(14) Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God. (15) And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. (16) 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. (17) And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. (18) And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. (19) And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw 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. (21) And they went into Capernaum; and straight way on the sabbath-day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. (22) And they were astonished at his doctrine; for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
These verses are almost the same as was noticed, Matthew 4:17-22. It appears from both accounts, that the LORD JESUS entered upon his preaching with only those four Apostles at the first; and there should seem to have been some interval between their call and the others. But what a surprising call must it have been to those men; how unlooked for; and yet how powerful: instantly to leave all their earthly concerns and connections to follow Jesus. Reader! it is still the same in every instance where the claims of nature would thwart the calls of grace. Painful to flesh and blood, as numberless circum stances are sometimes found, the plucking out an eye, or cutting off an arm, are needful to be done if they stand in the way of CHRIST, See that scripture, Luke 14:26-27.