Luke 5:1-39
1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And 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 your nets for a draught.
5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
6 And when they had this 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 saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; 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 were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon,Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.
12 And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
13 And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying,I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.
14 And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
15 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.
16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
18 And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.
19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.
20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him,Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them,What reason ye in your hearts?
23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,)I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.
25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.
26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.
27 And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him,Follow me.
28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him.
29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.
30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
31 And Jesus answering said unto them,They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
33 And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?
34 And he said unto them,Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
35 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
36 And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.
37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.
Luke 5:3. He sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Here he used those beautiful parables, in Matthew 13.; but Matthew's gospel being extant, St. Luke does not repeat the parables in this place.
Luke 5:5. Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing. The obedience of Peter is the point which arrests attention, and in a case where success was improbable. How much he shames those christians who boast of faith and love to Christ, but lifting up the little finger, except in coïncidence with their own will, is a cross at which the lukewarm shrink, and lose the glory that follows implicit obedience.
Luke 5:10. Henceforth thou shalt catch men. The Lord spake this to Peter, while on his knees; but the words of Matthew, “I will make you fishers of men,” were spoken to James and John, as well as to Peter and Andrew. Peter had obeyed him as a prophet, in casting his net: now he followed him as the Messiah, the Son of God.
Luke 5:17. As he was teaching, in some large house whose door had opened to the Saviour, there were pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present to heal them. So far Luke enlarges on Matthew 9:1. Those doctors and religious men had come to see and to hear the new prophet. They saw the miracle on the paralytic and approved; but on hearing the voice of pardon, they affected to be horrified at the blasphemy. We find them afterwards asking for a sign, supposed by our divines to be a cloud of glory, like that which appeared in the desert. This cloud would no more have converted them than it did their fathers. The carnal mind cannot be converted. The Lord therefore promised them the sign of his resurrections; yea, the resurrection of the rejected stone, which should crush their nation to powder.
Luke 5:27. He saw a publican named Levi, or Matthew. He asked not for time and proof as we do, for he knew him. He knew that he had an ardour of soul commensurate to the glory of the work. He knew that he had a heart that would make every sacrifice, whether of gain or promotion, which the work of the Lord required. He knew that Matthew would act with decision, would resign his office, would make a friendly supper for his colleagues, and cast himself on the providence of God. And what did Matthew lose? Did not the Saviour give him in this world a hundredfold reward of evangelical glory, and in the world to come the first reward of life everlasting. Oh that we had more of Matthew's faith.
REFLECTIONS.
Lovely is the family of Christ in every view: sincere piety, godly simplicity, benevolence, and love, are its uniform characteristics. This family, as it was first formed near Jordan, merely on the ground of piety and brotherhood, was all simplicity and love. John 1:45. A good man could not be in their company without loving them, in defiance of public prejudice. In the course of a few months, these friends in the Lord met again; for things which seem accident and chance with men, are the ordinations of divine providence. Jesus, after his circuit through Galilee, visited the towns on its spacious lake; and being pressed by the multitudes, he stepped on board a fishing boat for the convenience of address, but he knew his own designs.
Christ pays good wages to those who make sacrifices, or who suffer for his name. He has promised them a hundredfold reward in this life; and this day in the draught of fish he gave St. Peter a pledge in hand, that he might trust for the future. Yes, and he gave it when Peter could scarcely believe in the taking of a single fish. Master, said he, we have toiled all night and taken nothing; nevertheless, at thy word, I will let down the net.
This miraculous draught of fish impressed St. Peter's mind with exalted ideas of the godhead of Christ. He saw his omniscience, as knowing the shoals which sport in the deep. He saw his omnipotence, as having the sovereignty of all creatures in his hand. He no longer regarded Jesus as a great prophet, or an Elijah, but as inhabiting the fulness of the godhead, for he gave not the fish in the name of the God of Abraham, but from his inherent sovereignty. Hence, from the presence of Christ, Peter made the transition to his own unworthiness and sins. Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, oh Lord. Before the casting of the net, it was, Master, we have toiled all night: now it is, depart from me, oh Lord. I am too mean to deserve the least notice of him who reigns in the worlds above, as in the deeps below. Thus grace conferred on gracious souls, humbles them at the Lord's feet. Jacob was overpowered with astonishment and awe, when JEHOVAH the Angel departed. Genesis 32:30. Isaiah also, when he saw the glory of the Messiah, said, I am a man of unclean lips: chap. 6. John 12:41. Hence, all who are called and commissioned of God to preach the gospel, should have exalted ideas of Him who sent them out into the world. This will abase them as sinful dust in his presence, and give an air of majesty to their ministry which mortals are unable to resist.
Ministers who engage with Christ must have an unlimited confidence in his providence and care. Peter and Andrew having received the promise, “I will make you fishers of men,” left all and followed him. So did James and John, who presently received a similar call. The supply of fish would be a most encouraging pledge of future mercies, and a happy token of the great success they should have in their Lord's work. Let ministers learn, so far as circumstances will admit, to give themselves wholly to the work, and the Lord will enlarge their sphere, and supply their lack. It is a consolation to them that they have not thrust themselves into the work. The inward call, long concealed by the bashful modesty of youth, in its more delicate and private appearance, received the sanction of the church; and ultimately, those who are authorized to judge, called them forth to the work. Let them therefore persevere under the blessing of God, and the good wishes of his people; and in the world to come they will be found to stand high in the divine favour, and receive the great reward.