Ichthyology

I was compiling Stephen Manley’s newest commentary on Matthew 3-4 when I came across these couple paragraphs from one of the chapters. What were you made for? Would you consider the idea that you were made to fish?

Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” – Matthew 4:19

Ichthyology is the branch of zoology that deals with the study of fish. From our passage [Matthew 4:18-22] we derive that the focus of the call is “I will make you fishers of men.” The focus is not on success; it is not about materialism. He does not propose the establishment of educational facilitates which will present a philosophy of successful living. He is not suggesting a successful career in the ministry. The establishment of a prestigious church denomination is not the goal. They are to fish for men.

If you accept this statement, the ultimate goal of the formation Jesus wants to accomplish in your life is to make you an evangelist. The ultimate purpose of His death is not to get you to heaven, but to enable you to win souls. His resurrection was not so you can live comfortably in mansions in the sky; it is that you might rescue people. He did not come to bring peace but to wage war for the purpose of snatching the prisoners of war from the hands of the enemy (Matthew 10:34). Jesus stated His purpose for coming when He said, “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

Written By: Stephen Manley – from his upcoming commentary on Matthew 3-4 (chapter entitled: “A Call to Formation”)