Friday 30 November 2007

Background

There isn't any real connection between this passage and theweek's theme of 'Christ the King'. It has been chosen because todayis the Feast of St Andrew the Apostle (St Andrew's Day).

Or is there?

Each of the Gospels begins differently. In Mark's Gospel Jesusbegan his ministry by announcing that the arrival of the 'kingdomof God' was near (Mark 1:15). Andthat is where we are in Matthew 4:12-17!Immediately after, Jesus begins to call disciples - Andrew is thesecond of the four fishermen to be called that day.

Notice first how stark this narrative is. There are nointroductions and no explanations. Jesus sees these four fishermen,invites them to follow him - though I'm not sure if 'invite' is theright word - and they drop everything and do it.

It may have happened like that or it may not, but the strikingthing in the way Matthew tells it is the authority that this Jesushas. He speaks, they obey; he calls, they follow. He speaks andacts with an authority they recognise.

So Andrew and the other three become 'disciples': students andfollowers of this rabbi. They don't know it yet, but there is moreinvolved. They have entered the kingdom of God. They have beenenrolled as agents of that kingdom. What that means will take thema lot of following and a lot of learning to work out.

All they are told at this point is that they will 'fish forpeople'. That's a vivid metaphor, and it doesn't mean that theywill trap people and drag them into the kingdom like helpless fishin a net. But it does suggest that people don't just jump into thekingdom boat either; there is fishing to be done.

To Ponder

What other instances of the authority of Jesuscome to mind?

Have you experienced his 'authority' in anyway?

Where are suitable 'fishing grounds' for you tofish for disciples?