Fresh Studies in Matthew, Matthew 4:18-22
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One has to wonder about Matthew 4:18-22. Jesus makes claims on these fishermen above
their father and their father’s profession, the family livelihood. In other passages, though, it appears they
still were doing this kind of work. Whether
this calling is normative is the question.
Perhaps this was for a season to learn.
Perhaps it was an issue of priority. They did they leave their nets? Wy was Jesus’ pull stronger than family and a
job? We know Peter was married. This is not the first time they had seen him
or heard of him. But they went.
Perhaps the point is that when we follow Christ our work is
transformed into something more externally significant. I don’t think this can be taken that physical
labor is to be denied, since Jesus did physical labor with his fathers and
brothers (we have to assume that a healthy Jewish male would be working). Jesus didn’t just float around on a cloud for
the first thirty years.
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