Destruction & Defeat
The Calling of Peter & Andrew by Jacopo Bassano, 1545
“But man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” - Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea
—
Why did Jesus call fishermen as His first apostles?
There was something about their experience at sea that prepared them for apostolic mission like nothing else on earth.
Their time at sea likely forced them to cultivate a unique measure of resilience and inner strength amidst immense hardship.
The tempests they had undoubtedly experienced while fishing affected their livelihoods.
If they didn’t successfully fish, they didn’t eat.
There’s no doubt that Peter, Andrew, James, and John were “salty” guys.
—
In Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, that quote (above) comes from Santiago - the protagonist - during his grueling struggle with a giant marlin.
Throughout the story, he showcases an unbreakable spirit.
One of the points of the text is that physical ruin or death (destruction) does not equate to spiritual or internal surrender (defeat).
—
So why did Jesus call fishermen as his first apostles?
He needed men who knew how to suffer. Not abstractly, but experientially.
He needed men who had had a taste of how destructive the winds and the waves could be on a man, but who kept coming back to contend with its unpredictability day in and day out.
He needed men with the capacity for great courage amidst fierce tribulation.
He needed men who knew how to be destroyed but not defeated.
If, in only a few years time, He was to promise that they would have tribulation in this world (John 16:33), He needed men who knew how not to be defeated in the midst of temporal destruction.
I think that’s one of the reasons why He called fishermen.
And it’s part of the nature of the adventure He has in store for us in our friendship with Him.
If we are to enjoy the heights of His glory, we must learn radical surrender and trust in the depths of personal trials and tribulations.
For growth and glory proper to the Kingdom is only possible through fiercely contending with the world, sin, and its destructive attempts to claim our hearts.
Stay salty.
Onward and upward,
Ted
A Book Worth Reading
Need a spiritual “drill instructor” to kick-start your 2026? Look no further than Josemaria Escriva’s The Way, Furrow, The Forge.
It’s a pungent starting-point for prayer and for finding Christ in all life’ s experiences. This volume contains 3,054 short points - a few sentences each - for personal reflection and mental prayer.
If you’ve enjoyed these reflections, please consider a paid membership or buy me a coffee.
If now isn’t the right time, I’d be grateful if you shared Into Deep Water with a friend.
