Bible Study Seattle

“While walking 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 the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.  Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.” Matthew 4:18-22

When I first read this it sounded almost comical. Why would people just suddenly drop everything and follow some random guy? Of course John the Baptist had been preparing people for the coming Messiah for six months prior to this. But what was Jesus doing before that? It seems likely that Jesus might have met many of the disciples even before John began his ministry. And I’m sure John spent much time with Jesus in the years prior since they were relatives. Christianity is and was a religion of relationships.