Matthew 4:20

And they straightway left their nets,.... That is, as soon as he had called them, they left their worldly employment, and followed him; they gave up themselves to his service, and became his

And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

When Christ calls, men shall obey; when he calls, he draweth. It is not of indispensable necessity that men who exercise the ministry should have nothing else to do, Paul’ s hands ministered to his necessities; but nothing but a providing for ourselves and households can excuse ministers in entangling themselves with the things of this life. Churches that are able ought better to provide for their ministers, and ministers so provided for sin if they do not wholly give up themselves to their work, .

20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. Ver. 20. And they straightway left their nets] As the woman of Samaria did her pitcher, Matthew his toll book, and blind Bartimeus his cloak when Christ called for him. Look we likewise to this "author and finisher of our faith;" and for love of him cast away every clog, and the sin that doth so easily beset or surround us. Divorce the flesh from the world, and there is no great danger. Admire not overmuch, rest not in, dote not on, cleave not to, the things of this life (those nets and snares of Satan, whereby he entangleth and encumbereth us), that we may attend upon the Lord (or sit close to him) without being haled away or distracted by these lusts of life (ευπροσεδροντωκυριωαπερισπαστως, 1 Corinthians 7:35). The deeper any man is drowned in the world, the more desperately is he divorced from God, deadened to holy things, and disobedient to the heavenly call, as the recusant guests in the Gospel, Matthew 22:5. And followed him] Immediately, and without sciscitation. When Christ calls we must not reason, but run, as Paul, Galatians 1:16; not dispute, but despatch, with David, Psalms 119:60. Go we know not whither, with Abraham; do we know not what, with Gideon. "If ye will inquire, inquire," saith Isaiah; "return, come," Isaiah 21:12. God loveth curristas, runners not quaeristas, questioners saith Luther. A quick passage, and full of quickening; like that of the orator, Si dormis, expergissere; si stas, ingredere; si ingrederis, curre; si curris, advola. (Cicer.) Courts have their cito, cito, quick, quick; and courtiers used to observe and improve their mollissima fandi tempora; so must Christians. God is but a while with men in the opportunities of grace. He comes leaping on the mountains, and skipping on the hills: and, being come, he stands at the door and knocks by the sound of his Word and motions of his Spirit. He sits not, but stands: while a man is standing we say he is going, Son 2:8; Revelation 3:20. And woe be unto us if he depart from us, Hosea 9:12. God hath his season, his harvest for judgment, Matthew 13:30, and is now more quick and peremptory in rejecting men than of old: for how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation as is now preached? Hebrews 2:2. Our Saviour would not suffer the man that said he would follow him, to let so much time as to bury his father, Matthew 8:22. Excuses he takes for refusals, delays for denials. As Saul lost his kingdom, so doth many a man his soul, by not discerning his time: and troops of them that forget God go down to hell, Psalms 9:17. Quare castigemus mores et moras nostras. How you punish our ways and move us. Let us up and be doing, that the Lord may be with us.

Verse 20. They straightway left their nets] A change, as far as it respected secular things, every way to their disadvantage. The proud and the profane may exult and say, "Such preachers as these cannot be much injured by their sacrifices of secular property - they have nothing but nets, c., to leave." Let such carpers at the institution of Christ know, that he who has nothing but a net, and leaves that for the sake of doing good to the souls of men, leaves his ALL: besides, he lived comfortably by his net before but, in becoming the servant of all for Christ's sake, he often exposes himself to the want of even a morsel of bread. See on Matthew 19:27.

17–22. The Call of Peter and Andrew and of the sons of Zebedee. See Mark 1:16-20 In Luke Simon is mentioned without any introduction, ch. Luke 4:38. The narrative of Luk 5:3-11 must be referred to a different occasion, though Luke 5:11 corresponds with Matthew 4:22 of this chapter. St Luke adds that the sons of Zebedee were partners with Simon. John, Luke 1:35-42, refers to a previous summons. We learn there that Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist, and that Bethsaida was the city of Andrew and Peter.

Straightway - Immediately - as all should do when the Lord Jesus calls them. Left their nets - Their nets were the means of their living, perhaps all their property.

20. Straightway left their nets — They had been previously disciples of John. The preaching of Jesus had divinely impressed their hearts.