; Galatians
1:19; Galatians 2:7-9). For instance Paul was considered an apostle by the
early church (see Romans 1:1) and apostle also applied to larger groups of
people including Barnabas (see Acts 14:14), James the Lord’s brother (Galatians
1:19) and possible Andronicus and Junias (Romans 16:7). The Gospels clearly
show that the word “disciple” or “apostle” can refer to others besides the Twelve
(Mark 4:10). These disciples included a larger company of people from whom He
selected the Twelve (Mark 3:7-19; Luke 6:13-17). This larger group of disciples
or followers included both men and women (see Luke 8:1-3; Luke 23:49) from all backgrounds
of life and
they represented a wide range of life experiences. Even the Twelve included a
variety of people: fishermen, a tax collector, and a Zealot. Jesus was no doubt
especially popular among the poor, outcast and religiously unclean. However,
Jesus was also popular with people of great wealth and of theological training
(e.g., see Luke 19:1-10; John 3:1-3; John 12:42; John 19:38-39). Nevertheless,
these initial Twelve men chosen by Jesus were considered authorized
representatives of Jesus. Importantly, the disciples or apostles of Jesus are
to do the same things that Jesus did - casting our demons, preaching, and
healing. The disciples are to continue Jesus’ good work on earth (Matthew 10:1;
Mark 3:14-15).
Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and
taught the crowds that were coming to Him. As He walked along, He saw Levi son
of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow Me and be My
disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed Him. Later, Levi
invited Jesus and His disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many
tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this
kind among Jesus’ followers). But when the teachers of religious law who were
Pharisees saw Him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked His
disciples, “Why does He eat with such scum?” When Jesus heard this, He told
them, “Healthy people do not need a doctor — sick people do. I have come to
call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are
sinners.”
Mark 2:13-17 (NLT)
Mark
2:13-17 gives the call account of Levi the tax collector by the sea (see
parallel references at Matthew 9:9-13; Luke 5:27-32). Jesus spent a lot of time
during His public ministry by the Galilean sea. The sea was where unchurched
people were present. As with the four Peter, Andrew, James and John, Jesus told
Levi (also known as Matthew) to “follow Me” and Levi immediately rose up and
followed Jesus (Mark 2:14). Jesus’ calling of Levi was a radical action. In the
first century, tax collectors were considered notorious sinners. Fishermen were
on the outer edge of religious society and tax collectors were considered scum
(Mark 2:16). These tax collectors were Jews and unjustly stole money through
tax collection for the Roman government from other Jews. When Jesus called
Levi, He added to His closest circle a notorious cheat and theft. Levi would go
on to write the Gospel of Matthew.
Mark
goes on to say that Jesus shared a meal with Levi’s tax collector associates
and other sinners (Mark 2:15). In this first century culture, a meal was a
sacred occasion. For Jesus to eat with these people was to open His life to
their sin and wickedness. Essentially, Jesus’ eating with sinners and tax
collectors crushed religious first century standards. The religious authorities
were amazed at Jesus’ association with tax collectors and other sinners (Mark
2:16). However, Jesus spent time with whoever needed or wanted to hear and accept
His message — poor, rich, bad, and good. Jesus heard the religious authorities’
discussion about this sharing a meal with tax collectors and sinners and said “Healthy
people do not need a doctor — sick people do. I have come to call not those who
think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners” (Mark 2:17 NLT).
Jesus’ statement is a clear and simpler answer of why Jesus came into the world
and His statement unleashed a religious fire storm.
Then, calling the crowd to join His disciples, He
said, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish
ways, take up your cross, and follow Me. If you try to hang on to your life,
you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake and for the sake of
the Good News (Gospel), you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain
the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?
If anyone is ashamed of Me and My message in these adulterous and sinful days,
the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He returns in the glory of
His Father with the holy angels.” Mark 8:34-38 (NLT)
References
Life
Application Study Bible (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2005).
NLT Study
Bible
(Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2008).
Zondervan NIV
Study Bible
(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008).
Butler,
Trent. Holman Bible Dictionary
(Broadman & Holman Pub., 1991).
Loyd,
Melton, Ph.D., Professor of New Testament. Due West Campus: Erskine Theological
Seminary, 2015.
