The Lord’s First Sojourn in Capernaum, after Settling There

In this stay, the evangelist Matthew and the evangelist Mark give first place to the calling by the Lord of certain four fishermen to follow Him. After this, the evangelist Matthew goes his own way in his accounts; to the evangelist Mark joins the evangelist Luke—after his account of the Lord’s visit to Nazareth, to which a different place is given—and both of them place in complete agreement one after another the following events: teaching in the synagogue of Capernaum with healing of a demoniac in it; the healing of Simon’s mother-in-law in his house; in the evening the healing of many; withdrawal to a lonely place and in the morning going out to preach through Galilee.

From these events, only the calling of the fishermen holds attention. Those called here to follow the Lord were already called by Him and accompanied Him to the first Passover and back. But upon returning to Capernaum, having free time, they took up their usual occupation—fishing. The Lord now calls them away from this occupation, intending soon to undertake a journey through Galilee with preaching. This event the evangelist Matthew and the evangelist Mark place first after the Lord’s taking up residence in Capernaum. And in the evangelist Luke as well the fishing and the reminder to the fishermen about their calling to fish for men are described. But although the fishermen are the same in his account, nevertheless the fishing and the address to the fishermen are surrounded by such details in his account as make it impossible to combine one narrative from his account and the accounts of the evangelists Matthew and Mark, as is evident to anyone who reads them one after another. Therefore, the fishing of the evangelist Luke and the word accompanying it to the fishermen must be considered another event, distinct from the similar present event in the evangelists Matthew and Mark—and be given another place. What that place is will be discussed somewhat below.

Let us also note that the account of the healing of Simon’s mother-in-law and in the evening many others of the evangelist Matthew is brought in here as completely similar to the accounts of the evangelists Mark and Luke, into one account.