Charles Ellicott Commentary Matthew 4:18

"And walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishers." — Matthew 4:18 (ASV)

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee—In no part of the Gospel history is it more necessary to remember John’s record as we read the accounts of the other three than in this calling of the disciples. Here, everything seems sudden and abrupt.

In John's Gospel, we learn that those who were now called had accepted Him as the Christ several months earlier (John 1:35–43). Some, or all of them, had been with Him during His visit to Jerusalem, and Simon had already received the surname of Cephas, or Peter, the Rock.

Putting these facts together, we can form a clear picture of their previous life. The sons of Jona and the sons of Zebedee had grown up in Bethsaida, likely on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, and were partners in their fishing business. The nationalist movement of Judas of Galilee had probably heightened their expectation of a good time coming when they would be free from their oppressors. When they heard of the preaching of John the Baptist, they joined the crowds that flocked to hear him and received his baptism of repentance. They were then pointed to the Lamb of God and received Him as the Christ.

For a short time, they were His companions in His journeys. However, when He began the first circuit of His Galilean ministry, He was alone, having left them to return to their old calling. They could not have known if He would ever use their services again. It was under these circumstances that the new call came.

Matthew’s narrative and Mark’s (Mark 1:16–20) agree almost word for word. Luke’s account, however, presents more difficulty. Is it another, fuller version of the same events? Or, if different, did the events he records happen before or after the call that Matthew and Mark relate? The first view seems the most probable, but see the notes on Luke 5:1–11.