why did jesus choose fishermen

why did jesus choose fishermen

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5 Reasons Jesus Chose Fishermen – Sermon Central

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  • Publish date: 06/11/2021
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  • Description: 6 thg 2, 2019 — 4. Fishermen are courageous. Fishing can require a person to travel into deep and treacherous waters. It was common in Jesus’ day for fishermen …
  • Sumary: 5 Reasons Jesus Chose Fishermen The Bible tells us 7 of the first 12 disciples were fishermen by trade. It is no accident Jesus chose these individuals to be his…

Why did Christ choose a fisherman? | America Magazine

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  • Description: 17 thg 7, 2020 — Jesus called his followers to be fishers of men. We can understand this better if we consider what it takes to be a fisher of fish.
  • Sumary: Why did Christ choose a fisherman?Photo by Jed Owen on UnsplashThe memory remains vivid to this day. I crouched by the water, gulping the humid summer air. In my right…

Shepherds vs. Fishermen, and Why It Matters – Seedbed

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  • Description: 18 thg 3, 2016 — Yep, why did Jesus choose fishermen instead of shepherds. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
  • Sumary: Shepherds vs. Fishermen, and Why It Matters – Seedbed Listen to today’s Daily Text March 18, 2016 Matthew 4:18-22 18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he…

Why did Jesus choose Fishermen? – Catholic Life Coach

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  • Description: 5 thg 2, 2014 — Because of this attentiveness they learn and develop techniques that enabled them to make their catch of the day. Secondly, a fisherman is blind …
  • Sumary: Why did Jesus choose Fishermen? – Catholic Life Coach There are two types of people in this world. Those that are fishermen and those that wish they were.  Now that…

Why were Jesus' disciples fishermen? – Faith Radio

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  • Description: 21 thg 12, 2016 — Why did Jesus choose ordinary fishermen to account for almost half of his group of disciples?
  • Sumary: Why were Jesus’ disciples fishermen? – Faith Radio Why did Jesus choose ordinary fishermen to account for almost half of his group of disciples? Leslie Leyland Fields says there are…

Why Would a Carpenter Choose Fishermen? – News

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  • Description: 3 thg 7, 2018 — In fact, Jesus’ earthly ministry is described primarily as a mission of mercy, not judgment (John 3:17; see also Matthew 20:28 = Mark 10:45).
  • Sumary: Why Would a Carpenter Choose Fishermen? Why Would a Carpenter Choose Fishermen? The Assemblies of God Center for Holy Lands Studies (CHLS) provides a regular column to AG News that…

They Left Their Nets Behind – That the World May Know

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  • Description: It’s possible that Jesus selected fishermen as his disciples not only because the imagery of their occupation fit well with the mission that he had called them …
  • Sumary: They Left Their Nets Behind They Left Their Nets BehindBefore Jesus’ time, few Israelites were fishermen. There was only one Hebrew word for fish, and it covered everything from minnows…

Why a Fisherman? | Blog | The High Calling – Theology of Work

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  • Description: 6 thg 9, 2013 — When Jesus found these three fishermen, they were casting their nets. They weren’t telling someone else how to cast the net. They were getting …
  • Sumary: Why a Fisherman? What job did the disciples do before they became disciples? Where did Jesus find his help? All too often, I think we forget who Jesus calls to…

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What did Jesus say about fishermen?

and I will make you fishers of men. The World English Bible translates the passage as: He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men.”

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What did Jesus mean by fishers of people?

John McEvilly writes that Jesus’ meaning of ?Fishers of men,? is those “destined to bring men into the Church and to life eternal.” The allusion is, of course, to their former work.

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Who were the fishermen Jesus called?

The first disciples Jesus calls ? Peter, Andrew, James and John ? are fishermen. Compared to the other disciples, scripture gives much insight into the lives of the profession, and the character of the first four.8 thg 5, 2014

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What is the story of the fisherman in the Bible?

This is Jesus And The Fishermen Story for children. Long, long time ago, Jesus needed his friends to help him to spread God’s message. As he walked down by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two fishermen put their nets in the water to catch fish. Also, read Jesus Calms The Storm.

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Are Christians called to be fishers of men?

If we are Christian, we are to share our faith wherever and whenever the Lord gives us an opportunity. Not every Christian is called abandon home and career for Christian service, but we are all called to be ?fishers of men.?

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Who were the 4 fishermen disciples?

Andrew, Peter, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, worked as fishermen. Matthew 4:18-22 relates that Andrew and Peter were fishing, plying their trade when called, and James and John were mending nets with their father.

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What does the fish stand for in Christianity?

The fish is a symbol which was frecuently used by early christian writers in the Gospels to mean resurrection and infinity thereafter.

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What does the fish symbol stand for?

The Ichthys symbol (or “Jesus fish”) is a sign typically used to proclaim an affiliation with or affinity for Christianity. The fish was originally adopted by early Christians as a secret symbol, but the many variations known today first appeared in the 1980s.

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5 Reasons Jesus Chose Fishermen – Sermon Central

5 Reasons Jesus Chose Fishermen The Bible tells us 7 of the first 12 disciples were fishermen by trade. It is no accident Jesus chose these individuals to be his first disciples. As fishermen, these guys possessed characteristics every Christian should have. Here are 5 reasons Jesus chose fishermen.1. Fishermen know how to take orders. These men took orders without questioning or debating. Here are 3 examples.• When Jesus called Simon and Andrew, “at once they left their nets and followed him” (Mark 1:18). At once was their response; an immediate reaction to Jesus’ calling.• A night of fishing resulted in empty nets, Jesus told Simon to go to deep water and let down the nets. “Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’ When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish their nets began to break” (Luke 5:5-6). “Because you say so” was good enough.• A postresurrection appearance placed Jesus together with his disciples after a fruitless night of fishing. “He called out to them, ‘Friends haven’t you any fish?’ ‘No,’ they answered. He said, ‘Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.’ When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish” (John 21:5-6). Listening to orders yielded great results.While there is a time for questioning and debateing, fishermen know sometimes the difference between failure and success is the width of their boat and the time it takes to cross from one side of the boat to the other. They know when to simply take orders.When Jesus said to cast their net on the other side of the boat, his disciples listened. Christians, too, need to develop the skill of taking orders from the Lord. It is okay to ask questions, but sometimes, situations call for simply taking orders. The Psalmist records the Lord saying, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).2. Fishermen know how to work together. Manually pulling in a net ful of fish is a hard task. Everyone on a boat works together to pull in the net. The crew works as a team to accomplish their goal. They do not let one person do all the work.Scripture calls Christ’s followers to act in the same manner. We are one body with many parts, and each part is to do his or her work to accomplish one common goal – introducing the lost world to the message of Christ.3. Fishermen are dedicated. Fishing requires a great deal of patience and dedication. Fishermen might go hours, perhaps days, without even a nibble. Giving up is not an option though. A fisherman’s dedication pushes the person to keep fishing. Jesus knew what was ahead for his followers. He knew he needed followers who would not easily quit. The same is true today. Christians are called to pick up our cross and follow Christ daily. It is never promised life will be easy, but it is promised the Lord will care for us and Heaven will be worth the wait. As Christians, we must measure our dedication. Are we as dedicated as fishermen?4. Fishermen are courageous. Fishing can require a person to travel into deep and treacherous waters. It was common in Jesus’ day for fishermen to be caught in fierce storms while on the open sea. It was their courage which pushed them to go back into the water after experiencing one of these storms. Much courage was required.Much courage is required for the Christian. There are any number of circumstances that could cripple us with fear, but we must continue on the journey of life. This takes courage.Did you know the most repeated command in Scripture is “do not fear?” The Lord knew life would be rough and tough, so he gives us an encouraging command to have courage in the face of fear. Psalm 46 reminds us the Lord is our refuge, strength, and protection. In him, we can master fear with courage. In him, we can have courage…

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Why did Christ choose a fisherman? | America Magazine

Why did Christ choose a fisherman?Photo by Jed Owen on UnsplashThe memory remains vivid to this day. I crouched by the water, gulping the humid summer air. In my right hand, I held a sharp blade. The left secured my struggling victim. From behind, five pairs of eyes bored into the back of my skull. How, I wondered, had things come to this? It had all seemed so pleasant and innocuous at the start. Suddenly, I found myself with life in one hand and death in the other.Do not worry, gentle reader. I have a license to kill. Of course, I am talking about fish. The memory I relate is of my first-ever effort to fillet bluegill caught by my five sons from the dock of our Minnesota home. It was an unsettling experience, though in retrospect it taught me something about my life as a Christian. Jesus called his followers to be fishers of men. We can understand this better if we consider what it takes to be a fisher of fish.I did not grow up fishing. My natal family loved hiking and camping, but we generally left flora and fauna undisturbed. When my husband’s job brought me to Minnesota, I noticed that fishing was popular here. Our house gradually filled with boys, and I found myself watching with interest as a neighbor and his two boys hitched up their boat for an afternoon. I knew that my fishing dreams would have to wait because toddlers and hooks don’t mix. Still, I hoped that our turn would eventually come.Jesus called his followers to be fishers of men. We can understand this better if we consider what it takes to be a fisher of fish.It did come, somewhat sooner than expected. Four years ago, the boys and I returned from soccer practice one day to find their father in a state of excitement. He had found “our house.” I was skeptical at first, but then I saw the pictures. The house itself was fairly unremarkable, but it had a thrilling feature. The backyard sloped down to a lake. Over the next 12 weeks, we worked harder than we had ever done in our lives, and then one magical morning we woke up to the vision of an eagle, soaring over rippling waves. It felt like a miracle.I love lake life even more than I anticipated. It almost feels shameful to be this blessed. Why shouldn’t everyone enjoy these sublime pleasures: the afternoon swims, the evening rows, the mornings sipping coffee on the cool, shaded balcony? I even relish the extensive yard care and the hours spent battling invasive plants from my kayak. For me, the water feels like home. No other place has ever given me this same sense of peace. Meanwhile, it is hard to imagine a better place to raise five boys. That, of course, brings us back to fishing.We were obviously going to do it. Where to begin, though? Since no one in the family actually knew how to fish, I spent the winter months learning from videos on YouTube. In spring, the panfish moved into the shallows, and I knew the time had come. In a moment of heroism, I promised to make a meal from the boys’ first real catch. They caught nine bluegill in a single afternoon, and suddenly I was the one on the hook.A fisherman reaches across worlds, inserting himself with skill and cunning into a world that no human could inhabit.It was odd how I had managed to daydream about fishing for years without fully noticing that it involved killing. The campfire songs and charming brochures had never emphasized this point. Nevertheless, I did fillet those nine bluegill, and many more afterward. By now, a great many fish have come under my knife. I like serving guests a lake-to-table meal, and fishing itself is a thrilling way of embracing our aquatic home. Still, I have never again allowed myself to…

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Shepherds vs. Fishermen, and Why It Matters – Seedbed

Shepherds vs. Fishermen, and Why It Matters – Seedbed Listen to today’s Daily Text March 18, 2016 Matthew 4:18-22 18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. CONSIDER THIS I’ve wondered for many years now why Jesus broke with God’s long tradition of employing shepherds and chose fishermen instead. Have you ever thought about it? Let’s consider it now. Moses was a shepherd. David was a shepherd. Jacob was a shepherd. In the most beloved Psalm in the history of Psalms David famously sang, “The Lord is my shepherd.” Scripture refers to God’s people in a number of places as his flock or the sheep of his hand. And it’s not like shepherds can be relegated to the Old Testament era of human history. After all, it was shepherds tending their flocks by night who got the first breaking news of the birth of Jesus. Even Jesus referred to himself as the “Good Shepherd.” He told an unforgettable parable about the importance of the one lost sheep from the herd of a hundred. I’ll need to do a much deeper scan, but the only memory I have of fishermen prior to Jesus was in the story of Jonah. On second thought, they were more sailors than fishermen. It turned out the great fish did the fishing in that story. Today’s text reveals Jesus’ draft picks for disciples #1-#4 were fishermen. Yes, he also chose a tax collector and probably a couple other vocations in the mix, but we have no record of him ever choosing a shepherd. Years ago when I was in seminary—thanks to the generosity of many friends, my wife and I had the privilege of spending a month in Israel as part of our education. It was on this trip two decades ago I first began to ask this question about sheep and fishermen. One of the most memorable (and terrifying) moments of the trip was when I drew the short straw and was elected to preach a sermon to our entire group on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Guess what I talked about? Yep, why did Jesus choose fishermen instead of shepherds. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. Shepherds aren’t out catching new sheep. That would make them cattle thieves. Shepherds tend to their own flock. To be sure, Jesus came looking for the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but that was only the beginning. Jesus came after the whole world. Up to this point, if you weren’t a sheep you weren’t included. Jesus picked up an entirely new metaphor because he was…

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Why did Jesus choose Fishermen? – Catholic Life Coach

Why did Jesus choose Fishermen? – Catholic Life Coach There are two types of people in this world. Those that are fishermen and those that wish they were.  Now that I have offended half of my readers I would like to say that I don’t think it’s any coincidence that most of Jesus’ disciples were fishermen. If you indulge me a few moments I would like to tell you why I think this is so. So what is it about fishing  that attracted these men and what was it about these men that beckoned the call of Jesus to be his first priests? First off, to be a successful fisherman one needs to be in tune to all the happenings of the weather. Fishermen are experts in knowing the temperature, wind and water. Because of this attentiveness they learn and develop techniques that enabled them to make their catch of the day. Secondly, a fisherman is blind when the fish hooks and knows there is a lot up to chance, he does all the work and preparation he can and then it is up to the fish to bite. A fisherman realizes that the amount of work and preparation he puts into making his catch does not always match up to what he actually brings in. I think these two elements have great parallels in the life of a priest. If we are going to bring the message of the Gospel to each person we need to decipher the currents of culture and what is going on in that person’s life. We need to pay attention to what this person really needs in order to present them with the full attractiveness of Jesus’ message. Also, there are many times in a priest’s life when he cannot see God’s action in someone’s soul, this requires a lot of faith and prayer. A priest works very hard for others but he knows that it is only up to each person’s freedom along with God’s action in their soul that brings about a true conversion. Faced with this seeming imbalance between work and results I think both the priest’s and the fisherman’s answer would be the same though: That it is all worth it just for ONE. For Baptizing that one person, for that one person absolved of their sins, that one person who received the body of Christ because of the priest. Lastly, fishermen make great story tellers and isn’t the mission of a priest to tell the story of Jesus Christ.

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Why were Jesus' disciples fishermen? – Faith Radio

Why were Jesus’ disciples fishermen? – Faith Radio Why did Jesus choose ordinary fishermen to account for almost half of his group of disciples? Leslie Leyland Fields says there are several good reason why Jesus chose hard-working fishermen to be his closest companions. Leslie herself has a background in commercial fishing, she speaks from experience. “Fishermen are like farmers, they’re completely dependent on the providence of God. We can buy the best nets that we can find, we can keep them mended, we can know where to put our nets, we can have all this human knowledge, but unless God sends the fish, we’re not going to catch anything.” Fishermen already know what it means to rely on God. “So every time we throw our nets in the water, and every time the disciples threw their nets in the water, it’s kind of like a prayer, it’s like saying give us this day our daily bread. It’s a supplication to God, Lord feed us.” Being a fisherman is not a job for one person, and neither is navigating life on earth. “We know if we’re going to get anything done we have to work together. We have to coordinate. This is a really important attribute for the disciples because it’s the same thing with us. We’re the body of Christ. We’re not we’re not supposed to be a little finger going out there on our own resource, were supposed to function together as a body.” Many of us might think that Jesus would have selected the brightest minds of the Synagogues to be his disciples. However, that wasn’t the case. “He turned away from the synagogue, He walked down to the beach. He walked down to where the people were and where they were working hard. He went to the blue collar people and He showed them that we don’t have to be smart. We don’t have to be rich. We don’t have to be famous. Jesus wants one thing from us. He wants us to want Him. He wants us to be seeking Him.” Leslie Leyland Fields is a writer, editor, and national speaker who lives on Kodiak Island, Alaska in the winter and Harvester Island in the summer, where she joins her family in a commercial salmon fishing operation. Featured Songs: Oceans – Hillsong; It Is Well – Bethel; All is Well – Michael W. Smith & Carrie Crossing the Waters Live the Promise Audio Embracing a new name Amidst a world of confusion and chaos, Lisa invites us to grow in the likeness of our new names and embrace our true identity in Jesus Christ.  View More

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Why Would a Carpenter Choose Fishermen? – News

Why Would a Carpenter Choose Fishermen? Why Would a Carpenter Choose Fishermen? The Assemblies of God Center for Holy Lands Studies (CHLS) provides a regular column to AG News that offers deep and sometimes surprising insight into the Word of God through close examination of the culture of the day, biblical sites, and archaeological records. In this article, Wave Nunnally, Ph.D., professor of Early Judaism and Christian Origins at Evangel University and a regular instructor in Israel for CHLS, reveals the reasons behind why Jesus specifically chose men who were fishermen or from fishing villages as His disciples. Near the beginning of His ministry, Jesus moved from inland Nazareth to the fishing village of Capernaum (Matthew 4:13; Luke 4:31). As Jesus walked along the north shore of the Sea of Galilee, He called Peter and Andrew to be His disciples, both fishermen (Matthew 4:18). Next, He called James and John, two more fishermen (Matthew 4:21). Later, Jesus selected Philip and Nathaniel (John 1:43-46), probably more fishermen, since they were from nearby Bethsaida, another fishing village just east of Capernaum. We now know that the home of Mary Magdalene (Migdal/Magdala/Migdal Nunaya) was yet another fishing village. Why did He not select carpenters like Himself? Moreover, in first-century Israel there were many more farmers from which to choose disciples than there were fishermen — why not prioritize them? Jesus’ choice of a fishing village as His base of operations and purposeful selection of so many disciples who were either fishermen or inhabitants of fishing villages suggest that by doing so, He was sending a message, but what was it? Like most rabbis of His time, His words and actions usually hearkened backward to a specific passage from His Bible. Recall that when He called His first disciples, He said, to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19 = Mark 1:17). Strange words indeed for a carpenter! Yet to avoid dismissing them too quickly as so much wordsmithing, we have to look at Jesus’ Scriptures to see if somewhere within, they might provide the source of His inspiration. The Hebrew Bible mentions fishing for men only twice. Ezekiel 29:3-4 employs this language to predict judgment on Egypt (and specifically on its leader), but judgment on foreign nations and their leaders is not a major emphasis in Jesus’ ministry. In fact, Jesus’ earthly ministry is described primarily as a mission of mercy, not judgment (John 3:17; see also Matthew 20:28 = Mark 10:45).2 Thus, the inspiration for His choice of fishermen and His language “fishers of men” is likely to be sought elsewhere. The only passage left is Jeremiah 16:14-18, “Therefore behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when it will no longer be said, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ 15 but, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of the north and from all the countries where He had banished them.’ For I will restore them to their own land which I gave to their fathers. 16 “Behold, I am going to send for many fishermen,” declares the LORD, “and they will fish for them; and afterwards I shall send for many hunters, and they will hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and from the clefts of the rocks. 17 For My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from My face, nor is their iniquity concealed from My eyes.” 18 “And I will first doubly repay their iniquity and their sin, because they have polluted My land; they have filled My inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable idols and with their abominations.” This passage contains all the requisite components: it is eschatological (a prophecy about the future), it predicts a coming age of restoration (Jesus’ choice of 12 was “reconstituting” the faithful remnant [Isaiah 10:21; 11:16; Jeremiah 23:3; 31:7-8; 50:20], with which He would establish Jeremiah’s “new covenant” [Jeremiah 31:31, see Luke 22:20]), it has…

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They Left Their Nets Behind – That the World May Know

They Left Their Nets Behind They Left Their Nets BehindBefore Jesus’ time, few Israelites were fishermen. There was only one Hebrew word for fish, and it covered everything from minnows to whales. In Jesus’ time, a small, flourishing fishing industry developed around the Sea of Galilee. The town of Magdala (in Greek, Tarichaeae, “the place where fish are salted”) was a sardine-pickling center. Many of the images Jesus used indicated that he was familiar with fishing and the sea.The job of a fisherman in Jesus’ day was difficult. Fishermen worked year-round in the heat of summer and the cold of winter, often at night. Certainly, Jesus’ choice of Capernaum, on the Sea of Galilee, as his home brought him into contact with many fishermen. Several of his disciples – Andrew, Peter, James, and John – knew the trade well. It’s possible that Jesus selected fishermen as his disciples not only because the imagery of their occupation fit well with the mission that he had called them to, but also because they were a hardy group of people, accustomed to difficult work and long hours. Jesus even asked them to return to the lake and fish again after a night of fishing without a catch (Luke 5:1-7).THE SKILLS OF THE FISHERMANOne of the most important skills of fishermen was making and mending nets. Made of linen, a common fabric used in the ancient Near East, these nets had to be carefully cleaned and dried each day or they would quickly rot and wear out. The majority of a fisherman’s life probably was spent mending nets (Luke 5:2). Net weights, small pieces of stone with holes drilled in them, were fastened to the bottom of the nets. This too took time. Fishermen also had to be skilled, of course, in the use of the nets in fishing for various types of fish.THE NETSThe Old Testament refers to catching fish with hooks, spears, and several types of nets (Job 18:8; Ecc. 9:12; Isa. 19:8). Several types of nets were used in Jesus’ time. The seine net was probably the oldest. Several hundred feet long and as much as 20 feet high, this net was dropped by fishermen from boats several hundred yards from shore, and parallel to it. Cork or wood floats kept one edge of the net on the water’s surface, while stone sinkers fastened to the other edge pulled it to the bottom. As the fishermen pulled the net ashore, the net trapped any fish in its path. When the fishermen had dragged the net ashore, they sorted the catch, throwing out animals without fins and scales. They cleaned and sold the fish, remembering to give Rome’s share to the tax collector. Jesus used the seine net as an illustration in his description of the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 13:47-48). James and John were probably mending (preparing) seine nets when Jesus called them (Matt. 4:21).The circular cast net measured up to 25 feet in diameter and was thrown into the water from the shore or a boat. Simon and Andrew were using this type of net when Jesus called them (Mark 1:16-18).The trammel net was composed of three walls, reinforcing each other with increasingly smaller mesh. Fish passed through the layers until they found themselves caught against the inner wall and eventually became entangled. The net was retrieved and the fish extracted. This net was washed in the morning, as it traditionally was used at night. Sometimes fishermen encircled a shoal of fish with a trammel net and threw a cast net into the center. Fishermen may have jumped into the water to retrieve the cast net and catch the fish trapped in the circle of the larger net. Often more than one boat was used…

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Why a Fisherman? | Blog | The High Calling – Theology of Work

Why a Fisherman? What job did the disciples do before they became disciples? Where did Jesus find his help? All too often, I think we forget who Jesus calls to do his work, and what we are really called to do. Many of us know that Peter, Andrew, James and John were fishermen, and that Levi was a tax collector. But, what about the rest? Truth is, the bible doesn’t really reveal what the rest of the disciples did. We often lose our identity in our jobs, our titles, or position. But these things didn’t appear to be significant to Jesus. The positions he does mention are those of common workers. They aren’t the boss, the leader, or the priest. Just a corrupt tax collector and a few common fishermen. When Jesus looked for servants, he didn’t only look at those who were climbing the corporate ladder, or those who were working in the synagogue. Jesus looked at common, hard-working people. He went to them; in their places of work. He didn’t wait until they were done for the day and headed home, he met them in their workplace. 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. Mark 1:16 If Jesus showed up at work to find his disciples, I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to believe Jesus still shows up where we work, looking for someone who will follow his lead. We have this preconceived notion of who Jesus might use. Somehow we have missed the connection that Jesus took ordinary workers, mentored them, taught them, and charged them with going into all the world. If you think about a fisherman’s personality profile, I’m guessing you might find many who were introverts. When Jesus found these three fishermen, they were casting their nets. They weren’t telling someone else how to cast the net. They were getting their hands dirty and doing the work themselves. These were the men he chose to carry out his vision of sharing the gospel. They were quiet guys who worked hard with their hands, to get the job done in less than ideal conditions. Today, we think sharing the gospel is the job of the church, pastors, or missionaries. Now, don’t get me wrong, these people each play an important role, but what do we learn from the stories in the bible? The bible makes a point of telling us that Jesus used ordinary people, and that through those ordinary, hardworking people, he built a following that is providing hope and impacting lives even today. Have you ever felt you weren’t significant enough; that what you do is simply a stepping stone to something more meaningful and purposeful? It does not matter if you are scrubbing the hallways, or flipping burgers, or leading a multi-million dollar company; your work matters to God. Don’t wait until you know more or are in a better position. Invite God to use you, right where you are! You may be surprised how he will use you to show his love in the place where you work, each day. Questions for Reflection Are you a “get your hands dirty” type of worker (literally or figuratively)? If so, how might your hands-on approach afford you the opportunity to interact with others in a fashion similar to Jesus? Does the realization that Jesus found ordinary individuals to do extraordinary things inspire a response from you? How might you strive to do something extraordinary in your ordinary life next week? Do you mentally assign the job of sharing the gospel to the church or missionaries? How might a new viewpoint of Jesus using fishermen empower you to respond differently?

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