The Call of the Apostles
16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.
19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit
21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.
With what power the Apostles preached
Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Comment at the Gospel of Saint John the Apostle, the 12th book, Cap. 1, in Church Fathers and Writers (2000), vol. 41, p. 1.178
For it was not the hand of the Holy Apostles or the preaching of these fishermen which began this spiritual fishing, but the power of the Savior. As He is the first who caught a fish as first fruits (we don`t understand one, but one means a few) Afterwards the disciples fish the crowd by His divine consent. Peter is the one who lifts the net which means that the toil of the Holy Apostles won`t be lacking of fruits. They brought these at the One who commanded them to catch the multitude of fish which is indicated by the number one hundred fifty three. Number one hundred means as it seems to me all the nations. For one hundred is a complete number, being composed of ten decades. That is why Jesus Christ in person says once in a parable that He has one hundred sheep (Matthew 18, 12) showing by this the complete number of the speaking creatures and in another place He says that the good earth will bring a hundredfold fruit (Matthew 13,8) indicating by this the perfect fruit of the pious soul. Number fifty added to it indicates the remainder chosen by grace of those from Israel. As fifty is half of a hundred and is not complete. And by three it is made reference to the Holy and consubstantial Trinity as to the glory and praise of the bondless Holy Trinity is consecrated the life of the ones fished by faith; because God is in all those who believe in Him, keeping close by sanctifying the ones who were won by evangelical preaching. After the net was taken out our Lord said again to his Holy disciples: Come and eat, teaching them by this that after toil and sweat for those called and saved, they shall rest, they shall sit again with Him according to the word of the Savior and they shall be with Him forever delighting themselves with the inexpressible spiritual sweetness for it is divine and beyond our mind. The Savior wants to show us that it shall be accomplished what it was told in the Psalms:
`You will eat the fruit of your labor (Psalm127, 2). They don`t take by their own the food but this is divided by Christ, to learn in this way that Christ in person as the Lord will give us His divine gifts and those things which are of use for us.
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