Who’d ever want to fish for men?

If you’re going to make a proposition, it ought to be attractive. The one on the receiving end should find it interesting enough to respond positively. 

When Jesus called Simon and his brother Andrew, he simply said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19) Who would ever respond to such an invitation? But Simon and Andrew left their profession and followed him. 

Could it be that Jesus was only seeking this special group of twelve men who would be his closest disciples and later Apostles? In that case, he would only want people who connect with such a call. These would be people who want to make a difference. 

At another time, there is a record of Jesus calling several people to follow him. One person responded and said he needs to go bury his father first. Jesus said, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God. To another, Jesus said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:57-62)

Both of these responses give the notion that Jesus’ call to everyone included a commission to go and proclaim the kingdom. But who’d ever want that?

Maybe Jesus only wanted those who were thankful enough to follow Jesus with such fervor? These are people who were so impacted by his ministry that they couldn’t resist telling others. Their testimony became the driving force that invited many others into the kingdom of God. 

Could it be possible that those who are not willing to “proclaim the Kingdom” (Puts his hand to the plow), are not fit for the kingdom? Maybe the rest of the people who gathered were those who benefitted from the kingdom, but they were not necessarily part of it. Jesus said they were not fit for the kingdom. 

Does this imply that those who are a part of the kingdom of God must be “fishers of men”? It seems the first-century believers were like that. Maybe it was after Constantine that the church became an institution, and the people were then “members” of that institution. 

So come. Follow Jesus. He’ll make you a fisher of men. 

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