Reflections on Mark's Gospel - Mark 1:20

Jesus Calls James and John Part 2

The description of James and John provides some clues about them.

Firstly, they are working in the family business with their father. This should not be thought of as unusual in 1st C Palestine - it would be normal. But it appears their father is still working, and that would suggest that James and John are still fairly young. (Traditionally, John is understood as the youngest of the disciples, partly because he lived the longest! He died around 90AD, so he could have been around his early to mid-teens in this episode).

Secondly, their family business employed others. This suggests that it is a fairly substantial business, that they came from a family of some means. Their father obviously had the nous to run a business - which puts them in the merchant "middle class" rather than just as lowly labourers.

It is worth noting here that Jesus' followers came from a range of backgrounds - fishermen, tax collector, zealot. Obviously it was not their skill set he was interested in. It was their heart. He wanted men he could teach and train. He wanted those willing to "become" the leaders he was looking to develop.

And his training program was not a series of lectures over three years. He didn't expect to develop leaders at a once a week gathering of Bible teaching and worship. Jesus' training program had an apprenticeship style - "follow me" and be EXPOSED to the way I do ministry, then EXPERIMENT with ministry while under my supervision, before you become EXPERIENCED enough (and receive the Holy Spirit) to become leaders in your own right.
As I move into a new role in ministry, who am I apprenticing myself to? Who am able to observe doing the ministry? [Are they the sort of role model I should be following? Is their character worthy of emulation? Is the outcome of their ministry what I understand God wants me to be doing?] Who can I get feedback from as I experiment with ministry?

And who can I mentor from my ministry experience? Who is walking with me as I do ministry? How do I coach or train new leaders?

As you read the gospels, look for the role of the disciples. While Jesus is the central figure, check out where the disciples are in the picture. Are they observing Jesus doing ministry? Are they being taught be Jesus new spiritual truth or being receiving instruction on how to do ministry? Are they being delegated minor tasks to develop their faithfulness or ministry skills in certain areas? Are they being commissioned?