M

III.

FISHERS OF MEN.

LUKE V., I-II; MATTHEW iv., 18–22; MARK ii., 16–20.

ANY things in the ministry of Jesus had occurred

between that day on which Simon Peter had been introduced to him by Andrew, and this on which, from his boat-pulpit on the Lake of Galilee, he addressed the multitudes that lined its banks. From the scene of John's baptism on the river Jordan, the Master, accompanied by some of those who had cast in their lot with him, repaired to Galilee, where he signalized his entrance upon public life by performing the miracle of turning water into wine. Thence he went up to Jerusalem to keep the Passover, and while there he drove the traders from the Temple, and wrought many marvelous works. It was at this time, also, that he received Nicodemus by night, and had with him that important interview described by the fourth Evangelist.

From Jerusalem, the Lord passed into the rural districts of Judea ; but learning there that the faithful Baptist had been cast into prison by Herod, he returned to Galilee, taking Samaria on his way, and meeting thus the woman to whom he spoke so faithfully, yet so lovingly, at the well of Jacob. From Galilee, after having performed a second miracle at Cana, he went to Nazareth, where he entered into the synagogue on the Sabbath, and expounded one of Isaiah's predictions with immediate reference to himself. But his townsmen were filled with enmity against him, and even sought to put him to death, so that he withdrew to Caperna

um, where he fixed his residence for the time; and it was during the first weeks of his sojourn there that those events occurred to which our attention is now to be directed.

I have been thus particular in enumerating these incidents, that you may have clearly before you the fact that Peter and his partners had returned to their ordinary pursuits after their first fellowship with Jesus. It is impossible, indeed, to fix at what particular point they left him and went back to their business. Probably, on his return from Jerusalem, instead of accompanying him to Nazareth, they went back to their homes. But, however that may have been, they were once more in their boats and with their nets.

Nor let that seem strange. They had become disciples. But they had not yet been called to the apostleship. Now, to be a disciple, it is not necessary that we should leave our secular calling and spend all our time in preaching Christ. All that is needed is, that we serve him in our business; and so, if before this time they had left all their common pursuits, they might have been chargeable with presumption, and with running before they had been sent. Only here and there a Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom, is commanded to leave his desk and give himself to the ministry of the Gospel; the great majority of men are called to follow Jesus while they remain at "the receipt of custom ;" and the ministry of such a life, maintained in holiness and integrity for Jesus' sake, may be only less powerful, if indeed it be less powerful, than that of the consecrated preacher.

The scene which is painted for us by the Evangelist here is one of the most fascinating description. It is morning by the Lake of Gennesaret, and the cities and villages around its banks have awaked to the activities of life. The hills on its eastern shore are baring their heads to greet the day; and the waters rippling under the early breeze are reflecting, in myriad flashes, the gay sunbeams. To the right,

as we look across the lake, lies the city of Capernaum, so near us that we may hear almost the hum of its inhabitants; and to the left, the fleet of fishing-boats, which have been out all night, are standing in toward Bethsaida. Far away along the shining beach the eye catches a glimpse of Magdala and Tiberias, while everywhere there are indications of stirring energy among the people. Here was no place of solitude, like that which one finds by the shore of a Scottish Highland lake, or on the margin of a hidden sea in the depths of our own wilderness; but, instead, a centre of teeming, earnest life. "It was," as Stanley has remarked, "to the Roman Palestine almost what the manufacturing districts are to England. Nowhere, except in the capital itself, could the Lord Jesus have found such a sphere for his works and words of mercy; from no other centre could his fame have so gone throughout all Syria; nowhere else could he have drawn round him the vast multitudes that hung upon his lips."*

See how they throng him now! He has but just made his appearance, coming either from his mountain closet or his city home; yet, as he moves along the shore, a constantly increasing multitude follows him, until the pressure becomes inconveniently great; and then, that he may the more easily and effectively address the people, he goes into Simon's boat, and, getting him to push off a few yards, " he sat down and taught the people out of the ship." Some parable from the scene that was around him; some tender appeal, or some solemn warning, or some far-reaching and impressive enforcement of a spiritual principle-we are not told what

-was the subject of his discourse. But, whatever it was, it would gather in upon him the eager attention of the listeners, while the fishermen by his side, forgetting their nets,

* Stanley's "Sinai and Palestine," p. 368.

would cease their work for the time, as they listened to his words.

But now the discourse is ended, and the Lord, turning to Simon, bids him "Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught." The fisherman is astonished, and replies, not in unbelief, but in amazement, "Master, we have toiled all night, and have taken nothing; nevertheless, at thy word, I will let down the net." He did not mean to say that it would be useless, because the night was always the most favorable time for fishing; and since they had been unsuccessful then, there was no probability that they would get any thing now. But his answer was an acknowledgment of failure, and an expression of faith triumphant in failure: "I should not have thought of doing any thing of the kind; but if thou sayest it, I will let down the net, and look yet for success!" And his faith was amply rewarded, for they inclosed such a multitude of fishes that the net began to break, and only by the help of James and John, his partners, could Simon secure his haul. Even as it was, both of their boats were filled with the finny freight, so that they were all startled.

With that quick in

But the effect on Simon was electric. sight, and that prompt yielding to the impulse of the moment, which, as we proceed in his history, we shall discover were characteristic of him, he saw the glory of Messiah's Godhead, streaming through the miracle,* and fell at his knees, saying, "Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord."

* For miracle it was, betokening that "Jesus as the Lord of nature, the ideal man, the second Adam, in whom is fulfilled the words of David, 'thou hast put all things under his feet, the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea,' did, by the secret yet mighty magic of his will, wield and guide the unconscious creatures so as to make them subserve the higher interests of his kingdom."-Trench on the Miracles, p. 131.

But Christ was better to him than his words besought, for he said, "Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men ;" and, looking round upon the others, he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Nor did they hesitate as to their response, for, "when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him."

This scene marks another stage in Peter's history. Let us see what we may learn from it for our direction and encouragement.

We may, in the first place, be reminded that discipleship comes before apostleship. Peter had been, for at least some months, a docile learner in the school of Christ before he was called here to forsake all, and follow him as an apostle. They who would teach others about the Lord must first be acquainted with him themselves. It is, indeed, true that God may sometimes employ the agency of one who is himself unconverted as a means of leading others to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus. Thus it is not at all improbable that the title which Pilate, himself a time-serving trimmer, placed over the cross of Christ to this effect, "This is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews," was one of the means used by the Spirit in leading the penitent thief to present the prayer, "Lord, remember me, when thou comest into thy kingdom." But that is not his ordinary method. Usually he employs one who is already a disciple to bring others to himself.

Now, this is a most important matter for those of us who, as preachers, or missionaries, or Sabbath-school teachers, or parents, are striving to commend Christ to others. Do we know him ourselves? My brethren and fellow-laborers, that is for us the question of questions! One may be like a lightship, guiding others into the harbor, and yet himself so anchored that he can not enter it! Like Noah's carpenters, we may help to build an ark for the salvation of others, and yet