If I Could Ask One Question of Zebedee, I would ask “What Were You Thinking When Your Sons Walked Away From You That Day on the Beach?”

“Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee. He saw two brothers. They were Simon (his other name was Peter) and Andrew, his brother. They were putting a net into the sea for they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Follow Me. I will make you fish for men!” At once they left their nets and followed Him. Going from there, Jesus saw two other brothers. They were James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were sitting in a boat with their father, mending their nets. Jesus called them.  At once they left the boat and their father and followed Jesus.” Matthew 4:18-22

When Jesus calls his first disciples, or even his other disciples, there usually is very little information about their circumstances in their lives when Jesus called them. In other words, Peter and Andrew were tossing their nets into the sea when Jesus called them. What kind of boat were they in and were there others with them? Did they go home and tell their families before leaving with Jesus? Did they have questions for Jesus before they decided to follow? And then there are James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Again, we know they were in the boat, mending their nets. Fishing was a difficult task, and their nets really took a beating. When Jesus called James and John, they were with their father, in the boat, and the text suggests to us that they dropped everything, and just left. Did their father Zebedee call out to them – try to convince them to stay and finish their tasks – tell them to go home and say goodbye to their mother?

I think the calling of the disciples is one of the most enigmatic events of the early ministry of Jesus. What was it about Jesus that could convince people to just leave everything they were doing and follow a new course in life?

But the silence in the scriptures is often the loudest voice we must consider. Zebedee said nothing. Really? James and John said nothing. Really? If I could ask Zebedee one question, I would ask him what he was thinking as he watched his sons leave the boat and follow Jesus.

That is the question I would ask Zebedee. What would you ask Zebedee?

Pastor Dave