What does Mark 1:19 mean?
Luke 5:1–11 explains that Jesus had borrowed Simon Peter's boat as a stage, and then impelled him to go fishing. The catch was so big, Simon Peter had to call on his partners, James and John, to help. So, apparently, the two boats landed with their catch, and some time after sending the fish to be processed, the men mended their nets. It was then that Jesus approached James and John.Like Peter and Andrew, they were brothers who had worked as fishermen for a living. They ran their own business, yet were working class individuals rather than wealthy royalty or educated religious leaders. But their hearts—especially John's—were submitted to Jesus. This John, a different person from John the Baptist, describes himself in his Gospel as the disciple "whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23). The James mentioned here is a different person from the author of the book of James, who was also Jesus' half-brother. This James, the brother of John, becomes one of the first Christian martyrs (Acts 12:2).
Their attitudes are in stark contrast to the stubborn, hard hearts of the religious leaders. Those who should have been most aware of the prophecies regarding Jesus and how He fulfilled them were the ones who opposed Him. Social status and extensive education mean nothing without a teachable spirit and a submissive heart (John 7:17).