Reflections on Mark's Gospel - Mark 1:17

The Call to Follow

As mentioned earlier, this was not these men's first encounter with Jesus. They were familiar with him and the role he was assuming - even if they didn't understand God's purposes for Jesus and themselves.

1) The focus of the call is upon the person of Jesus. Jesus says "Come after me" and "I will do this". The focus of attention is on the person being followed and the person who will fashion these men.

Biblical discipleship is focused on Jesus. He is the one that we should be following. He is the one who is leading the way. The Gk "δευτε οπισω μου" literally means to "come after me". Jesus is in front. His disciples are walking behind. Why? Because Jesus knows where to go and what to do and the disciples need to watch him, observe him and learn from him.

2) The person effecting the change in these men is Jesus. This is not a situation where the disciples were expected to model themselves after a great example by their own efforts. By following Jesus, he would change them. It is going to be his work in their lives.

Mark's account of this episode includes an extra word than Matthew's: γενεσθαι (or "to become"). This emphasises the process that the men will have to go through before they will be who Jesus is calling them to be. And we are confronted regularly through the gospels with the ingnorance and failures of the disciples.

Jesus did not selected people based on their qualifications to serve him. His call extended grace to the undeserving, just as his message did. This is especially evident in the calling of Levi (the tax collector), but none of his disciples were qualified to be religious leaders according to "the establishment". Each of them had a long journey to travel before they could be entrusted as leaders in the kingdom.

So Jesus clearly communicates that there will be a process of "becoming" which he will effect in their lives. They will make the journey from being unqualified, unequipped fishermen through the journey of apprenticeship to the Master to become "fishers of men".

3) The purpose of the call was for service. Jesus did not just call these men to follow him as an end in itself. They were not just joining a Bible study or looking for Christian fellowship. They were called for the purpose of becoming "fishers of men". This colloquial term reflects Jesus' later prayer that the Lord of the harvest would raise up labourers.

These experienced fishermen were to use their natural talents and spiritual gifts to expand God's kingdom by diligently drawing people into the kingdom - casting the net wide and wisely, deploying resources, staying focussed on the task.

Jesus' program of development included: observing him teaching the masses & confronting the establishment, receiving private coaching in spiritual truth, being instructed in personal holiness, being given small tasks to demonstrate and develop faithfulness, and being sent on promotional missions.

By the end of Jesus' program of development, and the with the arrival of the Holy Spirit, these "ordinary, unschooled men" were equipped to challenge the establishment, powerfully present Jesus' message, and oversee the expansion of the community of faith.