I Will Make You Fishers of Men, Part 2
“Come and follow me, and I will make you fishers of men”
“Come, follow me”
These words were powerful in the culture that Jesus lived in. I believe when we understand the context of those words, it becomes even more powerful in our culture. To understand those words we have to go back some. Hebrew education in the first century included three levels. The first level was called Beth Sefer, meaning a place of writing and reading. Education was done in the synagogue, where a teacher was hired to educate the children. The educator was known as "Rabbi". The primary purpose for this Rabbi was to teach the children. Education began around 4 and 5 years old. The main curriculum for the children (boys and girls) was the Torah (the first five books of the Bible). They learned how to read and write the Scriptures. Every part of the community was surrounded by God's word. Their education would take them to the ages of 12 and 13 years of age. By this time many of the students knew the Torah by memory! Their education would come to an end which would mean they now learned a trade. For the girls it meant being with mom and learning how to run the household. For the boys it meant learning the trade of the father...farmer, carpenter, leather maker, fisherman, ect.
Let me just point out here. In Matthew 4:21, we see the following words… “Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them,…” It is very possible that James and John where in their late teens working with their father and learning the trade. I would also like to point out that the disciples were the “rejects” of this system. None of them were asked to continue on in their education. I am also sure that finances probably played into this as well.
Yet there was a second level called Beth Midrash which included the best of the Beth Sefer. The students were the ages of 12-15 years. They studied the Scripture in depth but also studied the prophets and writings of the Oral Law. They memorized more Scripture, plus expanding their interpretation and application skills. Memorization of Scripture was still emphasized. As a student though, they still had to learn their father's trade. It was part of the education. Business and God's word, meshed together! They studied with the adults and learned important skills in dialogue and debate. These young men were being prepared to carry the word of God (the Torah) to their generation, so that they could pass it on to the next.
Another level was implemented and provided to the very best students of the Beth Midrash. Not everyone was accepted into this level. Very few were given permission to go on. This is where a student asked permission to follow the Rabbi to become a talmidim , otherwise known as a disciple. If the Rabbi said “Come follow me.”, and the student accepted the invitation, he was saying to his Rabbi, “I want to know what the teacher knows.” A talmidim wants to be like the teacher that is to become what the teacher is.*
In this culture, it meant that the talmidim was very close and dedicated to his rabbi. He spent hours with him. Listening. Watching. Traveling. Participating with his Rabbi in everything he did. This form of mentoring was for the student to be like their Rabbi. In return as the student grew, he then would become a teacher and lead others with a talmidim beside him. The cycle would continue and God's word would be passed down to generation to generation!
That is why the words “Come, follow me…” are so powerful! Christ was calling them to be a disciple first! These men and teenagers knew what that included! No one gave them a chance, yet Christ comes along and says “..follow me. I want you to be my talmidim!” Allow me to be bold when I say, the words “Come follow me...” are words that do not bring us to salvation. They are words for believers to become disciples of Christ! When we say yes to these words we are saying… “I want to know what the teacher knows. I want to become what the teacher is.” A disciple of Christ is committed to his Rabbi. He becomes like his Rabbi, and he begins to do as his Rabbi does! Business. Life. Work. You name it….there is God’s way or your way. When we accept the invitation to “Come, follow me…”, we are submitting ourselves to become like our Rabbi…Jesus. That means the way we do business. The way we live. The way others see us. Life changes because we live out what we have learned from our Rabbi!
“I will make you fishers of men”
Why fishers of men? Christ could have said, “You will impact the world.” “You will make a difference.” “You will run and not grow weary; you will walk and not grow faint in days to come.” Yet Christ promise was simple…”I will make you fishers of men.” In Luke we read the words, “Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”” These words were simple, yet would not come into play until three years later when the church was birthed on the Day of Pentecost. For Peter, Andrew, James and John to grasp the meaning of his education, Christ gave him a visual lesson! Remember last week when we saw Peter cleaning his nets, and then Christ comes along, gives a sermon, and ask for Peter to go out again to fish after a long night of catching nothing? Peter is obedient and he catches a boat load of fishes! So much that the boat began taking in water! And then we read the famous words…”I will make you fishers of men” or in Luke, “from now on you will fish for people.” Remember, Peter was a business man. He had workers and boats. His trade included going out into the lake and casting the nets. Catching fish. Bringing the fish to shore to clean and prep for the marketplace. Sell the goods, plus have some fish for his family. Clean the nets and prep them to start the process all over again for the next day!
For three years Christ prepped Peter for a task that I am sure Peter did not see at the time. It would not be until the Day of Pentecost when Peter stood in the midst of the crowd and cast out the net of the Gospel (Acts 2:14-40). As the disciples reeled in the net, “Those who accepted his (Peter) message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” (Acts 2:41). They prepped the new believers for the marketplace as “They (new believers) devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. (Acts 2:42-43) They sent them (new believers) out into the marketplace where they now became the blessing to their community…
“All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:44-47
…and the process started all over again!
Christ business plan was simple enough then and it still rings out loud today! Your position is the place where Christ wants you to cast your net! Every day I cast a net out to my students, in hope that they see Christ as more than a “homeboy” on a t-shirt. Every day I cast out a net to my soccer teams that they may see their God given potential. Every day I cast out my net to my family in hopes that they see a godly man who loves his Rabbi. As a disciple of Christ may those we cast out the net to see our Rabbi in us! Once we catch them, let’s bring them in and prep them to go out and do the same! I end this with the words of the spiritual leaders who brought Peter and John before them, threatening them to stop their preaching…
“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13)
His call. His gift to you. Your purpose. Irrevocable.
*"That the World May Know: Walk as Jesus Walked", Ray Vander Laan, 2005
Comments
Post a Comment