As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him. (Mt 4:18-22)
As the reading suggests, Jesus was just walking on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. He had no intention of meeting them or he was not going with a plan to invite them. He saw tow brothers casting a net and he invited them to follow him. They too responded immediately and followed him. Did they have a fore knowledge of Jesus? How could they follow Jesus (a passerby) leaving everything?.
Jesus walked a little further and found two other brothers and he welcomed them to follow him and they too left everything, including their father and followed him. The first group left their job, their livelihood and followed him. The second group of brothers not only left their livelihood but also their relations (father). Could be that the second group was younger than the first because their father was still alive and working.
Following here meant immediate, spontaneous, leaving everything. It is following a person and not a principle or a dogma or a system or a structure. Hence there are no rules for following. No criteria to be followed in calling and choosing. There are no expectations and demands. Following is just walking behind a person (leader).
