Mark 1:18 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

NIV: At once they left their nets and followed him.

NASB: Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.

CSB: Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

NLT: And they left their nets at once and followed him.

KJV: And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.

NKJV: They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

Andrew and Simon Peter's abandonment of their business seems abrupt, but the brothers had already met Jesus. Given Mark's tendency to be brief, it's unlikely the men literally dropped everything and walked away from it, in that instant. More than likely, they made immediate arrangements to leave their business in order to follow Christ. In other words, their "leaving" was initiated "immediately," but the text does not require that it was completed "immediately."

Andrew had been introduced through John the Baptist, and had brought Simon Peter to Jesus in return (John 1:35–42). This slight history, combined with the miraculous haul of fish that Jesus had just arranged (Luke 5:1–11), causes Andrew and Simon Peter to trust Jesus fully. In fact, Simon Peter has such reverence for Jesus that he tells Jesus to leave him because he is unworthy (Luke 5:8). But they both accept Jesus' call. In return, Peter becomes well known as the leader of the disciples and they both remain among the faithful apostles in Acts 1:13 who experience the birth of the church and help lead its early followers.

Mark uses the word "immediately" (Greek eutheos) forty times in his account. Immediately after Jesus came out of the baptismal waters, the heavens open and the Holy Spirit descends (Mark 1:10). Immediately after Jesus spoke, a man is cleansed of leprosy (Mark 1:42). Immediately after Jesus healed a paralytic, he takes his mat and walks out the door (Mark 2:12).

Although Mark shows Jesus acting quickly and His miracles coming to fruition as soon as He speaks, not everything that happens in haste is good. Immediately upon hearing Jesus teach, the Pharisees conspired with the Herodians to destroy Jesus (Mark 3:6). A seed dropped on stony ground sprouts immediately because it has no soil in which to grow roots (Mark 4:5). Acting quickly to Jesus' call is essential, but it's also wise to have a discerning mind.

Mark 1:14–20 describes Jesus' call of the first disciples. First, Jesus approaches Simon—later named Peter—and Andrew, and then speaks to James and John. Both pairs of men choose to leave their fishing businesses behind, in order to follow Jesus. As the following passage shows, this means abandoning everything, as Jesus' ministry will take Him away from this region. Other Gospels give additional details on these encounters (Matthew 4:18–22; Luke 5:1–11; John 1:35–42).

John the Baptist is introduced as a figure preparing the world for the arrival of the Messiah. John's baptism teaches people about their need for repentance. When Jesus arrives, and is baptized, it signals the coming of God's fulfillment and the need of people to recognize their Savior. Mark briefly notes Jesus' baptism, desert temptation, and the calling of the first four disciples. After this, Jesus begins teaching in the synagogue and performs miraculous healings which spread His fame around the region.

The first chapter of the Gospel of Mark sets the tone for the rest of the story. Mark's writing is concise, action-packed, and short on details. Within a few verses, Mark establishes the transition from the wilderness ministry of John the Baptist to the healing and preaching of Jesus Christ. This first chapter includes the calling of Jesus' earliest disciples, His early miracles, and His early teaching. This establishes the pattern shown throughout the Gospel of Mark, where Jesus mingles His teaching with miraculous signs.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.