John Gill Commentary Matthew 4:19

"And he saith unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of men." — Matthew 4:19 (ASV)

And he says to them, follow me

These two brethren has been the disciples of John, as Theophylact thinks, and which seems agreeable to (John 1:35–40) and though through John's pointing out Christ to them, they had some knowledge of him, and conversation with him, yet they abode with him but for that day, (John 1:37John 1:38John 1:39) and afterwards returned to their master; and upon his imprisonment, betook themselves to their former employment: from where Christ now calls them to be his disciples, saying "follow me", or "come after me": that is, be a disciple of mine; see (Luke 14:27) .

And to encourage them to it, uses this argument; "and", or "for", I "will make you fishers of men": you shall be fishers still, but in a higher sense; and in a far more noble employment, and to much better purpose.

The net they were to spread and cast was the Gospel, see (Matthew 13:47) for Christ made them not (hrwt ygyyd) , "fishers of the law", to use the words of Maimonides {g}, but fishers of the Gospel.

The sea into which they were to cast the net was first Judea, and then the whole world; the fish they were to catch were the souls of men, both among Jews and Gentiles; of whose conversion and faith they were to be the happy instruments: now none could make them fishers in this sense, or fit them for such service, and succeed them in it, but Christ; and who here promises it to them.

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