They Left Their Nets

Bulletin

Dan Peters
12/05/21 - Discipleship

Why does Mark not give me the background story? When I look for context, there is almost none! But I know from John and Luke the fuller story, but not from Mark.

AS HE WAS GOING ALONG
Mark wrote that Jesus was “preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” (Mark 1:14-18). If someone approached you on the street, and they wanted you to follow them, would you? No!
I would not follow them, unless I knew more about that person.
The apostles knew Jesus weeks before Mark 1:14-18, but Mark will not tell you this.
THE FIRST CALLING OF THE APOSTLES
“One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas (which is translated Peter)” (John 1:40-42). This is the first calling.
JOHN IN PRISON - TIME MARKER
After the first calling of the apostles, John the baptist is put into prison. It’s like a time stamp in the gospels, and it happen’s early on in the ministry of Jesus. (Read it in Matthew 4:12, Mark 1:14, and John 3:24).
“Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee” (Mark 1:14)
“Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee (Matt. 4:12)
SECOND CALLING - IN GALILEE
This is when Jesus calls them from their nets (Mark 1:14-18). So they already had been following Jesus and they had seen him turn water into wine. Also note that Luke, the investigator, tells us that Jesus told them to once again cast their nets into the sea. And instead of no fish, like the night before, they fill two boats full of fish with one cast of their net! (Luke 5:1-11).
SO WHY DOES MARK RECORD IT LIKE IT’S THE FIRST TIME?
I’m not sure why Mark doesn’t tell us he is recording the second calling of the apostles. But it might be written this way because Mark wants you to see that they dropped whatever they were doing, and followed him. Mark includes the word “immediately”. Perhaps it is your turn to drop whatever you are doing, and follow Jesus to his church, every time it assembles, to the glory of God. He is there every time. Dan Peters