Mark 1:19

Mar_1:19-20

And when He had gone a little farther thence, He saw James.

The call of the sons of Zebedee

I. Our first question is, what manner of men were James and John when Jesus summoned them to His service? Is it not suggested that they were free from gross vices; open-eyed to truth and righteousness? Converted profligates have rendered eminent service in the kingdom of God; yet the best achievements have usually come from men who have not saturated their natures with vicious indulgences. Secular experience had helped to make the brothers fit for Christs call. The stormy wind was fulfilling Christs word, and He was coming to His men walking on the waves of the sea. The qualities of character produced by toil upon the deep were caught up and transfigured in the fulfilment of apostolic tasks. We are shaped by circumstances which look commonplace for future usefulness. James and John had reason to be thankful for helpful communion with others. Their parents must have been a worthy couple, and their companions, Peter and Andrew, were like-minded with themselves. Their thoughts went beyond boats and nets. Their lives looked upward. To the youthful fishermen Christ had already revealed Himself. His spell was on their hearts.

II. The call for which such varied preparations had been made was heard in due course-He called them, etc. Though we take it as a matter of course that James and John should make a prompt response, there was the possibility of reluctance and bargaining. Jonah fled. Prompt be our obedience. The call that was heeded involved a purifying fellowship. The men who were named Boanerges had dispositions which might have made them men of violent deeds had not Christ assumed the task of refining without weakening the powerful, passionate natures that He won. To be much with Christ is essential to doing well in His kingdom.

III. The service for which the call and culture prepared the way.

IV. The sacrifices which the service required. Zebedee and Salome had their share. For their sons they had made plans with which Christ interfered. Their home was to lose some light, The youths themselves had to endure hardship, but they had love to help them. (W. J. Henderson, B. A.)

The beneficent influence of a Christ-attracted life

Anything but beneficent those lives might have been. Let the seawater which would madden those who drink it be drawn heavenward, and it will descend as wholesome refreshment for beast and bird and tree and man; and so men that would make the worlds life madder become fountains of sweet water after Christ has drawn them into the sky of communion with Himself. You will remember that, and let Him uplift you. To be much with Him is essential to doing well in His kingdom. (W. J. Henderson, B. A.)

A call to discipleship

1. This call uttered by Christ was unique in its character.

2. It was emphatic in its authority.

3. It was important in its designation.

I. The call to discipleship comes to men preoccupied with the secular duties of life.

1. Christ does not often call idle men to discipleship.

2. If man are active Christ does not despise the meanness of their toil.

II. The call to discipleship comes to several in the same family.

III. It involves the subordination of all human relationships.

1. Of trade relationships.

2. Of domestic relationships. (Joseph S. Exell, M. A.)

Christs insight into character

In a rough stone, a cunning lapidary will easily foresee what his cutting, and his polishing, and his art will bring that stone to. A cunning statuary discerns in a marble stone under his feet, where there will arise an eye, and an ear, and a hand, and other lineaments to make it a perfect statue. Much more did our Saviour Christ, who was Himself the author of that disposition in them (for no man hath any such disposition but from God), foresee in these fishermen an inclinableness to become useful in that great service of His Church. Therefore He took them from their own ship, but He sent them from His cross; He took them weather beaten with north and south winds, and rough cast with foam and mud; but He sent there back soupled, and smoothed, and levigated, quickened, and inanimated with that spirit which He had breathed into them from His own bowels, His own eternal bowels, from which the Holy Ghost proceeded; He took fishermen, and He sent fishers of men. (J. Donne, D. D.)

What the Gospel ministry is

1. Called men: Said to Andrew, Peter, etc., Follow me.

2. Separated men: They left all and followed Him.

3. Commissioned men: I will make you fishers of men.

4. Equipped men: with His presence-with His Spirit. (The Christian Advocate.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1:19-20 Zebedee’s sons . . . leaving their father: Jesus later taught that this is the kind of thing that his followers will do (8:34-35; Matt 10:37-39).

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

The calling of James and John.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

19. James the son of Zebedee] Two brothers had already been called and two more were now to join them.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when he had gone a little further thence,.... From the place where Simon and Andrew were casting their nets, though still by the sea side;

he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother. The former was be whom afterwards Herod killed with the sword, and the latter the beloved disciple; these were also fishermen:

who also were in the ship mending their nets: as the other two disciples were on board the ship, casting their nets into the sea to catch fish; these were also in a ship, repairing their nets, in order to use them the same way, and for the same purpose; See Gill on Mat 4:21.

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

19 And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.

Ver. 19. {See Trapp on "Mat 4:21"}

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.

§ 23. — RETIREMENT INTO GALILEE, Mar_1:14.

§ 24. — MINISTRY IN GALILEE, Mar_1:14-15.

§ 26. — CALL OF FOUR DISCIPLES, Mar_1:16-20.

19. Mending their nets — Why does Mark mention that they were mending their nets, while he mentions that Peter and Andrew were casting theirs into the sea? This casual expression would be wholly unexplained if we had not an account from another evangelist, namely, Luke, who tells us that the miracle of the immense draught of fishes had been performed, by which the nets of both boats had been broken. This slight clause, thus inserted for no apparent purpose, is one of those undesigned coincidences which show that truth is at the bottom of both narratives. It suggests that the evangelist Mark is aware of more facts than it is consistent with his brevity of purpose to narrate. See note on Mar_1:1. It also suggests that, had we a fifth evangelist, many of the difficulties which now embarrass us in the Gospels would entirely disappear. Meanwhile these slight variations show that there is no combination between the narrators, but that all are reporting the same facts.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 19, 20. The calling of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. St. Mark hero mentions that they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants (meta twn misywtwn). This mention of the "hired servants" is peculiar to St. Mark. He often follows the narrative of St. Matthew; but he adds little details such as this, here and there, which show that he knew St. Matthew"s narrative to be true, and also that he was an independent witness. This circumstance here incidentally mentioned shows that there was a difference in position in life between Zebedee"s family and that of Simon and Andrew. It appears that all Jews had free right of fishing in the sea of Galilee, which abounded in fish. Zebedee, therefore, whose home seems to have been at Jerusalem, had a fishing establishment in Galilee, probably managed by his partners, Andrew and Simon, during his absence. But he would naturally visit the establishment from time to time With his sons, and especially before the great festivals, when a larger supply of fish than usual would be required for the visitors crowding to Jerusalem at that time. (See "Speaker"s Commentary.")

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

in the boat

It can be assumed that this boat belongs to James and John. AT: "in their boat" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

mending the nets

"repairing the nets"

called them

It may be helpful to state clearly why Jesus called to James and John. AT: "called them to come with him" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

hired servants

"servants who worked for them"

they followed him

James and John went with Jesus.

translationWords

Jesus

James (son of Zebedee)

Zebedee

John (the apostle)

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

19. τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου. We may infer from Mar 15:40 that the mother’s name was Salome. As James is mentioned first and John is described as “his brother,” we conclude that John was the younger, or that, at the time when this Gospel was written, James was the better known. In Act 12:2, “James the brother of John” indicates that at that time John was better known than Zebedee. See on Mar 3:16.

καὶ αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ. They also in their boat. We were not told that Simon and Andrew were in their boat, but it might be inferred from ἀμφιβάλλοντας, for an ἀμφιβάλλσντας could not be used to much purpose from the shore.

καταρτίζοντας. James and John were not fishing but getting their nets in proper order for the next expedition. Theophylact strangely makes this a sign of poverty; they repaired their nets because they could not afford to get new ones! Hired servants imply that Zebedee was well off. Καταρτίζω in profane writers often means setting a joint or bone. St Paul has it in all of the four great Epistles.

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.

19.] μετὰ Ζ. τ. πατρ. αὐτ. (Matt.) is omitted here, and . inserted below, where Matt. has simply τ. πατ.

καὶ αὐτούς, these also, as well as the former pair of brothers. It belongs only to ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ, not to the following clause.

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

19. Καὶ προβὰς ὀλίγον—And having gone forward a little.

Omit ἐκεῖθεν thence, Tisch. Treg. WH. RV. BDL 1, 28, 118, 124, 131, 209, Lat. Vet. (some mss.) Memph. Pesh. etc.

Ἰάκωβον—James—the O.T. Jacob. He is named commonly before John, implying that he was the older brother. Ζεβεδαίου—Zebedee. Known only as the father of his two sons, and mentioned only in connection with the present event (Mat 4:21). The mother was Salome.3 καὶ αὐτοὺς—who also, EV., gives the sense of these words. They express the identity of the occupation of these two with that of Peter and Andrew. They were also in their fishermen’s boat, though they were mending their nets, instead of casting them. καταρτίζοντας—mending.4

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

A little farther

Added by Mark.

Mending

See on Mat 4:21.

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