Matthew 4:20

20 And immediately they left their nets [and] followed him.

Matthew 4:20 Meaning and Commentary

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 disciples; they not only left their "nets", but their fishing boats, and fishing trade, and all that belonged to it, even all their substance; and also their relations, friends, and acquaintance, see ( Matthew 19:27 ) which shows what a mighty power went along with the words and call of Christ; and what a ready, cheerful, and voluntary subjection this produces, wherever it takes place.

Matthew 4:20 In-Context

18 Now [as he] was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew, throwing a casting net into the sea (for they were fishermen).

19 And he said to them, "{Follow me} and I will make you fishers of people."

20 And immediately they left their nets [and] followed him.

21 And going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the [son] of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them.

22 And immediately they left the boat and their father [and] followed him.

Footnotes

• [a] *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("left") has been translated as a finite verb