If you randomly ask folks on the street what it means to be a fisherman, you will likely get a response from those guys on Deadliest Catch, Wicked Tuna, or Bass Pro. Now, those are real fishermen.
I must admit I like watching all of those, but Jesus made it clear in Matthew 4: 18-22 that Biblical men fish for real men.
STUDY
FISHER—Besides its literal sense (Luke 5:2), this word is also applied by our Lord to his disciples in a figurative sense (Matt. 4:19; Mark 1:17).
M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary and Treasury of Biblical History, Biography, Geography, Doctrine, and Literature (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1893), 260.
FISHER, fishʹẽr, FISHERMAN,, fishʹēr-man (דַּיָּג, dayyāgh, דַּוָּג, dawwāgh; ἁλιεύς, halieús; WH haleeús): Although but few references to fishermen are made in the Bible, these men and their calling are brought into prominence by Jesus’ call to certain Galilee fishermen to become His disciples (Mt 4:18, 19; Mk 1:16, 17). Fishermen, then as now, formed a distinct class. The strenuousness of the work (Lk 5:2) ruled out the weak and indolent. They were crude in manner, rough in speech and in their treatment of others (Lk 9:49, 54; Jn 18:10). James and John before they became tempered by Jesus’ influence were nicknamed the “sons of thunder” (Mk 3:17). The fishermen’s exposure to all kinds of weather made them hardy and fearless. They were accustomed to bear with patience many trying circumstances. They often toiled for hours without success, and yet were always ready to try once more (Lk 5:5; Jn 21:3). Such men, when impelled by the same spirit as filled their Master, became indeed “fishers of men” (Mt 4:19; Mk 1:17).
One of the striking instances of the fulfilment of prophecy is the use by the Syrian fishermen today of the site of ancient Tyre as a place for the spreading of their nets (Ezk 26:5, 14).
Figurative: Fish were largely used as food (Hab 1:16), hence the lamentation of the fishermen, who provided for all, typified general desolation (Isa 19:8). On the other hand, abundance of fish and many fishermen indicated general abundance (Ezk 47:10). Our modern expression, “treated like a dog,” had its counterpart in the language of the OT writers, when they portrayed the punished people of Judah as being treated like fish. Jeh would send many fishers to fish them up and put sticks or hooks through their cheeks as a fisherman strings his fish (Jer 16:16; Job 41:2). Such treatment of the people of Judah is depicted on some of the Assyr monuments.
James A. Patch, “Fisher, Fisherman,” in The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, ed. James Orr et al. (Chicago: The Howard-Severance Company, 1915), 1115.
4:18–22 The Calling of the First Disciples
JESUS CHOOSES HIS FIRST DISCIPLES. RICHARD TAVERNER: If Christ had chosen great learned men or men of estimation, they might perhaps have said that they had deserved to be chosen because of their learning or wisdom. But our Lord Jesus Christ going about to break the neck of the proud, chose men of no learning nor reputation, which he did also for this purpose, that the glory of the gospel might not be diminished nor shadowed with worldly succors and helps. So here Christ manifestly declares to us in what kind of people he most delights, even in the humble and contempt persons of the world and in such as be simple and as it were babes in worldly wisdom, as in another place he also testifies, saying, “I confess and give thanks unto you O Father, lord of heaven and of earth, because you have hid these things from the wise and prudent persons and have disclosed them unto babes.” And you shall mark that Christ calls babes here that which laying aside all worldly wisdom receive God’s word without all deliberation and which prefer not their own judgment afore God’s word but submit themselves unto it in all things. He called therefore two simple fishers, and when did he call them?… For they were casting their nets into the sea, and this fishing was a shadow of the new fishing, whereby they should not take with material nets tithes for the food of the belly, but whereby they should with the net of God’s word catch men—which be drowned with earthly cares—unto the desire of the heavenly life. Wherefore whereas they were busied and toiling about their bodily living—which nevertheless was then their vocation or calling according to God’s commandment that bids us that in the sweat of our face we should eat our bread—from this general calling, I say, he plucked them to a special calling, which was to preach his holy gospel. And verily his word of calling had in it a wonderful virtue, for it so brought in their hearts that they forthwith left altogether and followed him. And here we have a notable example of obedience in these apostles for us to follow. THE GOSPELS WITH BRIEF SERMONS.
THE OBEDIENCE OF JESUS’ DISCIPLES. JUAN DE VALDÉS: There are here three things as it seems to me worthy of consideration. The first, that the office of an apostle, of a preacher of the gospel, is to fish for men, to drag them out of the obscurity, the darkness, and the confusion of the kingdom of the world and to bring them forth into the light, the brightness, and the peace of the kingdom of God; and the net with which these men are caught is the word of the gospel, the intimation of general indulgence and pardon by the justice of God executed upon Christ.…
The second, that these four apostles, when they heard Christ’s voice, followed Christ without consulting human prudence nor waiting for other inducements than that, “I will make you fishers of men,” which at the time they did not understand; doing as I feel sure all will do, who inwardly hear Christ’s voice; they who accept the gospel and thus come forth from the kingdom of the world and enter into the kingdom of God, deliberate and go about consulting with human prudence, witness concerning themselves that they do not hear the voice of Christ, for had they heard it, they would have done what the apostles did.
The third, that if the sons of Zebedee had looked to the obligation of human generation (birth), they would not have left their father to follow Christ. Where it is to be understood that the man, who is called of God to be a disciple of Christ, to imitate Christ, ought to renounce the obligation of human generation (of birth), only regarding the obligation of Christian regeneration. COMMENTARY UPON THE GOSPEL OF ST. MATTHEW.
THE DISCIPLES AS FISHERS OF MEN. JOHN DONNE: Those meditations and those endeavors which must bring us to heaven are removed from this world and fixed entirely upon God. And in this sea are we made fishers of men. Of men in general; not of rich men, to profit by them, nor of poor men, to pierce them the more sharply, because affliction hath opened a way into them; not of learned men, to be over-glad of their approbation of our labors, nor of ignorant men, to affect them with an astonishment, or admiration of our gifts: But we are fishers of men, of all men, of that which makes them men, their souls. And for this fishing in this sea, this gospel is our net.
Eloquence is not our net; traditions of men are not our nets; only the gospel is. The devil angles with hooks and baits; he deceives and he wounds in the catching; for every sin has his sting. The gospel of Christ Jesus is a net; It has leads and corks; it has leads, that is, the denouncing of God’s judgments and a power to sink down and lay flat any stubborn and rebellious heart; and it has corks, that is, the power of absolution and application of the mercies of God that swim above all his works, means to erect a humble and contrite spirit above all the waters of tribulation and affliction. SERMON PREACHED AT WHITEHALL.
Jason K. Lee, William M. Marsh, and Timothy George, eds., Matthew: New Testament, vol. I, Reformation Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2021), 54–55.
18–22. CALLING OF PETER, ANDREW, JAMES AND JOHN. Mark 1:16–20; Luke 5:6–11.
- And Jesus walked, &c. This refers to his passing from place to place, in the exercise of his ministry. According to Luke (5:1–11), the people so pressed upon him to hear the word of God, that he was obliged to enter a fisherman’s boat, and shove a little from land, in order to be able to address the thronging and eager multitude. After his address was ended, he directed Simon, the owner of the boat, to launch out into the deep and let down his nets for a draught. It was on the occasion of this miraculous draught of fishes, that Simon with his brother Andrew, and James and John, his partners, at the call of Jesus, forsook their employment and followed him as disciples. It will be seen, by a comparison with Luke, that there is no essential difference in the statements of the Evangelists. Luke gives a full account of the circumstances attending the call of these apostles, while Matthew and Mark confine their narration to the call itself. Sea of Galilee. See N. on v. 13. Luke (5:1) calls it the lake of Gennesaret, which was its most ancient name (see Numb. 34:11), given it from the small territory of the same name on its western borders, the chief town of which was a fenced city (Josh. 19:35). Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother. While in attendance upon John’s ministry, these two brethren had already enjoyed an interview with Jesus, at which time Simon received from him the name Cephas, a Hebrew word signifying a rock or stone, to which Peter is the corresponding Greek name. After this brief interview, they seem to have returned to Galilee, and remained with him as his disciples (1 John 2:2, 11, 12), but probably did not accompany him to Jerusalem on the occasion of his first passover (John 2:13). Doddridge, however, thinks that they accompanied him, but that from prudential motives, arising from the jealousy of the Pharisees (John 4:1), and Herod’s persecuting spirit (v. 12), he had thought proper to dismiss them for a time, probably while he tarried two days with the Samaritans (John 4:40). Whatever view we take, they had evidently returned to their former employment, until this new and special call, after which they remained in constant attendance upon the instructions of Jesus. For they were fishers. The lake of Gennesaret was famed for the purity of its water and the abundance and fine flavor of its fish. Its length from north to south is about twelve miles, and its breadth from five to seven miles. Lieut. Lynch reports its greatest ascertained depth at 165 feet. Its capacity was therefore sufficient to supply the neighboring towns and villages with fish, and to furnish constant employment to many, who pursued the fisherman’s calling for a livelihood.
- Follow me, i.e. become my disciples. Instruction in ancient times was often given while the teacher and his disciples were walking about. In such cases the former walked a little in advance of the latter, which gave rise to the phrase follow me, as indicative of a call to discipleship. Fishers of men. In Luke (5:10), thou (i.e. Simon) shalt catch men. Little did they understand, at that time, the full import of this expression. In subsequent times, while preaching the gospel, they doubtless recurred to it, and saw its pertinency and force.
- And they straightway left their nets. A beautiful instance of promptitude in obeying Jesus. Their nets, which had hitherto been the means of their livelihood, were left to rot on the sand. The abundance of fish, which the miraculous draught had given them, remained unsold. They only brought their ship to land, and then forsaking all followed at his command their Lord, and with a fidelity and constancy never surpassed, remained true to him, amidst persecutions, reproaches, imprisonments, and death itself.
- 22. After rendering assistance to their companions in securing the miraculous draught of fishes, it seems that James and John returned to their own station or place of anchorage, and were engaged in mending their nets, which some think had been broken in the great draught. But as we have no evidence that any net, save that of Peter, was let down for the draught, it is better to refer this to the usual wear and tear of the nets, which would require some attention each day. Jesus, as he proceeded a little distance from Simon’s ship, finds these brethren with their father Zebedee in this employment, and calls them, quite likely, in terms similar to those which he addressed to Peter. With a like spirit of prompt and cheerful obedience, they left the ship with their father and hired servants (Mark 1:20), and followed him.
John J. Owen, Commentary on Matthew and Mark (New York: Leavitt & Allen, 1864), 30–31.
DEVOTION
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[Jesus said], “I will send you out to fish for people.” Matthew 4:19
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