And he said to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Follow.
Matthew 8:22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
Matthew 9:9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
I will.
Ezekiel 47:9,10 And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh…
Mark 1:17,18 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men…
Luke 5:10,11 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men…
Jesus said,
The authority of Jesus is central here. Unlike other rabbis who might rely on the authority of the Torah or tradition, Jesus speaks with His own authority. This is consistent with the portrayal of Jesus throughout the Gospels, where He often prefaces His teachings with "Truly, I say to you," emphasizing His divine authority. This phrase also highlights the personal nature of the call; it is Jesus Himself who invites the disciples, not through intermediaries or written commands.
“and I will make you fishers of men.”
This metaphorical promise connects directly to the occupation of the first disciples, who were fishermen by trade. Jesus uses their familiar context to illustrate their new mission. The phrase "fishers of men" suggests evangelism and the gathering of people into the kingdom of God. In the Old Testament, fishing imagery is sometimes used in a context of judgment (e.g., Jeremiah 16:16), but here it is transformed into a mission of salvation. This transformation is a type of Christ's redemptive work, taking what is ordinary and making it extraordinary for His purposes. The promise "I will make you" indicates that the ability to fulfill this mission comes from Jesus Himself, not from the disciples' own skills or efforts. This aligns with the broader biblical theme that God equips those He calls, as seen in the lives of Moses, David, and the prophets.
• Jesus takes the first step, inviting ordinary people into His presence (John 15:16).
• Like God’s call to Abram—“Go from your country…” (Genesis 12:1)—this summons requires a decisive break from the past.
• The open invitation echoes throughout Scripture: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’” (Revelation 22:17).
• His call is gracious; no prerequisites, just willingness to respond.
• Discipleship is personal—it is Jesus Himself we follow, not a program (John 10:27).
• Following implies:
– Direction: He sets the path (John 12:26).
– Devotion: “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself” (Luke 9:23).
– Dependence: Remaining close, as sheep with their shepherd (Psalm 23:1).
• True followers align their lives with His example (1 Peter 2:21).
• The authority behind the call rests on the Speaker: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me” (Matthew 28:18).
• His words are life-giving; Peter confessed, “You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).
• God now speaks “through His Son” (Hebrews 1:2), so obedience to Christ equals obedience to God.
• Transformation is His work—He doesn’t merely command; He equips (Philippians 1:6).
• “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
• Our role is surrender; His role is shaping us into purposeful vessels (Ephesians 2:10).
• This promise assures that effectiveness flows from His power, not our skill.
• The new identity involves mission: reaching people with the gospel (Matthew 28:19-20).
• Imagery of fishing highlights:
– Intention: casting the net widely (Acts 1:8).
– Patience and persistence (2 Timothy 4:2).
– Compassion: rescuing souls from danger (Proverbs 11:30).
• Every disciple becomes an ambassador, drawing others to the Savior (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Jesus initiates the relationship (“Come”), calls for wholehearted discipleship (“follow Me”), speaks with divine authority (“Jesus said”), promises Spirit-empowered transformation (“I will make you”), and assigns a clear mission (“fishers of men”). Responding to this call means leaving self-directed living, cleaving to Christ, and living on purpose so others may be brought into His kingdom.
(19) Follow me.--The command came, as we have seen, to those who were not unprepared. Short as it was, it was in some sense the first parable in our Lord's teaching, the germ of an actual parable (Matthew 13:47). It suggested a whole circle of thoughts. The sea is the troubled and evil world (Isaiah 57:20), and the souls of men are the fish that have to be caught and taken from it, and the net is the Church of Christ. The figure had been used before (Jeremiah 16:16), but then it had presented its darker aspect, and the "fishers of men" were their captors and enslavers. The earliest extant hymn of the Church, by Clement of Alexandria, dwells on the image with a rich and suggestive playfulness. Christ is thus addressed:--"Fisher of men, the blest,
Out of the world's unrest,
Out of sin's troubled sea
Taking us, Lord, to Thee;
Out of the waves of strife, . . .
Verse 19. - Follow me; come ye after me (Revised Version); δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου. There is no thought of continuous following from place to place (ἀκολουθεῖν) , but of immediate detachment from the present sphere of their interest and of attachment to Jesus as their leader. And I will make you fishers of men; Mark, "to become fishers of men," laying more stress on the change in their character necessary for success in this new kind of fishing. Luke 5:10 brings out the change in the nature of the work(ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν). Fishers. The word suggests care, patience, skill, besides habits of life fitted for endurance of privation and fatigue. The same promise is, as it seems, related in Luke 5:10, where notice:(1) It is connected with the miracle of the draught of fishes.
(2) It is not verbally identical with this: Μὴ φοβοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν ἀνθρώπους ἔσῃ ζωγρῶν.
(3) The words are addressed individually to Simon.
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