Christian Religious Studies Paper 2 WASSCE (PC), 2017

Question 5

 

THE CALL OF THE FIRST FOUR DISCIPLES (MARK 1: 16-20; 2:13-17; LUKE 5: 1-11; MATTHEW 4:18 - 25)

 

Observation

 

This was a popular question as many candidates were attracted to it and they performed greatly in both the A and B Part. They gave the relevant points to the demands of the question. However, In Part A, the challenges most candidates encountered was that they ended up mixing up the narratives of all the synoptic gospels together. Points expected by candidates are highlighted below.

  1. The story of the call varies slightly from each gospel. According to Luke, Jesus prayed throughout the previous night for divine guidance before choosing the disciples.
  2. Furthermore, the disciples had different professions – fishermen, tax collectors, politicians etc.
  3. According to Mark, shortly after Jesus’ temptation, He passed beside the Sea of Galilee where He saw Simon Peter and his brother Andrew fishing, because they were fishermen.
  4. Jesus commanded them “follow me and I will make you fishers of men”.
  5. Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.
  6. Moving a little farther, He saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother who were in their boat mending their nets.
  7. He called them and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and followed Him.
  8. According to Luke, Jesus saw Simon and Andrew by the lake of Gennesaret. He got into Simon‘s boat and asked him to put out a little from the land.
  9. After teaching from the boat for a while, Jesus asked Simon to put out into the deep and let down their nets for a catch.
  10. Simon lamented that they had toiled all night without a catch, but because of His words he would cast the net.
  11. They had a great catch and the boat began to sink.

xii.       They asked their partners to come and help them.
xiii.      Peter confessed that he was a sinner and Jesus must depart from him.
xiv.      Jesus hushed their fears and told them they will be catching men.
xv.       James and John who were amazed by the miraculous catch of fish followed Jesus.