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Tuesday, February 20

Mark 1:14-28 (NIV)

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

“Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!”  The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

Devotion

To me, Jesus’ calling of his first four disciples in Galilee, as described briefly in Mark, leads to a stunning response—all four immediately drop everything to go with Jesus.  Brothers James and John depart so quickly that they leave their father Zebedee in the fishing boat where they had been working.  This passage, and similar descriptions in the other synoptic gospels, depict an amazing scene—young men abruptly deciding to undertake a life of learning and service from a relatively young rabbi. 

I imagine myself as Zebedee.  How would I feel if my sons did that?  Well, after doing some research, given the times and culture in Galilee, I suspect I would feel extremely proud of my young, devout sons leaving to follow this amazing, charismatic rabbi. 

Scholars believe Galileans in Jesus’ time were especially passionate about their Jewish faith.  They believe most of the disciples were under 18 and unmarried (although Simon Peter was probably a little older and married).  At that time, education for a Jewish child ended at age 15, after which they then entered the workforce, unless they were bright or rich enough to be accepted by a rabbi as a disciple.  At that time a disciple (talmid in Hebrew) of a rabbi was much more than a student assistant or a true believer of the rabbi’s teachings.  A disciple was more akin to a devoted apprentice servant who would later teach others. 

This is the kind of disciple that Jesus is calling us to become.

Prayer

Lord, help me to be as eager and responsive to your call as these four fishermen – to be drawn out of my everyday routine in order to love and serve others as your disciple.

Bill Cassels

Painting: Christ Calling the Apostles James and John, 1869 by Edward Armitage. This webpage allows zooming in on portions of the painting.  I suspect that the two men standing behind Jesus are Simon and Andrew who Jesus had called as disciples earlier in this passage.

Hymn videos: Jesus Calls Us O’er the Tumult (sung to two different tunes)

  • Tune of Galilee, which is more familiar to me – Grace Episcopal Church Osinning, NY, with lyrics.
  • Tune of Restoration Musicians of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, Nashville TN, with lyrics.

Readings: on Discipleship at the time of Jesus, and on the Youthful Disciples:

Video:  All the Times Jesus Called Disciples in The Chosen