The second part has been the most heartening part for me. It is the calling of the first disciples. The heartening part is that God doesn’t look at qualifications and worldly success. He chooses people who seem to be rejected by this world. Right from Old Testament times (which we will try to understand later) God has called people of little merit and lifted them up. Here in this passage, Jesus calls fishermen as His first disciples. In the Jewish custom, “Rabbi” is the most high and respected position. And most Jewish boys aspire to become “rabbi” and the “followers of rabbi”.
A bit of Jewish history helps here. To become a rabbi, a person should pass the following three stages. The first stage is known as the “Bits of Saffire”. During this stage, a child is expected to memorise the Torah (first 5 books of the Bible written by Moses). Those who qualify the first stage proceed to the second stage “Bits of Talmud”. This stage requires more vigorous study, after qualifying which a person enters the third stage known as the “Bits of Midrash”. During this stage the rabbi calls the most fit students to follow him. Others who have been rejected at any stage go back to the common way of life choosing their family occupations or something else.
As we see in the passage, though Jesus had never followed any Rabbi, because of His enlightenment, He was addressed a Rabbi and He called fishermen to follow Him. Believe me, if today you feel broken and small, it’s Jesus who is ever ready to lift you up. God does not look at how qualified you are, He just looks at your willingness.
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