NOTES for Mat 4:18-23
Reflecting on the calling of the apostles, it is worth considering this. Skeptics can say that there are "charismatic" personalities whose word is so authoritative that they literally hypnotize people, and this can explain why those ignorant fishermen followed Jesus. That is the whole explanation.
How should we answer this? What can we present? Let us recall a passage from the Gospel of John: "Then Jesus said to the twelve, 'Do you also want to go away?' Simon Peter answered Him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed and known that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God'" (John 6:67-69).
Many want to leave Him, and they do leave, because they do not accept what He tells them. Does this happen with "charismatic" figures? Was it so with Hitler or Stalin? On the contrary, they drew crowds of people to themselves. Christ offers even His closest disciples the chance to leave if they wish. And yet something holds them. What exactly? This is what matters: in Christianity nothing is built on emotions alone, otherwise this faith would have disappeared very quickly; it has an unshakable foundation, and this foundation is the Word.