What does Matthew 4:22 mean?

Matthew 4:22 KJV
And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

Matthew 4:22 NKJV
and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

Matthew 4:22 MKJV
and they immediately left the boat and their father and followed Him.

Matthew 4:22 KJV 2000
And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

Interlinear KJV

And /de/ they immediately /eutheos/ left /aphiemi/ the ship /ploion/ and /kai/ their /autos/ father, /pater/ and followed /akoloutheo/ him. /autos/

Albert Barnes’ Commentary

Verse 22. Left their father. This showed how willing they were to follow Jesus. They left their father. They showed us what we ought to do. If necessary, we should leave father, and mother, and every friend, Lu 14:26. If they will go with us, and be Christians, it is well; if not, yet they should not hinder us. We should be the followers of Jesus. And while, in doing it, we should treat our friends tenderly and kindly, yet we ought at all hazards to obey God, and do our duty to him. We may add, that many, very many children, since Sabbath schools have commenced, have been the means of their parents’ conversion. Many children have spoken to their parents, or read the Bible to them, or other books, and prayed for them, and God has blessed them and converted them. Every child in a Sunday school ought to be a Christian; and then should strive and pray that God would convert his parents, and make them Christians too.

We see here, too, what humble instruments God makes use of to convert men. He chose fishermen to convert the world. He chooses the foolish to confound the wise. And it shows that religion is true, and is the power of God, when he makes use of such instruments to change the hearts of men, and save their souls. See Barnes for 1Co 1:26 and following.