~Mark 1.16-20 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him. 19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
Fish was obviously an elementary component of the first century diet. Of Jesus’ specifically called twelve disciples, a third of them made their living fishing. I’d think that to have a bigger base of influence he might have chosen his top guys from a more diverse labor pool. Is there some significance to this preponderance of fishermen on the team? Jesus does say these guys will now be fishing for people (another powerful metaphor), but is there something about their fishing expertise that would make them better equipped for this?
2 comments:
How about persistence . . . or being willing to spend time to catch that one fish (translate person in need of Christ), not getting one bite, yet still go back to fish another day - as in fishers of men.
Ah. Persistence. That would fit. Thanks, Don.
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