Why Jesus Chose Fishermen as His Disciples
The Bible never gives one stated reason why Jesus chose fishermen, but the Gospels show a clear pattern. He found them at work, He chose ordinary people rather than the religious elite, and He used what they already knew to explain their new calling. At least four of the twelve disciples, Peter, Andrew, James and John, made their living on the water.
What follows looks at what Scripture says, what it leaves unsaid, and what anglers today can draw from the story. Where this post offers an observation instead of a quoted fact, it says so.
Jesus called them while they were working
Matthew’s Gospel tells the story plainly: “And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And He saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed Him.” (Matthew 4:18–20)
Notice where this happens. Jesus did not call them from a synagogue or a classroom. He called them at the shoreline, in the middle of a work day. Verses 21 and 22 add that He then called James and John, who were in a boat with their father Zebedee mending nets, and that they also left to follow Him. Mark records the same call: “Come ye after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.” (Mark 1:17)
Their trade shaped the way He called them
“Fishers of men” is a phrase that only makes sense to people who fish. Jesus took their daily work and gave it a larger purpose. Luke’s account shows this clearly. After a night of fishing with nothing to show for it, Simon obeyed a request from Jesus: “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto Him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at Thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.” (Luke 5:4–6)
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.” Luke closes the scene this way: “And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed Him.” (Luke 5:10–11)
Qualities of a fisher that may have mattered
Scripture does not say that Jesus picked fishermen for their skills, so what follows is an observation and not a stated reason. People who fish for a living tend to have habits that suit a life of ministry:
- Patience. Peter and his crew had “toiled all the night” without a catch, then kept going when Jesus asked them to try again.
- Hard work and long hours. Commercial fishing meant nights on the water, weather and heavy nets.
- Teamwork. Luke 5:7 mentions partners in another boat who came to help haul in the catch. Fishing crews depend on each other.
- Willingness to go where the fish are. Anglers know that success often means launching out into deeper water.
Any angler, whether he or she fishes for a living or for the weekend, will recognize those traits.
Jesus chose ordinary people
The better-documented reason is that God often works through people the world overlooks. After the resurrection, the religious leaders took notice of Peter and John: “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13)
Paul states the principle directly: “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” (1 Corinthians 1:27)
Not all of the Twelve were fishermen. Matthew, for example, was a tax collector (Matthew 9:9). The group was a mix of ordinary people, which fits this theme: the power was never meant to come from their résumés.
Jesus kept meeting them at the water
Fishing keeps appearing in the Gospels. In Matthew 17:27, Jesus tells Peter how to pay a temple tax: “Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for Me and thee.”
After the resurrection, the disciples returned to their boats. John records that they fished all night and caught nothing, until a man on the shore said, “Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.” (John 21:6) The Gospel tells us the net was soon too full to haul in, and that the man was Jesus, who had a fire of coals with fish and bread waiting on the shore. It is a quiet scene, and many anglers find it moving that the risen Lord met His friends over a meal by the water.
What anglers can take from this
- God meets you in your ordinary work and play. The shoreline is where this story started.
- Patience is a form of trust. A slow day on the water echoes “we have toiled all the night.”
- Obedience can come before the result. Simon let down the net “at Thy word,” before he saw a single fish.
- Give thanks for what you catch. Paul wrote that every creature of God is good when it is received with thanksgiving (1 Timothy 4:4). Our post on Bible verses about the ocean is a good place to continue.
Frequently asked questions
Faith gear for the water
Rockaway Outfitters makes faith-inspired apparel and gifts for people who love the outdoors. Browse the Rockaway Outfitters shop on Etsy for fishing tees inspired by Matthew 4:19 and a redfish ornament, or see our Christian gift ideas for fishermen and boaters.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Jesus choose fishermen to be His disciples?
The Bible does not give one stated reason. Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James and John at their work, and Scripture shows that God often chooses ordinary people. Many readers also note that fishing requires patience, hard work and teamwork.
Were all twelve disciples fishermen?
No. At least four were: Peter, Andrew, James and John. Matthew, for example, was a tax collector.
What does fishers of men mean?
In Matthew 4:19 Jesus tells Simon and Andrew, who were fishermen, that He will make them fishers of men. Christians generally understand it as a call to bring people to follow Jesus.
