Lives of the apostles of Jesus ChristBacon, David Francis
Religion
Lives of the apostles of Jesus Christ
Bacon, David Francis
Apostles
acquainted with Christ previously, in the way mentioned by John, had
by no means become his intimate, daily companion. We learn from Luke,
that Jesus, walking forth from Capernaum, along the lake, saw two boats
standing by the lake, but the fishers having gone out of them, were
engaged in putting their nets and other fishing tackle in order. As
on his walk the populace had thronged about him, from curiosity and
interest, and were annoying him with requests, he sought a partial
refuge from their friendly attacks, on board of Simon’s boat, which
was at hand, and begging him to push out a little from the land, he
immediately made the boat his pulpit, in preaching to the throng on
shore, sitting down and teaching the people out of the boat. When he
had left off speaking, he said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep, and
let down your nets for a draught.” And Simon answered, “Master, we have
toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless, at thy word I will
let down the net.” As soon as they did so, they took into the net a
great multitude of fishes, and the net broke. They then beckoned to
their partners, who were in the other vessel, that they should come and
help them. And they came and filled both vessels, so that they began to
sink. When Simon saw what was the result, he fell down at Jesus’s knees,
saying, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For both he,
and they that were with him, Andrew, James and John, were astonished
at the draught of fishes they had taken. But Jesus said to Simon, “Fear
not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men;” and then gave both to him
and his brother a distinct call, “Follow me――come after me, and I will
make you fishers of men.” And as soon as they had brought their ships
to land, they forsook their nets, ships and all, and followed him,
not back into Capernaum, but over all Galilee, while he preached to
wondering thousands the gospel of peace, and set forth to them his high
claims to their attention and obedience, by healing all the diseased
which his great fame induced them to bring in such multitudes. This was,
after all, the true object of his calling his disciples to follow him
in that manner. Can we suppose that he would come out of Capernaum,
in the morning, and finding there his acquaintances about their honest
business, would call on them, in that unaccountable manner, to follow
him back into their home, to which they would of course, naturally
enough, have gone of their own accord, without any divine call, for
a simple act of necessity? It was evidently with a view to initiate
them, at once, into the knowledge of the labors to which he had called
them, and to give them an insight into the nature of the trials and
difficulties which they must encounter in his service. In short, it was
to enter them on their apprenticeship to the mysteries of their new and
holy vocation. On this pilgrimage through Galilee, then, he must have
been accompanied by his four newly chosen helpers, who thus were daily
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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