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Selected Verse: Matthew 4:22 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Mt 4:22	Strong Concordance	And [1161] they immediately [2112] left [863] the ship [4143] and [2532] their [846] father [3962], and followed [190] him [846].
	King James	And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
And they immediately left the ship and their father--Mark adds an important clause: "They left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants" (Mar 1:20); showing that the family were in easy circumstances. and followed him--Two harmonistic questions here arise: First, Was this the same calling as that recorded in Joh 1:35-42? Clearly not. For, (1) That call was given while Jesus was yet in Judea: this, after His return to Galilee. (2) Here, Christ calls Andrew: there, Andrew solicits an interview with Christ. (3) Here, Andrew and Peter are called together: there, Andrew having been called, with an unnamed disciple, who was clearly the beloved disciple (see on Joh 1:40), goes and fetches Peter his brother to Christ, who then calls him. (4) Here, John is called along with James his brother: there, John is called along with Andrew, after having at their own request had an interview with Jesus; no mention being made of James, whose call, if it then took place, would not likely have been passed over by his own brother. Thus far nearly all are agreed. But on the next question opinion is divided: Was this the same calling as that recorded in Luk 5:1-11? Many able critics think so. But the following considerations are to us decisive against it. First here, the four are called separately, in pairs: in Luke, all together. Next, in Luke, after a glorious miracle: here, the one pair are casting their net, the other are mending theirs. Further, here, our Lord had made no public appearance in Galilee, and so had gathered none around Him; He is walking solitary by the shores of the lake when He accosts the two pairs of fishermen: in Luke, the multitude are pressing upon Him, and hearing the word of God, as He stands by the Lake of Gennesaret--a state of things implying a somewhat advanced stage of His early ministry, and some popular enthusiasm. Regarding these successive callings, see on Luk 5:1. First Galilean Circuit (Mat 4:23-25).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

And they immediately left the ship and their father--Mark adds an important clause: "They left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants" (Mar 1:20); showing that the family were in easy circumstances.

and followed him--Two harmonistic questions here arise: First, Was this the same calling as that recorded in Joh 1:35-42? Clearly not. For, (1) That call was given while Jesus was yet in Judea: this, after His return to Galilee. (2) Here, Christ calls Andrew: there, Andrew solicits an interview with Christ. (3) Here, Andrew and Peter are called together: there, Andrew having been called, with an unnamed disciple, who was clearly the beloved disciple (see on Joh 1:40), goes and fetches Peter his brother to Christ, who then calls him. (4) Here, John is called along with James his brother: there, John is called along with Andrew, after having at their own request had an interview with Jesus; no mention being made of James, whose call, if it then took place, would not likely have been passed over by his own brother. Thus far nearly all are agreed. But on the next question opinion is divided: Was this the same calling as that recorded in Luk 5:1-11? Many able critics think so. But the following considerations are to us decisive against it. First here, the four are called separately, in pairs: in Luke, all together. Next, in Luke, after a glorious miracle: here, the one pair are casting their net, the other are mending theirs. Further, here, our Lord had made no public appearance in Galilee, and so had gathered none around Him; He is walking solitary by the shores of the lake when He accosts the two pairs of fishermen: in Luke, the multitude are pressing upon Him, and hearing the word of God, as He stands by the Lake of Gennesaret--a state of things implying a somewhat advanced stage of His early ministry, and some popular enthusiasm. Regarding these successive callings, see on Luk 5:1.

First Galilean Circuit (Mat 4:23-25).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Left their father - This showed how willing they were to follow Jesus. They showed us what we ought to do. If necessary, we should leave father, and mother, and every friend, Luk 14:26. If they will go with us, and be Christians, it is well; if not, yet they should not hinder us. We should be the followers of Jesus. And, while in doing it we should treat our friends kindly and tenderly, yet we ought at all hazards to obey God, and do our duty to him. We may add that many, very many children, since Sunday schools have commenced, have been the means of their parents' conversion. Many children have spoken to their parents, or read the Bible to them, or other books, and prayed for them, and God has blessed them and converted them. Every child in a Sunday school ought to be a Christian; and then should strive and pray that God would convert his parents, and make them Christians too. We see here, too, what humble instruments God makes use of to convert people. He chose fishermen to convert the world. He chooses the foolish to confound the wise. And it shows that religion is true, and is the power of God, when he makes use of such instruments to change the hearts of people and save their souls. See the notes at Co1 1:26-28.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Left the ship and their father - By the ship, το πλοιον, we are to understand the mere fishing-boat, used for extending their nets in the water and bringing the hawser or rope of the farther end to shore, by which the net was pulled to land. But why should these be called to leave their employment and their father, probably now aged? To this I answer, that to be obedient to, provide for, and comfort our parents, is the highest duty we owe or can discharge, except that to God. But, when God calls to the work of the ministry, father and mother and all must be left. Were we necessary to their comfort and support before? Then God, if he call us into another work or state, will take care to supply to them our lack of service some other way; and, if this be not done, it is a proof we have mistaken our call. Again, were our parents necessary to us, and in leaving them for the sake of the Gospel, or in obedience to a Divine command, do we deprive ourselves of the comforts of life? No matter: we should prefer the honor of serving the Most High, even in poverty and humility, to all the comforts of a father's house. But what an honor was the vocation of James and John, to old Zebedee their father! His sons are called to be heralds of the God of heaven! Allowing him to have been a pious man, this must have given him unutterable delight.

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²³ And [2532] Jesus [2424] went about [4013] all [3650] Galilee [1056], teaching [1321] in [1722] their [846] synagogues [4864], and [2532] preaching [2784] the gospel [2098] of the kingdom [932], and [2532] healing [2323] all [3956] manner of sickness [3554] and [2532] all [3956] manner of disease [3119] among [1722] the people [2992].
²⁴ And [2532] his [846] fame [189] went [565] throughout [1519] all [3650] Syria [4947]: and [2532] they brought [4374] unto him [846] all [3956] sick [2560] people [2192] that were taken with [4912] divers [4164] diseases [3554] and [2532] torments [931], and [2532] those which were possessed with devils [1139], and [2532] those which were lunatick [4583], and [2532] those that had the palsy [3885]; and [2532] he healed [2323] them [846].
²⁵ And [2532] there followed [190] him [846] great [4183] multitudes of people [3793] from [575] Galilee [1056], and [2532] from Decapolis [1179], and [2532] from Jerusalem [2414], and [2532] from Judaea [2449], and [2532] from beyond [4008] Jordan [2446].

¹ And [1161] it came to pass [1096], that, as [1722] the people [3793] pressed upon [1945] him [846] to hear [191] the word [3056] of God [2316], [2532] he [846] stood [2258] [2476] by [3844] the lake [3041] of Gennesaret [1082],
² And [2532] saw [1492] two [1417] ships [4143] standing [2476] by [3844] the lake [3041]: but [1161] the fishermen [231] were gone [576] out of [575] them [846], and were washing [637] their nets [1350].
³ And [1161] he entered [1684] into [1519] one [1520] of the ships [4143], which [3739] was [2258] Simon's [4613], and prayed [2065] him [846] that he would thrust out [1877] a little [3641] from [575] the land [1093]. And [2532] he sat down [2523], and taught [1321] the people [3793] out of [1537] the ship [4143].
⁴ Now [1161] when [5613] he had left [3973] speaking [2980], he said [2036] unto [4314] Simon [4613], Launch out [1877] into [1519] the deep [899], and [2532] let down [5465] your [5216] nets [1350] for [1519] a draught [61].
⁵ And [2532] Simon [4613] answering [611] said [2036] unto him [846], Master [1988], we have toiled [2872] all [3650] [1223] the night [3571], and have taken [2983] nothing [3762]: nevertheless [1161] at [1909] thy [4675] word [4487] I will let down [5465] the net [1350].
⁶ And [2532] when they had [4160] this [5124] done [4160], they inclosed [4788] a great [4183] multitude [4128] of fishes [2486]: and [1161] their [846] net [1350] brake [1284].
⁷ And [2532] they beckoned [2656] unto their partners [3353], which [3588] were in [1722] the other [2087] ship [4143], that they should come [2064] and help [4815] them [846]. And [2532] they came [2064], and [2532] filled [4130] both [297] the ships [4143], so [5620] that they [846] began to sink [1036].
⁸ When [1161] Simon [4613] Peter [4074] saw [1492] it, he fell down at [4363] Jesus [2424]' knees [1119], saying [3004], Depart [1831] from [575] me [1700]; for [3754] I am [1510] a sinful [268] man [435], O Lord [2962].
⁹ For [1063] he [846] was astonished [4023] [2285], and [2532] all [3956] that were [4862] with him [846], at [1909] the draught [61] of the fishes [2486] which [3739] they had taken [4815]:
¹⁰ And [1161] so [3668] was also [2532] James [2385], and [2532] John [2491], the sons [5207] of Zebedee [2199], which [3739] were [2258] partners [2844] with Simon [4613]. And [2532] Jesus [2424] said [2036] unto [4314] Simon [4613], Fear [5399] not [3361]; from [575] henceforth [3568] thou shalt [2071] catch [2221] men [444].
¹¹ And [2532] when they had brought [2609] their ships [4143] to [1909] land [1093], they forsook [863] all [537], and followed [190] him [846].

⁴⁰ One [1520] of [1537] the two [1417] which [3588] heard [191] [3844] John [2491] speak, and [2532] followed [190] him [846], was [2258] Andrew [406], Simon [4613] Peter's [4074] brother [80].

³⁵ Again [3825] the next day after [1887] John [2491] stood [2476], and [2532] two [1417] of [1537] his [846] disciples [3101];
³⁶ And [2532] looking upon [1689] Jesus [2424] as he walked [4043], he saith [3004], Behold [2396] the Lamb [286] of God [2316]!
³⁷ And [2532] the two [1417] disciples [3101] heard [191] him [846] speak [2980], and [2532] they followed [190] Jesus [2424].
³⁸ Then [1161] Jesus [2424] turned [4762], and [2532] saw [2300] them [846] following [190], and saith [3004] unto them [846], What [5101] seek ye [2212]? [1161] They said [2036] unto him [846], Rabbi [4461], (which [3739] is to say [3004], being interpreted [2059], Master [1320],) where [4226] dwellest thou [3306]?
³⁹ He saith [3004] unto them [846], Come [2064] and [2532] see [1492]. They came [2064] and [2532] saw [1492] where [4226] he dwelt [3306], and [2532] abode [3306] with [3844] him [846] that [1565] day [2250]: for [1161] it was [2258] about [5613] the tenth [1182] hour [5610].
⁴⁰ One [1520] of [1537] the two [1417] which [3588] heard [191] [3844] John [2491] speak, and [2532] followed [190] him [846], was [2258] Andrew [406], Simon [4613] Peter's [4074] brother [80].
⁴¹ He [3778] first [4413] findeth [2147] his own [2398] brother [80] Simon [4613], and [2532] saith [3004] unto him [846], We have found [2147] the Messias [3323], which [3739] is [2076], being interpreted [3177], the Christ [5547].
⁴² And [2532] he brought [71] him [846] to [4314] Jesus [2424]. And [1161] when Jesus [2424] beheld [1689] him [846], he said [2036], Thou [4771] art [1488] Simon [4613] the son [5207] of Jona [2495]: thou [4771] shalt be called [2564] Cephas [2786], which [3739] is by interpretation [2059], A stone [4074].

²⁰ And [2532] straightway [2112] he called [2564] them [846]: and [2532] they left [863] their [846] father [3962] Zebedee [2199] in [1722] the ship [4143] with [3326] the hired servants [3411], and went [565] after [3694] him [846].

²⁶ For [1063] ye see [991] your [5216] calling [2821], brethren [80], how that [3754] not [3756] many [4183] wise men [4680] after [2596] the flesh [4561], not [3756] many [4183] mighty [1415], not [3756] many [4183] noble [2104], are called:
²⁷ But [235] God [2316] hath chosen [1586] the foolish things [3474] of the world [2889] to [2443] confound [2617] the wise [4680]; and [2532] God [2316] hath chosen [1586] the weak things [772] of the world [2889] to [2443] confound [2617] the things which are mighty [2478];
²⁸ And [2532] base things [36] of the world [2889], and [2532] things which are despised [1848], hath [1586] God [2316] chosen [1586], yea, and [2532] things which [3588] are [5607] not [3361], to [2443] bring to nought [2673] things that are [5607]:

²⁶ If any [1536] man come [2064] to [4314] me [3165], and [2532] hate [3404] not [3756] his [1438] father [3962], and [2532] mother [3384], and [2532] wife [1135], and [2532] children [5043], and [2532] brethren [80], and [2532] sisters [79], yea [2089], and [1161] his own [1438] life [5590] also [2532], he cannot [3756] [1410] be [1511] my [3450] disciple [3101].