Matthew 4:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This intensifies my admiration for them; they accepted such a vast promise without having witnessed any tangible signs, choosing to follow Christ above all else. They believed that they too could bring others to Christ with the same words that had drawn them in. Although this promise was made specifically to Peter and Andrew, James and John weren't given such assurance directly; yet, the obedience of the first group paved the way for them, as they had heard much about Jesus prior.

Yet, why do we regard such a precious gift so lightly and choose to trade it for emptiness? It is because, throughout our development, we have not been introduced to the true sweetness of this treasure, rendering it foreign to our hearts. Our hearts are unaware of this ultimate good; instead, they only comprehend what is somewhat better and what is markedly worse, forming their judgments based on that. Consequently, while others respond to the Lord's call and follow Him, we, who are also called, tend to shy away from Him.

Hence, they forsook their nets so that these would not become an obstacle in their journey, but rather a tool for support.

Before undertaking any action or giving any instruction, He emphasized to the apostles that nothing regarding His words or deeds should remain concealed, so they might later declare confidently, “We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Lk. 4:20). He perceived them not with physical sight, but with spiritual insight, looking beyond their outward appearances to their inner beings. He did not select them because they were already apostles, but rather because they had the potential to become apostles. Much like an artist who recognizes the worth in raw, unpolished gems, choosing them not for their present value but for their possibility, the Lord, in seeing the apostles, valued not their actions but their hearts.

If you too, believer, perceive the word of God or feel the promptings of your conscience urging you toward prayer or an act that brings delight to God, recognize that it is Christ who silently moves beside you, observing and calling you. The apostles pursued Christ, signifying their role as His steadfast companions and disciples, fully committing themselves to His sacred purpose. Accompanying them, Christ the Savior continued along the shoreline.

After completing His teaching, Jesus instructed Simon to venture into deeper waters and cast his net to catch fish. Although the seasoned fisherman had toiled all night without success and doubted a second attempt would yield any better results, he complied with Jesus’ request. Peter, along with James, John, and their associates, experienced disbelief when an unexpected catch ensued. While casual observers might have celebrated the abundant haul, those familiar with fishing on the lake knew that under such conditions, nothing should have been caught; thus, they recognized this remarkable occurrence as a miracle orchestrated by Jesus. Filled with awe, Peter fell to his knees before Jesus, exclaiming, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8). Through this profound expression, Peter acknowledged the grandeur and holiness of the Almighty, humbly admitting his own sinfulness and unworthiness to be in His presence. At that moment, Peter was unaware that Jesus had come to call sinners to repentance; like many of his fellow Jews, he believed that a Righteous One should only associate with the righteous.

Jesus reassured Peter as He called him, Andrew, James, and John, declaring, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will be a fisher of men” (Luke 5:10). Upon hearing this invitation, Peter, followed by Andrew, James, and John, drew their boats to the shore, leaving their nets and the abundance of fish to pursue Jesus.

The Gospel writers Matthew and Mark tell the same story of the apostles' calling but do not reference the miraculous catch preceding it. Their narratives, while consistent with each other, diverge from Luke's account. For comparison, we can cite the accounts from the first two Gospels. Matthew recounts, "As He was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew casting nets 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 James the son of Zebedee and his brother John in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and He called them. They immediately left the boat and their father and followed Him” (Matthew 4:18-22). Similarly, Mark writes, “As He passed along the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting nets into the sea, for they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. When He had gone a little further, He saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother in the boat mending their nets. He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired help and followed Him” (Mark 1:16-20).

Comparing the consistent testimonies of Matthew and Mark with Luke's account, it appears that the disciples were called while on the shore of the lake, amidst their fishing activities. The only notable difference is that, according to Luke, the disciples were called after the miraculous catch, whereas Matthew and Mark portray the call occurring while they were casting or mending their nets.

It is improbable that Matthew and Mark reference an entirely different event from Luke, as it seems unlikely that Jesus would summon the same disciples twice under similar circumstances. Therefore, the differences in their accounts could simply reflect that the first two Evangelists chose to focus solely on the moment when Peter, Andrew, James, and John forsook all to follow Jesus, potentially omitting the preceding miraculous event which, while significant, was not their focus.

The accounts across the three Evangelists mark the calling of Peter, Andrew, James, and John as the definitive moment they became Jesus’ disciples. However, the Evangelist John, who augmented the narratives of the first three Gospels, reveals an earlier calling of Andrew, Peter, John, James, Philip, and Nathanael, which followed John the Baptist's solemn declaration of Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God (John 1:35-51).

When we reflect on both callings and the surrounding circumstances of the second call, we can infer that after the first invitation, disciples did not always accompany Jesus on His travels and sometimes returned to their former occupations. However, following the second call, they became steadfast companions of Jesus and were soon chosen as His apostles among the twelve.

After He finished teaching, He instructed Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." Simon replied, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless, at Your word I will let down the net." The less Simon anticipated any success from the fishing, the more astounding the miracle of the Lord became, showing that all their prior failures could be abundantly compensated for by His command. Obeying, they cast out their nets and, to their amazement, caught an immense number of fish, to the point that their nets began to break. They signaled to their partners in the other boat, who quickly came to assist, filling both boats to near sinking.

This remarkable catch brought not only astonishment but also fear upon Simon and all with him. Other miracles they had witnessed did not impact them as profoundly as this one, which they directly experienced. Overwhelmed by emotion, Simon fell to his knees before Jesus, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." In response to Simon’s heartfelt plea, the All-Knowing answered with a reassuring promise and a call to a greater purpose: "Do not be afraid; from now on you will catch men." He then invited Simon's companions, saying, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." The fishermen responded immediately, as noted by St. Philaret of Moscow, with unwavering resolve and without hesitation. Pulling the boats to shore, they left everything behind and followed the Lord Jesus, with James and John even departing from their father Zebedee.