Matthew 4:18-19
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The text doesn't just say they were fishermen; it highlights they were "casting a net into the sea," which was their livelihood. This wasn't just a hobby; it was their daily grind, and Jesus called them right out of their honest work, showing God's power to transform ordinary lives for extraordinary purposes.
While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is walking along the Sea of Galilee, a beautiful and bustling area, when he sees two brothers, Simon and Andrew, who are fishermen actively working their trade. Though John's Gospel hints they'd met Jesus before and even received their names, this moment marks their definitive call to leave their livelihood and follow him full-time, signifying a shift from a prior acquaintance to an official commission.
Did Jesus already know these men? The story might seem abrupt, but the Gospel writers often build on previous events.
It's easy to read this as a cold call, but John’s Gospel tells us that Andrew and Simon (Peter) had actually met Jesus months before!
Why fishermen? Jesus didn't pick the elite or the educated. There's profound wisdom in God choosing the unlikely.
Jesus calls Simon Peter and Andrew while they are actively engaged in their trade: fishing. This wasn't accidental; it reveals God's deliberate choice of ordinary people for extraordinary work.
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The Sea of Galilee wasn't just a backdrop; it was a vibrant, vital part of their lives and work.
The Sea of Galilee, also known as the Lake of Gennesaret or Tiberias, was a hub of activity and livelihood.
Jesus chose a place familiar and essential to these men, integrating His divine mission into the fabric of their everyday reality.
Understand the original words
deute opisō mou · Greek Imperative verb phrase
In a spiritual sense, this means to physically and devotionally accompany Jesus, mimicking His life, teaching, and mission. It involves abandonment of one's previous life to be a disciple of the Master.
halieis anthrōpōn · Greek Noun phrase
A metaphor used by Jesus to describe the transformative mission of his disciples: shifting their labor from catching fish to calling people into the kingdom of God through the gospel.
c. AD 26-27
John the Baptist's Ministry Begins
John the Baptist begins preaching a baptism of repentance in the Judean wilderness, drawing crowds and preparing the way for Jesus. Andrew, and likely Peter, had previously encountered Jesus during His early ministry recorded in John's Gospel.
c. AD 27
Jesus' Early Galilean Ministry
After his baptism and temptation, Jesus begins His public ministry in Galilee. This period likely included earlier interactions with some disciples, as suggested by John's Gospel, but Jesus was not yet formally gathering them for constant service.
c. AD 27-28
Jesus' Ministry in Judea and Samaria
Jesus spends time ministering in Judea and travels through Samaria, where He calls Philip and encounters the woman at the well. The disciples who had previously followed Him may have dispersed during this time.
c. AD 28— this verse
Jesus Calls Peter and Andrew
While walking by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus sees Simon Peter and Andrew casting their nets. He calls them to leave their fishing trade and follow Him, marking their formal calling as His disciples and future apostles.
c. AD 28
Jesus Calls James and John
Shortly after calling Peter and Andrew, Jesus sees the brothers James and John in their boat mending their nets and calls them to follow Him as well, completing the call of the first four disciples.
This passage describes the initial encounter where Andrew and Peter first met Jesus, providing crucial context that they weren't complete strangers but had already experienced a prior call, making this a call to official service rather than an initial invitation.
Luke 5:1-11This parallel account of Peter and Andrew (and James and John) being called highlights the miraculous catch of fish that followed, powerfully demonstrating God's power and Jesus' authority in a way that would deeply impress these fishermen.
1 Corinthians 1:26-29Paul explains that God often chooses the 'weak' and 'lowly' things of the world, like fishermen, to confound the wise and strong, underscoring the divine wisdom in selecting humble men to display His power through their ministry.
Amos 7:14-15Amos, also called from a humble occupation as a shepherd and a tender of sycamore trees, shows a pattern where God calls ordinary working men to be prophets, demonstrating that God's call transcends social standing or professional background.
bensonMatthew 4:18: "And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers."
Matthew 4:18 . And Jesus, walking, &c., saw two brethren — One of the two, at least, namely, Andrew, had been a disciple of the Baptist. And the Apostle John “informs us, John 1:40 ; John 1:42 , that they had both before been called to the knowledge of Christ, upon the banks of Jordan, and that the name of Peter had been given…
clarkeMatthew 4:18: "And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers."
Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother - Why did not Jesus Christ call some of the eminent Scribes or Pharisees to publish his Gospel, and not poor unlearned fishermen, without credit or authority? Because it was the kingdom of heaven they were to preach, and their teaching must come from above: besides, the conversion of…
The text doesn't just say they were fishermen; it highlights they were "casting a net into the sea," which was their livelihood. This wasn't just a hobby; it was their daily grind, and Jesus called them right out of their honest work, showing God's power to transform ordinary lives for extraordinary purposes.
Jesus is walking along the Sea of Galilee, a beautiful and bustling area, when he sees two brothers, Simon and Andrew, who are fishermen actively working their trade. Though John's Gospel hints they'd met Jesus before and even received their names, this moment marks their definitive call to leave their livelihood and follow him full-time, signifying a shift from a prior acquaintance to an official commission.
Jesus is walking along the Sea of Galilee, a beautiful and bustling area, when he sees two brothers, Simon and Andrew, who are fishermen actively working their trade. Though John's Gospel hints they'd met Jesus before and even received their names, this moment marks their definitive call to leave their livelihood and follow him full-time, signifying a shift from a prior acquaintance to an official commission.
"While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”" — The text doesn't just say they were fishermen; it highlights they were "casting a net into the sea," which was their livelihood. This wasn't just a hobby; it was their daily grind, and Jesus called t…
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Last reviewed October 2026
