Reflections on Mark's Gospel - Mark 1:16

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

This account begins Jesus interaction with other human beings. So far he has come from Nazareth to be baptised in the Jordan, been sent into the wilderness and returned to Galilee to preach.

We know from John's gospel that this is not Jesus' first interaction with these disciples. They were invited to "come and see" at the beginning of John's gospel. Jesus was invited to stay at Simon Peter's house in Capernaum. These disciples were present at Jesus' baptism (as indicated in Acts when choosing a replacement for Judas Act_1:21-22) and therefore were part of the masses that followed John the Baptist. These men had a substantial background of information that informed their decision to follow Jesus.

But Mark's gospel omits all that background - except that he was already acting as a preacher. The focus is on the person of Jesus.

In this episode Jesus is not preaching. He is walking. He is walking beside (παρα + acc.) the Sea of Galilee.

Edwards suggests that this is not immediately outside Capernaum because that foreshore, comprised of broken black basalt, was inhospitable to both walking and beaching boats. One likely suggestion is a place now called the "Harbor of Peter" and is about 2 miles south of Capernaum.

Jesus probably walked a long way to search out these men his about to call. He locates them in their place of employment, while they are gainfully employed.

Edwards also makes the point that fishing was a thriving industry in on the Sea of Galilee in the first century. There were at least 16 ports located around this lake which was 7 miles wide and 13 miles long. There were several towns on the northwest shore, including three whose names reflect the importance of fishing: Bethsaida ("house of the fisher"), Magdala ("fish tower") and Taricheae ("salted fish"). So numerous were the boats that Josephus was able to commandeer 230 of them during the war in 68 A.D. The industry extended beyond local markets, with fish being exported and valued in Alexandria in Egypt and Antioch in Syria. "That fisherman in Galilee competed in the larger Mediterranean market testifies to their skill, prosperity and ingenuity - and probably to their command of Greek... The fisherman whom Jesus called were scarcely indiginent day labourers. In order to survive in their markey league, they needed to be - and doubtlessly were - shrewd and successful businessmen."

So, the setting may be summed up as this. Jesus has been recognised as the successor to John the Baptist by those who followed John. He has begun his ministry of preaching and based himself in Capernaum. Now he is seeking out particular individuals... but we will leave the description of what he is seeking them for to the next few verses!