Mark 1:17

Mar 1:17-20. Come, and I will make you fishers of men — I will enable you to draw them into my true church by the net of my gospel. And straightway — Upon his call; leaving their nets, they followed him — From this time they forsook their employ, and constantly attended him. Happy they who follow Christ at the first call! When he had gone thence, he saw James — See on Mat 4:21. Mending their nets, which they had washed, Luk 5:2. The Greek word, καταρτιζοντας, here rendered mending, or refitting, signifies also preparing, or making.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1:17 Mark uses Jesus’ invitation—Come, follow me (1:20; 8:34)—and the expression “to follow him” (1:18; 2:14-15; 3:7; 5:24) to indicate what it means to be a Christian (see “Following Jesus” Theme Note).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mar 1:17 . γενέσθαι : I will make you become , implying a gradual process of training; therefore the disciples called as early as possible.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Jesus said unto them, come ye after me,.... Leave your worldly employments, and become my disciples,

and I will make you to become fishers of men: which will be a much more excellent and honourable employment, as men, and the souls of men, are more excellent, and of more worth than fishes; See Gill on Mat 4:19.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

Ver. 17. {See Trapp on "Mat 4:19"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

17. Δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου. Cf. 2Ki 6:19. A magisterial invitation, almost a command. No reason is given, except the promise which follows, and we assume that He is already known to the two brothers. As in Mar 11:24; Mar 11:29, the imperative takes the place of a protasis with εἰ or εἰ. Δεῦτε = δεῦρο ἴτε.

γενέσθαι ἁλεεῖς ἀνθρώπων. Mt. omits γενέσθαι, which points to the preparatory training: ἀνθρώπους ἔσῃ ζωγρῶν (Luk 5:10) is more explicit; men instead of fish, and for life instead of for death; vivos capies homines (Beza). This implies an invitation to permanent service; they are to cease to catch fish and to become fishers of men. This is the earliest instance of Christ’s parabolic teaching; cf. Mar 2:19; Mar 2:21-22. In the result Christ Himself appears as a successful fisher, ἵνα ἁλιεύσῃ τοὺς ἁλιεῖς (Euthym.). Cf. the hymn, sometimes attributed to Clem. Alex.: ἁλιεὺς μερόπων τῶν σωζομένων κ.τ.λ.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

17.] γενέσθαι is here inserted before ἁλεεῖς for minute accuracy.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

17. δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου—Come after me.2 Following is in the N.T. a figurative expression for discipleship, especially for that which involved personal attendance upon Jesus. This use of follow belongs to a general use by which it is applied to any personal attendance, as of a soldier. ἁλιεῖς ἀνθρώπων—fishers of men; cf. Jer 16:16. This is the first instance of the use of parabolic language, so common in the discourse of Jesus. The parable is not necessarily drawn out into a story, or a stated comparison; it may be expressed in a word as here. In it, Jesus simply brings together things of the outer and inner world, expressing the unfamiliar in the terms of the common and familiar. The effectiveness of it depends on the general likeness of the two worlds.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

To become (γενέσθαι)

An addition of Mark.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.