The Fishermen

Ambulans autem juxta mare Galilaeae vidit duos fratres, Simonem, qui vocatur Petrus, et Andream fratrem ejus, mittentes rete in mare, erant enim piscatores. Id est, incarnatus est Dominus in mari istius mundi: spiritales vidit piscatores, quos ante constitutionem mundi ad opus praedictionis aptos praescivit. Simon interpretatur obediens; Petrus, agnoscens; Andreas, virilis; et hoc bene ad doctorum personam convenit, quia hi solummodo ad opus magisterii habiles sunt, qui sapientiae lumine illustrantur ad cognoscendum, et bene poterantes Dei mandatis obediunt, et hoc aliis ad sciendum faciendumque viriliter suggerunt. Sanctus Beda, In Matthaei Evangelium Expositio, Lib I, Cap IV

'Walking by the sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting their nets into the sea, for they were fishermen'1 That is, The Lord, incarnated in the sea of this world, saw the spiritual fishermen who before the establishment of the world had been predestined to the work of preaching. Simon means obedience, Peter, knower, Andrew, manly; and this well becomes the persons of teachers, because those only are fit for the work of teaching who are lit with the light of wisdom for knowledge and who are well able to obey the commands of God, and who manfully declare in knowledge and deeds to others. Saint Bede, Commentary on Matthew, Book 1, Chapter 4 1 Mt 4.18