The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 120

Vor. 17-ch. xvi. 20.-Tm: FrnBT STAG• Ce.ating e. net j {Jd.>.>.,,v.-as &µ1>£f31•cri,npov (no 01' OnmsT'B Wonx AND TEACHING, '11a.-. led.). Probably later than and explana- tory of the form found in the pare.lie! passa"e Ver. 17 -The proclamation. From that !"fark L 1_6, &µ1>,fJ&J..~ov.-as (alone). A ~t; time; ,bro .-6.-, (elsewhere in the New 1.e. a castmg-net of cmmlar, bell-like shape, Testament only eh. xvi. 21 ; x:s:vi. 16; "which, when skilfully cast from over th~ Luke xvi. IG); i.e. from the time of his resi- shoulder by one standing on the shore or in dence in C11pernaum (ver. 13). Appe.rently a boat, spreads ont into e. circlo ( a.µ1>,- our Lord, o.fter the baptism, went to John {Jd.AA•.-a•) as it falls npon the water, a1vl (vide supm, ver. I), then retired to Ge.lilee, then, sinking swiftly by the weight of the going first to Nazareth, then finally leaving leads attached to it, encloses whatever is it ne bis home for Capcme.um. At Caper- below it" (Trench, 'Syn.,' § lxi v. ). It naum hie public activity begins. Ihom specializes 5(wrvov (any net, ver 20), and that time; the phrase expresBes not merely differs from tra.rfiv11 (the long draw-net, eh. "at that time," but "from that time," as xiii. 47). the starting-point. Henceforth this was to Ver. 19.-Follow me; come ye after me be hie message, even though its form might (Revised Version); 5,,;.,., lnrta·,,, µov. There be altered. The phrase marks, as iu eh. is no thought of continuous following from xvi. 21, the commencement of o. new stage place to place (a.,coJ,,ov8,iv), but of immediate in his life. His earlier work with John detachment from the present sphere of the Baptist is not included in the oral their interest and of attachment to Jesus Gospel, probably because the twelve were aB their leader. And I will make you r,:it yet joined to him in formal and con- fishers of men ; Mark, " to become fishers tinuous arlhesion. Repent, etc. His words of men," laying more stress on the change a.re exo.ctly the ea.me as the Bo.ptist'e (eh. in their character necessary for success iii. 2), with whom, indeed, he had been very in this new kind of fishing. Luke v. 10 lately associated. There is no evidence brings out the change in the nature of that he meant by them e.nyth:ng else than the work (,brb .-oii viiv). Fishers. The word the Baptist meant (cf. Introduction, p. 11iv.). suggests care, patience, skill, besides habits It is very intelligible that quite early (Old of life fitted for endurance of privation e.nd Byriac) an attempt should be made to har- fatigue. The same promise is, as it seems, monize this summary of hie preaching rather related in Luke v. 10, wllere notice: (I) It with that of hie disciples (eh. x. 7). is connected with the miracle of the draught Vere. 18-22.-The summons to help in his of fishes. (2) It is not verbally identical work : his first formal adherents. (Parallel with this: M11 q,of3ov' a.,rb .-ou vvv a.v8p~,rov• passage: Mark i. 16-20 [Luke v. I, 2, 9- for, (a,-ypwv. (3) The words are addressed individually to Simon. 11, very doubtful, but cf. Godet].) On the Ver. 20.-And they straightway left their rele.tion of this ce.11 to the meeting with nets. (For their leaviug everything Wetslein, Andrew and Peter, recorded in John i. on ver. 19, compares Epictetud, 12, 'Eciv o, d 40-42, vide especially Bishop Westcott ICV/3FpV~TTJS 1t.a>..Eup, -rpExe E'D"l -rb 1r.i\0Wv cicpf:S' f!CE<VQ, ..-d.v.-a, /J,1JOEV , ...,,,... p,,Poµ,vos, "If the there. 'l'hat we.a "the est11blishment of e. personal relationship;" this "e. call to e.n steersman call, run to the ship, leaving nll those thiugs, without regarding o.nything.") oflioial work." Tile Rheims Version, with its love of archa- Ver. 18.-And Jesus, walking. Revised isms, has, "But they incontinent, leaving Version rightly omits "Jesus," o.ud inserts the nettes, followed him." "he" before" saw." 'fhe right reading docs Ver. 21.---0tber two brethren (of. ver. not detract so muoh from the emphe.tio state- 18, note); in Matthew only. Jo.mes the ment of ver. 17. By the Bea of Galilee. son of Zebedee. Why is the father of Peter His walk lay along the le.ke. Sociu (' 1:lw- e.nd Andrew never mentioned, so.YO inci- deker,' p. 372) spee.ke of " the probability dentally, and by our Lord (eh. Xl'i. Ii; th11t there was e. frequented road from John i. 42; 11i. 15--17)? Probably the mouth of the Jordan skirting the be.nk Zebedeo and hie wife So.lame beoamo, unlike of the lo.ke." Two brethren, Simon . . . Pater's parents, well-known believers. It and Andrew his brother; the addition, mo.y be tho.t Peter we.a the eldest of the "hie brother," emphasizing the relationship. Twelve, and that his father was alreo.dy Christ's corning would divide households dead or, though perhe.ps believing on Jesus, (eh. x. 21). He would, therefore, be tho we.a too old to take any epocie.l po.rt in more glnd when members of one family the work. Luke (v. 10) e.uds, "Who V<ere united in following him. Simon, eto. (vide partnerd with Simon "-e.n item of in- eh. x. 2, note). Called ; Revised Version, who formation perhaps obtained from the so.me is called; i.e. not specially by Christ, but in source as bis first and second chapters. lr common usage among Christi11ne (eh, x. 2). e. ship; in the boat (Revised Version), and so  110 THE GOSPEL AOOORDING TO ST. M.AT'l'HEW. [011, IV, 1-26.