Luke 5:1-11

Luke 5:1-11

[1] And  it came to pass,  that, as  the people  pressed upon  him  to hear  the word  of God,  he  by  the lake  of Gennesaret,  [2] And  two  ships  standing  by  the lake:  but  the fishermen  were gone  out of  them,  their nets.  [3] And  he entered  into  one  of the ships,  which  Simon's,  and prayed  him  that he would thrust out  a little  from  the land.  he sat down,  and taught  the people  out of  the ship.  [4] Now  when  he had left  speaking,  he said  unto  Simon,  Launch out  into  the deep,  and  let down  nets  for  a draught.  [5] And  Simon  answering  said  Master,  we have toiled  all  the night,  and have taken  nothing:  nevertheless  at  word  I will let down  the net.  [6] And  done,  they inclosed  a great  multitude  of fishes:  and  their  net  brake.  [7] And  they beckoned  unto their partners,  which  were in  the other  ship,  that they should come  and help  them.  And  they came,  and  filled  both  the ships,  so  that they  began to sink.  [8] When  Simon  Peter  it, he fell down at  Jesus'  knees,  saying,  Depart  from  for  I am  a sinful  man,  O Lord.  [9] For  he  was astonished,  and  all  that were  with him,  at  the draught  of the fishes  which  they had taken:  [10] And  so  was also  James,  and  John,  the sons  of Zebedee,  which  partners  with Simon.  And  Jesus  said  unto  Simon,  Fear  not;  from  henceforth  catch  men.  [11] And  when they had brought  their ships  to  land,  they forsook  and followed  him. 

What does Luke 5:1-11 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Luke"s account of this incident is the longest of the three. Luke stressed Peter and omitted any reference to Andrew, his brother ( Matthew 4:18; Mark 1:16). He characteristically focused on single individuals that Jesus" touched wherever possible to draw attention to Jesus. He also stressed the sovereignty and holiness of Jesus as well as these disciples" total abandonment of their possessions to follow Jesus. Jesus repeated the lesson of this incident after His resurrection ( John 21:1-14).
Luke placed this account in his Gospel after the Capernaum incidents rather than before them as Mark did ( Mark 1:14-28). He probably arranged his material this way to stress Jesus" sovereignty over people having established the general program of Jesus" ministry. [1] The emphasis on Jesus" sovereignty continues through chapter5. This was not the first time Jesus had talked with Peter and the other disciples mentioned. Andrew had told his brother Peter that he had found the Messiah (cf. John 1:41). However these disciples" thought of the Messiah as their contemporaries did. They expected a political deliverer who was less than God. Jesus had to teach them that He was God as well as Messiah. This lesson and its implications took all of Jesus" ministry to communicate.