The call of Jesus, to Andrew and Peter, James and John, is a critical moment in Matthew’s Gospel. In this act, Jesus begins his ministry in earnest. It is his ministry, but by calling others to participate, he shares it willingly with others. This one of the most extraordinary parts of the Gospel. It is more than just the fact that the ministry is shared. Over the generations, God’s work has been shared with many…priests, prophets, kings, and occasionally ‘normal’ folks. But Jesus’ call of the fishermen, as well as the other disciples who were not priests, prophets and kings, is a game changer. In an act that was rare in Israel, the work of the Messiah was being shared with people who lacked the pedigree that many would have expected.

We often marvel at what seems to be their immediate response to Jesus’ cold call of them. While it may have happened that way, I think that it is more helpful for us to dig a little deeper. Because Jesus had moved into Capernaum and began teaching, it is safe to assume that he wouldn’t have been completely unknown. When you combine whatever level of knowledge, they had with the fact that Jesus gave a particular and tailored invitation to them, their quick response to the call makes more sense. To consider these things together, I think it makes Jesus call of us all the more accessible.