Luke 5:1 - Meaning and Application

This event happened before the two miracles at the end of the previous chapter. It is the same calling of Peter and Andrew that Matthew and Mark record more briefly, when Jesus called them to be fishers of people (Matthew 4:18, Mark 1:16). Those writers did not include this miraculous catch of fish, because they were focused on the call itself. Luke includes it as one of the many signs Jesus did before his disciples, signs that had not been written down earlier (John 20:30-31).

Notice first the large crowds that gathered around Jesus as he preached. The people pressed close to hear the word of God (Luke 5:1), so much that no house could hold them. He had to move out to the shore, and this matched the promise that Abraham’s offspring would be as many as the sand by the sea (Genesis 22:17), though only a remnant would be saved (Romans 9:27). They crowded around him. They showed respect for his teaching, even if they were rough toward his person, and that is easy to understand because they were pressing in so tightly.

Some might think it dishonored Jesus that ordinary people praised him while none of the rulers or Pharisees believed in him. But Jesus did not count it a shame. Their souls were just as precious as the souls of the great and powerful, and his aim was to bring many sons to God, not only the mighty. It had been foretold that the peoples would gather to him. Jesus was a popular preacher, and even though he could debate with the teachers when he was twelve, he chose at thirty to preach in a way common people could understand.

See how much the people valued good preaching, even with every outward disadvantage. They pressed to hear the word of God because they could sense that it truly was God’s word, marked by divine power and proof. That is why they were eager to hear it.

Now notice the poor setting Jesus had for preaching. He stood by the lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1), level with the crowd, so he could hardly be seen or heard. People pressed all around him, and he was in danger of being crowded into the water. There were two boats drawn up on shore, one belonging to Simon Peter and Andrew, the other to Zebedee and his sons (Luke 5:2). Matthew had earlier shown Jesus seeing Peter and Andrew while they were fishing at a distance (Matthew 4:18), but here he waited until they had come ashore and the fishermen had gone out after washing their nets. Then Jesus entered Simon’s boat and asked him to push out a little from land so he could use it as a pulpit.

He could have commanded Peter, but in kindness he asked him instead. He wanted to be heard, though pulling out a little from shore would make him less easy to hear. Yet Jesus was willing to do that so he could be seen more clearly, for when he is lifted up, he draws people to himself. Wisdom cries out in high places (Proverbs 8:2). This also suggests that Jesus had a strong voice, strong enough even to call the dead, and that he did not seek ease for himself. There he sat down and taught the people the good knowledge of the Lord.

This led to a more intimate acquaintance between Jesus and these fishermen. They had already spoken with him before, starting around John’s baptism (John 1:40-41), and they were with him in Cana of Galilee (John 2:2) and in Judea (John 4:3). But they had not yet been called to stay with him constantly. Here we come to their formal calling into closer fellowship with Christ.

When Jesus finished preaching, he told Peter to go back to his work: “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets” (Luke 5:4). It was not the Sabbath, so once the teaching was over, he set them back to their labor. Time spent in public worship on weekdays may take little time from us, yet it can greatly improve our hearts for our work. How cheerfully we can go to our calling after being on the mount with God, bringing a double blessing back into daily labor, and having our work made holy by the word and prayer. It is wise and right to order our worship so it helps our work, and to order our work so it does not fight against our worship.

Peter had listened to Christ’s preaching, and now Christ would go with him in his fishing. Peter stayed with Jesus at the shore, and now Jesus would go with him into the deep water. Those who keep close to Christ will always find him a steady guide.

Jesus told Peter and the others to cast their nets into the sea, and they obeyed, though they had worked hard all night and caught nothing (Luke 5:4-5). Their work had been painful and disappointing. “Master,” they were saying in effect, “we have labored all night when we should have been in bed, and we have caught nothing.” One might think that would excuse them from hearing the sermon, but they loved the word of God so much that it was more refreshing to them than sleep after a tiring night.

There are some callings that are far more exhausting and dangerous than others, yet God has arranged things for the good of all that no useful calling is so hard that no one can do it. Those who make good money with little effort should remember those who toil through the night, like Jacob when he kept Laban’s sheep. Also, no matter how hard a calling is, it is good to see people diligent in it and doing the best they can. Christ singled out these hardworking fishermen as his favorites. They were already fit to be good soldiers of Jesus Christ because they had learned to endure hardship.

Even the most diligent workers often face disappointment. These men had toiled all night and caught nothing, for the race is not always to the swift. God wants us to work faithfully because he commands it and to depend on his goodness, not on a promise of worldly success. We must do our duty, and then leave the outcome with God.

When we are weary from worldly work and disappointed in worldly affairs, we are welcome to come to Christ and lay our case before him. He will take notice of it. The disciples show how ready obedience can be when Christ gives a command: “At your word, I will let down the net.”

Even after working all night, they were willing to try again because Christ told them to. Those who wait on him will renew their strength, and with each new task he gives, he gives fresh grace to carry it out. Even if we have labored long and seen no success, we must not suddenly give up our calling because things have not gone as we hoped.

This is especially true of gospel ministers, who must keep letting down the net even if they have caught nothing for a long time. It is a worthy thing to keep working without growing tired, even when we do not see results. They were guided by Christ’s word and trusted it. We are most likely to do well when we follow the direction of his word.

The catch of fish was far beyond anything known before, and it was clearly a miracle (Luke 5:6). They caught such a great number that their net began to break, and yet they did not lose the catch. It was so large that they had to signal their partners, who were some distance away, to come help them (Luke 5:7). The greatest proof of how huge the catch was is that both boats were filled with fish until they were overloaded and began to sink. So many rich estates have risen suddenly and then fallen back again.

By this great catch, Christ showed his rule over the sea as well as the land, over its riches as well as its waves. He showed that he is the Son of Man under whose feet all things are placed, especially the fish of the sea and whatever moves through the paths of the sea (Psalm 8:8). He also confirmed the truth he had just preached from Peter’s boat. The people on shore, who had heard the sermon, likely stayed nearby to see what he would do next. This miracle would strengthen their faith that he was at least a teacher sent from God.

Christ also meant to repay Peter for lending him his boat. The gospel of Christ, like the ark in Obed-edom’s house, always brings rich reward for kind service. No one will give a place or service to God’s work for nothing (Malachi 1:10). Christ’s rewards for service done in his name are more than generous.

He also gave his future messengers a picture of how their mission would go. They might labor for a time in one place and catch nothing, yet they would still be used to bring many to Christ and gather many into the gospel net.

The effect of this miracle on Peter was especially striking. Everyone present was amazed, and their amazement grew as they thought more about what had happened. All the men in the boat were astonished at the catch they had taken (Luke 5:9). James and John, the sons of Zebedee and Simon Peter’s partners, were also greatly moved by it (Luke 5:10). For all that appears, they had not known Christ as well before this as Peter and Andrew had.

They were affected so deeply because they understood the miracle better than others did. These men knew the sea well, and likely had worked on it for many years. They had never seen anything like this catch, not even close. That made it harder for them to dismiss it as chance. This strongly supports the truth of Christ’s miracles, because those most familiar with them admired them the most. They were also personally benefited by it, since Peter and his partners gained from the great catch. Their joy helped strengthen their faith. When Christ’s works of power become works of grace to us personally, they especially confirm our trust in his teaching.

Peter, more than the others, was overwhelmed. He fell down at Jesus’ knees, while Jesus sat in the stern of the boat, and cried out in deep awe, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8). He did not mean that the weight of the fish would sink the boat because he was sinful. He felt unworthy of Christ’s presence in his boat and thought it ought to bring him fear rather than comfort.

Peter’s words came from the same kind of reverence seen in the Old Testament, when people trembled at displays of God’s glory and majesty. This was the language of humility and self-denial, not the language of the demons, who said, “What have we to do with you, Jesus, Son of God?” His confession was right: “I am a sinful man, Lord.” Even the best people are sinful, and they should be ready to admit it, especially to Jesus Christ. Who else should sinful people go to, if not the one who came to save sinners?

His conclusion was understandable, though not truly correct. If I am sinful, then I should say, “Come near to me, Lord,” or “Let me come near to you,” because otherwise I am lost forever. But when we remember how much reason sinful people have to fear the holy Lord God and dread his anger, Peter can be excused for crying out at once, “Depart from me.” Those whom Christ plans to bring into close fellowship with him, he first makes aware that they deserve to be kept at the greatest distance from him.

We should all admit that we are sinful people, and that Jesus Christ would be right to leave us. Yet that should move us to fall at his feet and ask him not to leave. Woe to us if he departs from us, for if the Savior leaves the sinner, we have no help.

Christ also used this moment to hint to Peter, and soon after to James and John, that he would make them his apostles and use them to spread his religion in the world. He said to Simon, who was the most amazed of the group at this huge catch of fish, that he would see and do greater things than these. He told him not to fear, and not to think that this one honor meant Christ would do no more for him. From then on, Peter would catch men by drawing them into the gospel net. That would be a greater display of the Redeemer’s power and favor than the fish were, and far more wonderful and far more useful. When Peter later preached and three thousand people were added to the church in one day, that became a full picture of this great catch of fish.

Finally, the fishermen gave up their trade so they could stay with Christ all the time. When they brought their boats to shore, they did not go off to sell their fish and make the most of the miracle. Instead, they left everything and followed him, because they cared more about serving Christ than about their own gain. It is worth noticing that they gave up all to follow Christ when their work was doing better than ever before. When wealth increases and we feel the strongest pull to set our hearts on it, then to leave it for Christ’s service is truly praiseworthy.