Mark 1:20 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

NIV: Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

NASB: Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and went away to follow Him.

CSB: Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

NLT: He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men.

KJV: And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

NKJV: And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.

James and John had gone fishing with Simon Peter the night before and come back without a bite. Then they'd seen the enormous catch that Jesus had arranged for them (Luke 5:1-7). Beyond the miracle of the huge amount of fish after a night of nothing, it's interesting to note that Jesus provided the fishermen with the support to be able to leave (Andrew and Simon Peter their business, and James and John their father) so they could follow Jesus with limited earthly worries—at least in that moment. Jesus didn't always do this. He told the rich young ruler to give away his riches as a discipline of putting Jesus first (Matthew 19:16–23), and he told another man not to wait until his father was dead to pursue discipleship (Matthew 8:21–22).

Again, Mark emphasizes Jesus "immediately" called James and John. These brothers left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed Jesus. Their bold faith stands out as an example to those today who likewise must often leave behind people and security to pursue Jesus and His calling on their lives.

In this verse, we are also left without answers in some areas. First, we are not told whether Zebedee supported his sons' decision. Second, we are never told what happened with their family business. Did it survive or wither away? Was the family in financial trouble as a result? Their bold faith is shown as a risk with many unknowns. However, the full account of Mark's Gospel reveals a decision that was worth the risk. These men experienced miracles no other person would see, hear teachings from the Son of God, and truly become "fishers of men" through the lives they changed after following Jesus during His years on earth.

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.