Matthew 4:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The specific location from which they were called, along with additional details—like their immediate obedience and willingness to leave everything behind—indicates they had been adequately prepared for this moment. John’s account suggests that Andrew visited Jesus' home and learned a great deal (John 1:39); however, in this instance, we see that upon hearing just one word from Him, they chose to follow immediately. It is likely that they initially followed Jesus, then departed, and upon realizing John was imprisoned, returned to their former trade, which is why Jesus finds them fishing. He neither stopped them from leaving when they desired to go, nor abandoned them completely during their departure. Instead, He allowed them the freedom to leave while also returning to them in an effort to draw them back to Himself. This beautifully illustrates the essence of being caught.

26:69-70). He was impoverished, unable to pay even the temple tax, a mere half shekel (Matt. 17:24-27), as he himself states, ‘I have neither silver nor gold’ (cf. Acts 3:6). He was also an ordinary laborer, for when he started to deny the Lord, he couldn't find a reason to conceal himself. Thus, these fishermen emerged and triumphed over the strong, the wealthy, and the wise. It was a remarkable miracle! Being feeble, they led the powerful to their teachings without coercion; being destitute, they instructed the affluent, and ordinary individuals became disciples of learned scholars and experts. Earthly knowledge yielded to the ultimate wisdom, which is the Science of Sciences.

Consequently, through the actions of these disciples, the magnitude of their departure was proportionate to their potential desires unfulfilled in their following. Thus, no one should observe those who have sacrificed much and say to himself, "I aspire to emulate those who scorn this world, yet possess nothing to forfeit." You forfeit a great deal, dear friends, if you abandon worldly cravings. Though our external possessions may seem minimal, they are sufficient in the eyes of the Lord, who values the heart above material goods; He assesses not the amount of what is sacrificed but rather the spirit in which it is given. For if we consider the value of what was sacrificed, behold, our devoted fishermen traded their earthly nets and boats for the everlasting life promised to the angels.

The Miraculous Catch of Fish After Jesus concluded His teaching, He instructed Simon to venture into the deeper waters and cast a net for fish. Despite being a seasoned fisherman who had labored fruitlessly throughout the night, Simon doubted the likelihood of success. Nevertheless, he complied with Jesus’ command. Peter, along with James and John and their companions, was astonished by the extraordinary haul of fish. While those unfamiliar with fishing might have celebrated the unexpected abundance, the seasoned fishers understood that, given the circumstances under which they cast their nets, the catch was nothing short of miraculous, a testament to Jesus’ power. Reverently, Peter fell to his knees before Jesus, exclaiming, ‘Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man’ (Luke 5:8). This heartfelt confession revealed Peter’s recognition of Jesus’ divine authority and purity, while humbly acknowledging his own sinfulness and unworthiness of His presence. At that moment, Peter did not grasp that Jesus had come to seek out sinners and call them to repentance; like many of his fellow Jews, he believed that the Righteous One should only associate with the righteous.

In calling Peter, Andrew, James, and John, Jesus comforted Peter with the words, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will catch men’ (Luke 5:10). Upon hearing this invitation, Peter, joined by Andrew, James, and John, brought their boats to shore, abandoning their nets and the fish they had caught, choosing to follow Jesus. The Evangelists Matthew and Mark, in recounting the same event, do not mention the miraculous catch that preceded this calling, making their narratives appear slightly divergent from Luke's account. For comparison, the accounts of the first two Evangelists can be cited:

Matthew 4:18-22: As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in a boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; He called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.

Mark 1:16-20: As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ They immediately left their nets and followed Him. A little further on, He saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending their nets; He called them. They immediately left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.

From a comparison of the consistent accounts of Matthew and Mark against Luke's narrative, it appears that the disciples were called while at the lake’s shore in their boats. The only difference lies in the timing: Luke relates that Peter and his companions were called after the miraculous catch, while Matthew and Mark present the calling as occurring while they were casting or mending their nets. It is unlikely that Matthew and Mark referred to separate events, as it would be improbable for Jesus to call the same disciples twice in such analogous circumstances. Thus, the seeming discrepancies in the Evangelists’ accounts can be understood as a narrative choice made by Matthew and Mark to focus solely on how the disciples left everything to follow Jesus, possibly omitting the preceding miraculous events that they viewed as less pivotal.

The accounts of calling provided by the three Evangelists could be interpreted as the initial calling of Peter, Andrew, James, and John to fully follow Jesus as His disciples. However, the Gospel writer John, who adds to the narrative found in the first three Gospels, describes an earlier calling involving Andrew, Peter, John, James, Philip, and Nathanael, which occurred after John the Baptist’s profound testimony regarding Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God (John 1:35-51). Comparing these two callings and the events leading to the second, it can be inferred that after the first call, Jesus’ disciples did not consistently accompany Him on His journeys and would sometimes return to their former trades. However, following the second invitation, they became His steadfast companions, ultimately selected as His apostles among the twelve.

Fortunately, He noticed two fishing boats nearby, one belonging to His disciples, who had not yet received their final invitation to forsake worldly ties and follow Him completely. He called out to Peter to come from the shore and enter the boat, instructing him to row a short distance from the shoreline to share His teachings from this serene and unobstructed platform, rocking gently on the glistening blue waters under the morning sun.

Once His sermon concluded, He thought not of His own exhaustion, but rather of His weary disciples. He understood their toil had been fruitless; they had been engaged in their trade while listening to His message and preparing for a future work that would bear greater fruit. To uplift their spirits, He commanded Peter to venture into deeper waters and cast his nets again. Though Peter felt discouraged, the authoritative words of the One he deeply revered, whose power he had witnessed, were enough to spur him into action. His faith was soon rewarded, as the nets were miraculously filled with an abundance of fish. The disciples became energized and excited. Simon and Andrew signaled to Zebedee and his sons, along with their crew, to come with their boat and assist in hauling the surprising catch that risked breaking their nets. Both boats were soon overflowing, and upon completing their labor, Peter, struck by the magnitude of the miracle, instinctively fell to his knees before Jesus, overwhelmed by awe at the presence of this remarkable miracle worker. He declared, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." A moment of divine insight revealed to him both his own unworthiness and the true identity of the One who was with him. This was a spontaneous cry of self-accusation, the first expression of fear and wonder—feelings which later transformed into profound adoration and love. Peter did not truly mean for the Lord to leave, but rather expressed, known to the Heart: "I am utterly unworthy to be near You, yet allow me to stay. Guide me."

Occasionally, the waters became tumultuous, likely due to the towering mountains and deep valleys surrounding it. As for Simon, known as Peter—the name Peter means stone in Greek and corresponds to the Hebrew name Cephas (John 1:42)—he and his brother Andrew had already been previously acquainted with Jesus when He called Simon Peter (John 1:40-42). This constituted Jesus’ second invitation to a life of apostolic service.

Once He concluded His teaching, He instructed Simon, “Go into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch.” To this, Simon replied, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless, at Your word, I will let down the net.” The more Simon doubted the potential for a successful catch, the more astonishing the miracle must have been, as the Lord prepared the fishermen for their new roles as apostles, signifying that their previous failures could be compensated by His command. After Simon complied, they unexpectedly caught such a large number of fish that their net started to break. They signaled their partners in the other boat, who came to assist, and together they filled both boats to the point of sinking. This remarkable abundance left Simon and his companions not only in awe but also in fear. Previous miracles they witnessed did not affect them as profoundly as this one, which engaged them directly. Overcome with emotion, Simon fell at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” In response to this heartfelt confession, the all-knowing Christ offered words of reassurance and a call to His divine mission: “Do not be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” He then invited Simon's associates to follow Him as well, promising, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." In full readiness and unwavering commitment, the fishermen immediately brought both boats to land, leaving everything behind to follow the Lord Jesus, with James and John even leaving their father Zebedee.