Bible Commentaries

The miraculous draught of fishes at the lake of Gennesaret, Luke 5:1-11. Christ heals a leper, Luke 5:12-14. His fame being published abroad, he withdraws to the desert, Luke 5:15, Luke 5:16. He heals a paralytic person, at which the scribes and Pharisees murmur, but the people glorify God, Luke 5:17-26. He calls the publican Levi, who makes a feast for Christ, to which he invites a great number of publicans and others, at which the scribes and Pharisees murmur, and our Lord vindicates his conduct, Luke 5:27-32. The question about fasting answered, Luke 5:33-35. The parable of the new piece of cloth put on the old garment, and the new wine in old bottles, Luke 5:36-39.

The people pressed upon him - There was a glorious prospect of a plentiful harvest, but how few of these blades came to full corn in the ear! To hear with diligence and affection is well; but a preacher of the Gospel may expect that, out of crowds of hearers, only a few, comparatively, will fully receive the truth, and hold out to the end.

To hear the word of God - Του λογον του Θεου, The doctrine of God, or, the heavenly doctrine.

The lake of Gennesaret - Called also the sea of Galilee, Matthew 4:18, and Mark 1:16; and the sea of Tiberias, John 6:1. It was, according to Josephus, forty furlongs in breadth, and one hundred and forty in length. No synagogue could have contained the multitudes who attended our Lord's ministry; and therefore he was obliged to preach in the open air. But this also some of the most eminent rabbins were in the habit of doing; though among some of their brethren it was not deemed reputable.

Two ships - Δυο πλοια, Two vessels, It is highly improper to term these ships. They appear to have been only such small boats as are used to manage nets on flat smooth beaches: one end of the net is attached to the shore; the fishermen row out, and drop the net as they go, making a kind of semicircle from the shore; they return, and bring the rope attached to the other end with them, and then the net is hauled on shore; and, as it was sunk with weights to the bottom, and floated with corks at the top, all the fish in that compass were included, and drawn to shore.

And taught - out of the ship - They pressed so much upon him on the land, through their eagerness to hear the doctrine of life, that he could not conveniently speak to them, and so was obliged to get into one of the boats; and, having pushed a little out from the land, he taught them. The smooth still water of the lake must have served excellently to convey the sounds to those who stood on the shore;

Simon - said - Master - ΕπιϚατα. This is the first place where this word occurs; it is used by none of the inspired penmen but Luke, and he applies it only to our blessed Lord. It properly signifies a prefect, or one who is set over certain affairs or persons: it is used also for an instructer, or teacher. Peter considered Christ, from what he had heard, as teacher of a Divine doctrine, and as having authority to command, etc. He seems to comprise both ideas in this appellation; he listened attentively to his teaching, and readily obeyed his orders. To hear attentively, and obey cheerfully, are duties we owe, not only to the sovereign Master of the world, but also to ourselves. No man ever took Jesus profitably for his teacher, who did not at the same time receive him as his Lord.

We have toiled all the night - They had cast the net several times in the course of the night, and drew it to shore without success, and were now greatly disheartened. I have seen several laborious draughts of this kind made without fruit. All labor must be fruitless where the blessing of God is not; but especially that of the ministry. It is the presence and influence of Christ, in a congregation, that cause souls to be gathered unto himself: without these, whatever the preacher's eloquence or abilities may be, all will be night, and fruitless labor.

At thy word I will let down the net - He who assumes the character of a fisher of men, under any authority that does not proceed from Christ, is sure to catch nothing; but he who labors by the order and under the direction of the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls, cannot labor in vain.

Their net brake - Or, began to break, διερῥηγνυτο, or, was likely to be broken. Had it broke, as our version states, they could have caught no fish. Grammarians give the following rule concerning words of this kind. Verba completiva inchoative intelligenda. Verbs which signify the accomplishment of a thing, are often to be understood as only signifying the beginning of that accomplishment. Raphelius gives some very pertinent examples of this out of Herodotus.

They beckoned unto their partners - Had not these been called in to assist, the net must have been broken, and all the fish lost. What a pity there should be such envious separation among the different sects that profess to believe in Christ Jesus! Did they help each other in the spirit of Christian fellowship, more souls would be brought to the knowledge of the truth. Some will rather leave souls to perish than admit of partners in the sacred work. It is an intolerable pride to think nothing well done but what we do ourselves; and a diabolic envy to be afraid lest others should be more successful than we are.

They - filled both the ships - Both the boats had as many as they could carry, and were so heavily laden that they were ready to sink. As one justly observes, "There are fish plenty to be taken, were there skillful hands to take, and vessels to contain them. Many are disputing about the size, capacity, and goodness of their nets and their vessels, while the fish are permitted to make their escape." Did the faithful fishers in both the vessels in these lands (the established Church, and the various branches of the dissenting interest) join heartily together, the nations might be converted to God; but, while the ridiculous disputes for and against particular forms last, there can be no unity. Were men as zealous to catch souls, as they are to support their particular creeds, and forms of worship, the state of Christianity would be more flourishing than it is at present. But the wall of separation is continually strengthened, each party fortifying it on his own side.

Depart from me; for I am a sinful man - Εξελθε απ' εμου, Go out from me, i.e. from my boat. Peter was fully convinced that this draught of fish was a miraculous one; and that God himself had particularly interfered in this matter, whose presence and power he reverenced in the person of Jesus. But as he felt himself a sinner, he was afraid the Divine purity of Christ could not possibly endure him; therefore he wished for a separation from that power, which he was afraid might break forth and consume him. It seems to have been a received maxim among the Jews, that whoever had seen a particular manifestation of God should speedily die. Hence Jacob seemed astonished that his life should have been preserved, when he had seen God face to face, Genesis 32:30. So the nobles of Israel saw God, and yet did eat and drink; for on them he had laid not his hand, i.e. to destroy them, though it appears to have been expected by them, in consequence of this discovery which he made of himself. See Exodus 24:10, Exodus 24:11 (note), and the notes there. This supposition of the Jews seems to have been founded on the authority of God himself, Exodus 33:20 : There shall no man see my Face and Live. So Moses, Deuteronomy 5:26 : Who is there of all flesh that hath heard the voice of the living God, speaking out of the midst of the fire as we have, and Lived? So Gideon expected to be immediately slain, because he had seen an angel of the Lord, and a miracle performed by him. See Judges 6:21-23. So likewise Manoah and his wife, Judges 13:22 : We shall surely Die, for we have Seen God. These different passages sufficiently show in what sense these words of Peter are to be understood.