Passing along beside the Sea of Galilee, Jesus finds and calls his first disciples. According to Mark 1:16-20, Peter, Andrew, James and John are fishing and mending nets. The four men are partners in fishing the coves around the seven springs known as Tabgha. The custom of the day was to pay for the rights to certain fishing spots.
Two rather amazing features of this story appear to be the leaving of kin to follow an itinerant rabbi and the fact that they immediately followed him. However, the Gospel of John (1:35-42) tells us of a prior meeting of Jesus and Simon and Andrew. The meeting took place on the other side of the sea in the presence of John the Baptizer. With this being the case, the "immediacy" of their response seems less radical. Rather Jesus has found them and declared that the time had come.
Jerusalem Center groups which visit the traditional site of the call of the first disciples can also experience their "recalling" by Jesus (John 21:1-17). Seven of his disciples have returned to their old vocation. At stake is the Jesus movement. Jesus forgives Peter and the others for their desertion and recalls them to fishing for men.
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