Mark 1:19-20

Mark 1:19-20

[19] And  a little  further  James  the son  of Zebedee,  and  John  his  brother,  who  also  were in  the ship  mending  their nets.  [20] And  straightway  he called  them:  and  they left  their  father  Zebedee  in  the ship  with  the hired servants,  and went  after  him. 

What does Mark 1:19-20 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Jesus then issued the same call to two similar brothers with the same response. All four men were evidently partners in the fishing business (cf. Luke 5:7; Luke 5:10). James and John had also come to believe that Jesus was the Messiah ( John 1:35-42). Mark recorded more about their decision to follow Jesus than he did about Simon and Andrew"s. James (Jacob in Hebrew) and John broke family ties to follow Jesus. The mention of hired men suggests that Zebedee owned a prosperous business that James and John left. It also shows that these brothers did not leave their father all alone; they were not being irresponsible. The main point, however, is the immediacy of their response to Jesus. This reflects Jesus" great authority over people. James and John were Jesus" cousins (cf. Matthew 27:55-56; Mark 15:40; John 19:25). However, they did not yet know that He was also God.
"Noteworthy is that the call of each pair of brothers conforms to an identical pattern, to wit: (a) Underway, (b) Jesus sees the brothers, (c) calls them, and (d) immediately they go after him. By means of this pattern, Mark sets forth the nature and purpose of discipleship.
"The nature of discipleship is joining oneself to Jesus in total allegiance....
"The purpose of discipleship is announced by Jesus in his call to Simon and Andrew: "Come after me, and I shall make you become fishers of men" ( Mark 1:17). Plainly, discipleship has "mission work" as its purpose. Striking is the universal nature of the mission Jesus envisages." [1]
"Except perhaps for Judas, the disciples do not greatly influence the plot, or course of events, in Mark"s story....
"Though a group, the disciples plainly stand out as a single character.
". . . the many traits the disciples exhibit spring from two conflicting traits: The disciples are at once "loyal" and "uncomprehending." On the one hand, the disciples are "loyal": Jesus summons them to follow him and they immediately leave behind their former way of life and give him their total allegiance. On the other hand, the disciples are "uncomprehending": Understanding fully neither the identity nor the destiny of Jesus and not at all the essential meaning of discipleship, they forsake Jesus during his passion." [2]