Jesus Calls the First Disciples
Matthew 4:18-22
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Matt.4.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Περιπατων: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- παρα: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- θαλασσαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- Γαλιλαιας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- ειδεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- δυο: NUM,acc,pl
- αδελφους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- Σιμωνα: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- λεγομενον: VERB,pres,mid-pass,part,acc,sg,m
- Πετρον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- Ανδρεαν: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- αδελφον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- βαλλοντας: VERB,pres,act,part,acc,pl,m
- αμφιβληστρον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- θαλασσαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ησαν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- γαρ: PART
- αλιεις·: NOUN,nom,pl,m
Parallels
- Mark 1:16-18 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel: Jesus sees Simon (Peter) and Andrew casting a net by the Sea of Galilee and calls them to follow; Mark preserves the same calling scene and language.
- Luke 5:1-11 (structural): Parallel account of calling Simon Peter and companions as fishermen; Luke frames the call around a miraculous catch of fish and Peter’s recognition, emphasizing vocation-change and discipleship.
- John 1:40-42 (thematic): Andrew is introduced as a first disciple who finds Simon Peter and brings him to Jesus—complements Matthew’s note that Andrew and Simon are brothers and highlights Andrew’s role in bringing Peter to Jesus.
- Matt.4.21 (structural): Immediate parallel within Matthew: the same calling-motif continues as Jesus sees and calls James and John (also fishermen), underscoring the pattern of calling fishermen as apostles.
Alternative generated candidates
- As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother—casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
- While Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother—casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
Matt.4.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις·Δευτε: PRON,dat,pl+VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- οπισω: ADV
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- και: CONJ
- ποιησω: VERB,fut,act,ind,1,sg
- υμας: PRON,acc,pl,2
- αλιεις: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- ανθρωπων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- Mark 1:17 (verbal): Nearly identical calling formula—'Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men'—Mark's parallel account of the same calling scene.
- Luke 5:10 (verbal): In the earlier Luke account Jesus tells Simon, 'Do not be afraid; from now on you will catch men,' using the same fishing-to-mission metaphor.
- Matthew 9:37-38 (thematic): Jesus speaks of the plentiful harvest and the need for laborers—develops the same mission motif behind making disciples ('fishers of men').
- John 21:15-17 (thematic): Post-resurrection commissioning of Peter to 'feed my sheep' parallels the commissioning impulse—entrusting the disciples with care and gathering of people.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
- He said to them, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Matt.4.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- ευθεως: ADV
- αφεντες: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,pl,m
- τα: ART,acc,pl,neut
- δικτυα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- ηκολουθησαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 1:18 (verbal): Near-identical wording—‘and immediately, leaving their nets, they followed him’ (Greek phrasing and immediacy mirror Matthew 4:20).
- Matthew 4:22 (structural): Same calling scene: James and John likewise ‘left the boat and their father’ and followed Jesus, echoing the motif of immediate abandonment and discipleship within the chapter.
- Luke 5:11 (thematic): Peter, James and John bring their boats to land and ‘forsook all’ and followed Jesus—parallels the theme of leaving fishing work and possessions to become disciples.
- Mark 2:14 (thematic): When Jesus calls Levi (Matthew’s counterpart), he ‘left all, rose up, and followed him’—another example of immediate renunciation and following in response to Jesus’ call.
- John 1:37-39 (thematic): After John the Baptist’s testimony, two of his disciples ‘followed Jesus’—a different episode that nonetheless shares the motif of individuals immediately following Jesus upon his call or revelation.
Alternative generated candidates
- Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
- They immediately left their nets and followed him.
Matt.4.21 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- προβας: VERB,aor,act,part,masc,sg,nom
- εκειθεν: ADV
- ειδεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αλλους: ADJ,acc,pl,m
- δυο: NUM,acc,pl,m
- αδελφους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- Ιακωβον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,m
- Ζεβεδαιου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- Ιωαννην: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- αδελφον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- πλοιω: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- μετα: PREP
- Ζεβεδαιου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,m
- πατρος: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,c
- καταρτιζοντας: VERB,pres,act,part,acc,pl,m
- τα: ART,acc,pl,neut
- δικτυα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,c
- και: CONJ
- εκαλεσεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
Parallels
- Mark 1:19-20 (verbal): Almost identical account: Jesus sees James and John, sons of Zebedee, in the boat mending nets, calls them, and they leave their father and follow him (close verbal and narrative parallel).
- Luke 5:10-11 (structural): Luke places James and John as partners with Simon Peter in the fishing business; after the catching-of-fish episode they leave everything and follow Jesus—same characters and outcome in a different narrative context.
- Matt 9:9 (thematic): Another Matthean calling scene: Jesus says to Matthew (Levi), “Follow me,” and Matthew immediately gets up and follows—parallels the calling motif and immediate response.
- John 1:43 (thematic): Jesus’ call to Philip (“Follow me”) parallels the simple summons motif—Jesus initiating discipleship by calling individuals to leave their former occupations and follow him.
Alternative generated candidates
- And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets; and he called them.
- Going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
Matt.4.22 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- ευθεως: ADV
- αφεντες: PART,aor,act,nom,pl,m
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- πλοιον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- και: CONJ
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- πατερα: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,c
- ηκολουθησαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 1:20 (verbal): Describes James and John leaving the boat and their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and immediately following Jesus—near-verbal parallel to Matthew's wording.
- Matt.4:20 (verbal): Immediately before Matt.4:22, Peter and Andrew 'immediately left their nets and followed him'—same motif of immediate response to Jesus' call and similar phrasing.
- Luke 5:11 (thematic): After the miraculous catch, the fishermen 'left everything and followed him'—shares the theme of abandoning livelihood and possessions to follow Jesus.
- Luke 5:27-28 (thematic): The call of Levi/ Matthew where he 'left everything' and followed Jesus—another example of a vocational and relational break in response to Jesus' call.
Alternative generated candidates
- Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
- They immediately left the boat and their father, and followed him.
As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.'
Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets; and he called them.
Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.