Fishers of Men

Biblical Text

Jesus spoke these words when He called fishermen to be His disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. In Matthew 4:18–22 and Mark 1:16–20, Jesus says to the brothers Simon Peter and Andrew, who were casting a net, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). He then calls another pair of brothers, James and John, who were mending their nets. Peter and his brother leave their nets, and James and his brother leave the boat and their father Zebedee to follow Jesus.

Luke 5:1–11 gives a somewhat different account. Simon, who had caught nothing all night, lets down his net at Jesus' word and takes a great number of fish. Afterward Simon is told, "from henceforth thou shalt catch men" (Luke 5:10).

Background

The Sea of Galilee was a thriving fishing area. Mark 1:20 notes that Zebedee had hired servants, which suggests that the family fished as a household business. In the text, the fish are caught with nets, not with a rod and line. The Korean rendering of the phrase uses the verb nakda, which evokes angling with a hook, but the Greek word halieus used in Matthew and Mark refers to a fisherman in general. The verb used in Luke 5:10, zōgreō, means "to catch alive."

Significance in Scripture as a Whole

In the Old Testament, the image of catching people like fish appears chiefly in scenes of judgment. Jeremiah 16:16 says that God will send for "many fishers" to fish for the people. Many interpreters read this verse as a statement of judgment, while others connect it with the people's return from exile. Amos 4:2 and Habakkuk 1:14–17 likewise depict people being dragged away with hooks or nets. By contrast, Ezekiel 47:10 portrays fishermen standing beside restored waters. Scholars differ on whether Jesus had Jeremiah 16:16 in mind when He spoke these words.

In the New Testament, this call leads into the disciples' mission. After Peter preaches at Pentecost, many people are baptized (Acts 2:39–41). In John 21, the risen Jesus again enables the disciples to catch a great number of fish at the Sea of Tiberias. Afterward Jesus entrusts Peter with the task of feeding His sheep (John 21:15–17). The parable of the net in Matthew 13:47–50 likewise uses the imagery of fishing to speak of the final judgment.

Interpretation and Issues

• To whom the words are addressed: The text depicts the calling of particular disciples. In Roman Catholicism there is a tradition of reading these words in connection with the office of Peter and the apostles, and the papal ring is called the "Fisherman's Ring." Evangelical Protestants often read the words more broadly as a call to evangelism addressed to all believers.
• Differences among the call narratives: In John 1:35–42, Andrew is a disciple of John the Baptist and meets Jesus first. Some interpreters regard this scene and the call by the Sea of Galilee as events that took place at different times, while others regard them as differing accounts of the same event (Synoptic Problem).
• Popular embellishments: Sermons commonly explain methods of evangelism by likening these words to bait or angling techniques. The text, however, does not address methods of evangelism. In addition, the fish symbol (ichthys) used by the early church is generally understood to derive from the initial letters of a series of Greek words, so it is difficult to regard it as having arisen directly from this passage.

In the Korean Church

The phrase is frequently used as a motto in evangelism training, evangelistic meetings, and Sunday school instruction. It is also cited as a key verse when explaining the calling of lay believers to be evangelists.