The Meaning of Mark 1:16 Explained

Mark 1:16

KJV: Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

YLT: And, walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon, and Andrew his brother, casting a drag into the sea, for they were fishers,

Darby: And walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon, and Andrew, Simon's brother, casting out a net in the sea, for they were fishers.

ASV: And passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishers.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now  as he walked  by  the sea  of Galilee,  he saw  Simon  and  Andrew  his  brother  casting  a net  into  the sea:  for  they were  fishers. 

What does Mark 1:16 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Sea of Galilee was the scene of a thriving fishing industry in Jesus" day. Simon and Andrew were fishermen by trade. Fishermen on this lake did not enjoy high social standing, but their work required skill. The Greek word for net describes a circular rope with a tent-shaped net attached. Fishermen threw this type of net out into the water, let it sink, and then drew the rope that closed the neck of the trap and secured the fish inside.

Context Summary

Mark 1:1-20 - The Beginning Of Jesus' Ministry
The ministry of John the Baptist, Mark 1:1-8. Always the message of John precedes that of Jesus Christ; first the changed attitude of the will, then faith. The greatness of the Baptist revealed itself in his humility. He saw what we must see, that a negative religion, symbolized by water, is not enough: we need to be set on fire.
The opening pages of Christ's public life, Mark 1:9-20. Jesus was recognized by the Baptist, who beheld the opened heavens and the descending Spirit. If the Lord was thus anointed ere He commenced His life-work, how much more must we be! Hast thou become united with Him in His death, made one with Him in His resurrection, and anointed by that same Spirit? Then be sure that thou, too, must be tempted. Sons of men must go the way of the Son of man, now under the opened heavens, then tempted of the devil; on one side the wild beasts, on the other the angels; now driven to loneliness, and then to the crowded street of the cities, there to gather disciples by the energy and beauty of a victorious life. [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 1

1  The office of John the Baptist
9  Jesus is baptized;
12  tempted;
14  he preaches;
16  calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John;
23  heals one that had a demon;
29  Peter's mother in law;
32  many diseased persons;
40  and cleanses the leper

Greek Commentary for Mark 1:16

And passing along by the Sea of Galilee [και παραγων παρα την ταλασσαν της Γαλιλαιας]
Mark uses παρα — para (along, beside) twice and makes the picture realistic. He catches this glimpse of Christ in action. [source]
Casting a []
net Literally casting on both sides, now on one side, now on the other. Matthew (Matthew 4:18) has a different phrase which see. There are two papyri examples of the verb αμπιβαλλω — amphiballō one verb absolutely for fishing as here, the other with the accusative. It is fishing with a net, making a cast, a haul. These four disciples were fishermen (αλιεις — halieis) and were partners (μετοχοι — metochoi) as Luke states (Luke 5:7). [source]
net [αμπιβαλλοντας]
Literally casting on both sides, now on one side, now on the other. Matthew (Matthew 4:18) has a different phrase which see. There are two papyri examples of the verb αμπιβαλλω — amphiballō one verb absolutely for fishing as here, the other with the accusative. It is fishing with a net, making a cast, a haul. These four disciples were fishermen (αλιεις — halieis) and were partners (μετοχοι — metochoi) as Luke states (Luke 5:7). [source]
partners [μετοχοι]
(μετοχοι — metochoi) as Luke states (Luke 5:7). [source]
Casting a net [ἀμφιβάλλοντας]
See on Matthew 4:18. Mark here uses, more graphically, only the verb, without adding net. Lit., throwing about in the sea. Probably a fisher man's phrase, like a east, a haul. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 1:16

Matthew 4:18 Casting a net into the sea [βαλλαντας αμπιβληστρον εις την ταλασσαν]
The word here for net is a casting-net (compare αμπιβαλλω — amphiballō in Mark 1:16, casting on both sides). The net was thrown over the shoulder and spread into a circle In Matthew 4:20 and Matthew 4:21 another word occurs for nets (δικτυα — diktua), a word used for nets of any kind. The large drag-net (σαγηνη — sagēnē) appears in Matthew 13:47. [source]
Mark 2:13 By the seaside [παρα την ταλασσαν]
A pretty picture of Jesus walking by the sea and a walk that Jesus loved (Mark 1:16; Matthew 4:18). Probably Jesus went out from the crowd in Peter‘s house as soon as he could. It was a joy to get a whiff of fresh air by the sea. But it was not long till all the crowd began to come to Jesus It was the old story over again, but Jesus did not run away. [source]
Luke 5:4 Let down [χαλάσατε]
The plural, addressed to the whole of the boat's crew. Originally, to slacken or loosen, as a bowstring or the reins of horses; hence to let sink as a net. Also of unbarring a door. Metaphorically, to be indulgent, to pardon. The word occurs in the New Testament seven times, and five of these in Luke. He uses it of letting down Paul in a basket at Damascus (Acts 9:25); of striking a ship's sails, and of letting down a boat into the sea (Acts 27:17, Acts 27:30). Matthew, Mark, and John use βάλλω , or ἀμφιβάλλω , for casting a net (Matthew 4:18; Matthew 13:47; Mark 1:16; John 21:6), which appears also in the compound noun for a casting-net ( ἀμφίβληστρον , see on Matthew 4:18). The word used by Luke was in common use in medical writings, to denote relaxation of the limbs; loosening of bandages; abatement of sickness; letting herbs down into a vessel to be steeped. [source]
Luke 5:1 Pressed upon him [επικεισται]
Luke in this paragraph (Luke 5:1-11; Mark 1:16-20; Matthew 4:18-22) does not follow the chronology of Mark as he usually does. It seems reasonably clear that the renewed call of the four fishermen came before the first tour of Galilee in Luke 4:42-44. It is here assumed that Luke is describing in his own way the incident given in Mark and Matthew above. Luke singles out Simon in a graphic way. This verb επικεισται — epikeisthai is an old one and means to λιε υπον — lie upon rest upon as of a stone on the tomb (John 11:38) or of fish on the burning coals (John 21:9). So it is used of a tempest (Acts 27:20) and of the urgent demands for Christ‘s crucifixion (Luke 23:23). Here it vividly pictures the eager crowds around Jesus. Εν τωι επικεισται — En tōi epikeisthai is a favourite idiom with Luke as we have already seen, εν — en with the articular infinitive in the locative case. [source]
Luke 5:2 Were washing [επλυνον]
Imperfect active, though some MSS. have aorist επλυναν — eplunan Vincent comments on Luke‘s use of five verbs for washing: this one for cleaning, απομασσω — apomassō for wiping the dust from one‘s feet (Luke 10:11), εκμασσω — ekmassō of the sinful woman wiping Christ‘s feet with her hair (Luke 7:38, Luke 7:44), απολουω — apolouō of washing away sins (symbolically, of course) as in Acts 22:16, and λουω — louō of washing the body of Dorcas (Acts 9:37) and the stripes of the prisoners (Acts 16:33). On “nets” see note on Matthew 4:18 and note on Mark 1:16. [source]
John 1:40 Andrew [Ανδρεας]
Explained by John as one of the two disciples of the Baptist and identified as the brother of the famous Simon Peter (cf. also John 6:8; John 12:22). The more formal call of Andrew and Simon, James and John, comes later (Mark 1:16.; Matthew 4:18.; Luke 3:1-11). That heard John speak “That heard from John,” a classical idiom (παρα — para with ablative after ακουω — akouō) seen also in John 6:45; John 7:51; John 8:26, John 8:40; John 15:15. [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 1:16 mean?

And passing by the Sea - of Galilee He saw Simon Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea they were for fishermen
Καὶ παράγων παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν τῆς Γαλιλαίας εἶδεν Σίμωνα Ἀνδρέαν τὸν ἀδελφὸν Σίμωνος ἀμφιβάλλοντας ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ ἦσαν γὰρ ἁλιεῖς

παράγων  passing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: παράγω  
Sense: pass by.
θάλασσαν  Sea 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: θάλασσα  
Sense: the sea.
τῆς  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Γαλιλαίας  of  Galilee 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: Γαλιλαία  
Sense: the name of a region of northern Palestine, bounded on the north by Syria, on the west by Sidon, Tyre, Ptolemais and their territories and the promontory of Carmel, on the south by Samaria and on the east by the Jordan.
εἶδεν  He  saw 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἶδον 
Sense: to see with the eyes.
Σίμωνα  Simon 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Σίμων  
Sense: Peter was one of the apostles.
Ἀνδρέαν  Andrew 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἀνδρέας  
Sense: A native of Bethsaida in Galilee, brother of Simon Peter, a disciple of John the Baptist, and afterwards an apostle of Christ.
ἀδελφὸν  brother 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀδελφός  
Sense: a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother.
Σίμωνος  of  Simon 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Σίμων  
Sense: Peter was one of the apostles.
ἀμφιβάλλοντας  casting  a  net 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: βάλλω 
Sense: to throw or let go of a thing without caring where it falls.
ἐν  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐν 
Sense: in, by, with etc.
θαλάσσῃ  sea 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: θάλασσα  
Sense: the sea.
ἦσαν  they  were 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
ἁλιεῖς  fishermen 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἁλιεύς  
Sense: a fisherman, fisher.