Forsook Their Nets

Mark 1:17-18 says, “17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. 18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him (KJV).”

That’s weird; I usually don’t quote from the KJV? Instead of using the NASB, I found this version appealing when I read this verse. It makes you think, what does it mean they “forsook” their nets? Other translations use the word “left” but it forsook seems to make it a bigger deal.

In context, Jesus is talking to fishermen, meaning that they catch fish and sell them. You may be saying, “Well duh! Everyone knows what a fisherman does!” That’s great, then you will further understand that fishing is their most important, and probably only, source on income.

All right, so that changes things a little bit. Lets go back to the verse and read it in with different pre-gathered information. “And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed Him.” When you’re a fisherman, what is your most essential tool? There are a few, but the way you catch fish is by a fishing net. I think it’s vital to point out that not only did they leave their positions as fishermen, but the very means that they could become fishermen. They didn’t say, “Yeah, we’ll follow you, but let us pack up out nets just incase things don’t work out or we need money along the way.” When they left their nets, they left their trade completely.

Think about Jesus and His earthly father for a minute. Joseph was a carpenter, and when he “adopted” Jesus as his son, he taught Jesus the trade of carpentry. This was very common in their culture, where the children would learn exactly what their fathers did. We can safely assume that these fishermen learned the art from their fathers as well. For the father, it must have been a sense of honor that what their jobs were being passed down and remembered. When the fishermen forsook their nets, not only did they leave their source of income, but also in a sense, they left a part of their heritage.

The main verse for this blog is Luke 14:33 which says, “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”

I write about these fishermen to encourage you. The past couple of weeks, God has been laying on my heart the importance of the Gospel and praising God with everything that I am. God and His glory is the only thing that matters, because it is the only thing that will last into eternity. Everything on earth will fade, like fishing nets, like businesses, like jobs. Where is your hope and security? Although, be not confused between a mission field and an idol. Paul was a Jew and after being converted he preached in Synagogues to minster to those who were just like them, and His old job became his new mission field.

Are there things in your life that you need to forsake for the Gospel of Christ? – Forsake All