1 While the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret.
Continuing the events from the end of chapter four we can assume that Jesus is still in Capernaum, the mainly Jewish fishing town on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. His preaching and miracles at this early point of his ministry has attracted large crowds following him from place to place. Gennesaret is simply another name for the Sea of Galilee, it was also known as the Sea of Tiberias, depending on who you ask.
There are so many people that despite Jesus being in a rather open place, they are pressed up against him in order to “hear the word of God.” We should not take this phrasing lightly, the crowds are not pressing against him for healing or wisdom seeking although that is an extension of God’s word. Luke articulates their focus as being when they hear Jesus, they hear the word of God. This is profound and acts as a hint toward Jesus’ divine identity, Jesus is not reading the scriptures to them, he is teaching his own wisdom, not that it is in opposition to the scriptures that is.
2 And he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.
3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
Almost like he is looking for escape route, Jesus looks around to find two boats by the lake that are left empty of the fishermen who are performing maintenance on their equipment. Jesus wants to take his attention from the crowds and give it to a particular person, that person being Simon Peter. Considering his future role Jesus wants to extend a hand to him specifically out of the crowds pressing up against him though he doesn’t do it immediately.
He gets into Simons boat, asking him to push them a little way out from the land so he could, for the moment, continue teaching the crowds. The human voice travels quite well over the water and as you approach the land it naturally rises up so this creates an organic amphitheatre for Jesus’ preaching.
4 And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”
Jesus finishes his teachings to the crowds and turns his attention to Simon Peter specifically, telling him to them out to the deep abyss of the waters, they are to lower their nets because Jesus is going to direct them in catching fish. Simon Peter, a professional fisherman by life and trade in this verse refers to him as epistates translated in English as “master”, literally a common form of “overseer” and tells him they fished all night and caught nothing but because of Jesus’ word, he will let down the nets. We’re making note of what Peter calls Jesus’ here for a reason, the terminology changes after the miracle.
6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking,
7 they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.
After following Jesus’ instruction they let down their nets from their boats into the deep sea and suddenly, by miraculous intervention, they catch so many fish that their nets are breaking from the size of the catch. They call to their co-workers in order to help them and so many fish brought on board it cause the ships to begin to sink.
8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
Remember the term Simon Peter used toward Jesus? After ignoring his own perception and senses, trusting in the word of Jesus, hauling so many fish their boats began to sink, Simon Peter falls at Jesus feet, prostrating, as one does with a King or God and tells him “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O LORD.” At the power of Jesus is in this relatively simple miracle (compared to what Jesus will do later) Peter prostrates before Jesus, acknowledges his sins and called Jesus “Kyrios” The Greek rendition of God’s name the Greek Old Testament. A divine admission and confession of faith.
9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken;
10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men.”
Peter is beyond shocked at how many fish were taken in, as were those with him along with the sons of Zebedee who were apart of their local fishing co-operation. Jesus says directly to Peter, “Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men.” This young fisherman is being personally called to task to be the leader of the Apostles in this scene, it appears to be Luke’s rendition of Peter’s call to leadership typically only thought to be in Matthew 16.
Jesus was teaching, he brings the crowds attention to Peter’s boat, then uses Peter to do the miracle before all, demonstrating in the process the limitations of the material vessel they use, if they want to catch bigger things like men, they will need a bigger vessel, Jesus’ body will provide the vessel, acknowledged as divine by Peter himself after witnessing the miracle directly engineered by Jesus to frame Peter as the leader.
11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
After all is done, they take their boats back to land, abandon everything and following their Lord.
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