This article is a Bible study on Luke 5:1-11.

Source: The Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, 2012. 3 pages.

The Great Catch of Fish

Read Luke 5:1-11

By the time of this narrative, Christ had already performed the miracle at the wedding of Cana (John 2:1-11) as well as healed the nobleman’s son (John 4:4-54). Along with these two miracles, the one recorded in our passage was program­matic for the whole of Christ’s ministry: it would shed light on why Christ had come, what the disciples were called to do, and preeminently who this Christ was.

At the conclusion of Christ’s earthly ministry, He would perform a similar miracle (John 21:1-14), one that again involved a dramatic catch of fish. Clearly, Christ wanted to remind His disciples of the early miracle and the calling the disciples had after Christ’s resurrection to draw many into the net of the gospel in fulfillment of His promise.   

Christ’s Word🔗

Simon had already met Christ before in Beth-abara by Jordan, where John the Baptist had been baptizing (John 1:40-42). His brother Andrew had introduced him to Jesus. Some time must have passed; according to our passage, Jesus now finds Simon and Andrew fishing, and asks to use their boat to speak to the people (v. 3). This boat was now being used for the fishing of men through Christ’s teaching to the multitudes.

After He had finished speaking, He directed Simon to launch forth into the deep for a catch (“draught”) (v. 4). No doubt, Simon was an experienced fisherman. It was his liveli­hood to catch those fish with which God had filled the seas. This had been Simon’s trade, probably from early on. It’s noteworthy that Christ met him as he went about his daily vocation in order to make it training for greater usefulness.

In his transparent way, Simon responded by telling the Lord Jesus that it was basically useless: “Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing” (v. 5). But something in Simon made him add these words:

Neverthe­less, at thy word, I will let down the net.

This “nevertheless” is the work of the Spirit in the life of Simon. In this one sentence, we find the reality of the life of faith, namely, the struggle between our own wisdom (which is foolishness), and Christ, whom Scripture calls “the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:30). Sadly, how often believers call into question the Lord’s words, subtly at times, perhaps, or more brazenly. On the one hand, a disciple can be char­acterized as someone who obeys the word of Jesus – despite everything that he can see. Paul explains it like this:

We look not at the things that are seen, but at the things which are not seen.2 Cor. 4:18

 Nevertheless, believers do not always do this immediately. Often we take longer to do it than Simon does here.

How we need the Spirit to influence us to heed the word of Christ. This is especially true when it concerns going through situations that we could compare to “the deep” Simon is directed towards (v. 5). As we go through life, there are those deep places where we lose sight of the bottom, and we do not have quick recourse to safe ground when we feel we need it. The “deep” is a place where we cannot sit comfortably in our own strength, but where we need to be cast upon the Lord.

Thankfully, God uses His Word to bend our hearts to obey His will and drive away our unbelief. When that hap­pens, we do not regret it. After all, God’s Word is best, as Simon would soon find out.

Christ’s Glory🔗

Compelled by the power of Christ’s word, Simon had gone out into the deep and there his net, which the night before had come up empty, was now filled with fish to the point that it broke. How did all those fish make it into the net? Clearly, the powerful voice of the Lord had gathered together the fish. When Jesus had given direction, He had included an implicit promise: “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught” (v. 5). There was noth­ing uncertain about this “catch” Christ is speaking about.

When this truth sank into Simon, he sank down before Jesus (v. 8). The text explains: “He was astonished ... at the draught of fishes which they had taken” (v. 9). The glory of Christ overwhelmed Simon both spiritually and physi­cally. Just as the boat began to sink under the load of fish, you might say that “the boat” of Simon’s life began to sink under the manifestation of Christ’s glory. He was overcome by something he perhaps had known somewhere in his soul: This was God in his nature, veiled in flesh, dwelling with him, a sinner. Perhaps he thought of his unbelief just moments ago, and realized that Christ could have cast him away forever.

The text draws attention also to James and John, who were with Simon (v. 10). They experienced the same thing. And the list of names has been growing throughout history, with names of people like George Whitefield, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, and countless others. Can you add your name to this list? Have you become astonished at the glory of Christ? When the Spirit of God comes, He convinces of sin, specifically of unbelief (John 16:8-9).

It makes us ask:

How could I have even uttered a word against the glorious majesty of such a one that charges angels with folly?Job 4:18

It’s no wonder that Simon fell before Christ in humil­ity and adoration. All too often we do not see the glory of Christ as we should. What a mercy it is when God takes us into His school and teaches us the knowledge of ourselves by showing us Himself and His glory.

Christ’s Grace🔗

Prostrate before Christ, Simon could not help himself. He said, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man” (v. 8). He felt the infinite distance between himself and Christ. He could not see how this majestic One could coexist in the same boat with him, sinful as he was.

Simon’s statement was a prayer, and an understandable prayer; nevertheless, it was not the right prayer. Christ mer­cifully did not answer this prayer. Instead, He bestowed upon him grace in a number of ways.

First, He showed Simon grace by continuing with him. Instead of departing from him as Simon had suggested, Jesus stayed with Simon. He could do so because He had come to take Simon’s place in the judgment of God, and endured God’s word to Him instead of Simon: “Depart from me.” Already here Christ brought forth His grace from Calvary and applied it to Simon in his need.

Second, He showed him grace by comforting him. He said, “Fear not” (v. 8). Simon first had trusted his own wisdom excessively. Then he had despaired of mercy excessively. But Christ comforted Simon by settling him and steadying him in His grace.

Third, Jesus showed Simon grace by commissioning him. “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch man” (v. 10). Christ had prepared him through this experience to look away from his own wisdom and his own righteousness, and to lean on the word, glory, and grace of Christ instead. No doubt, there would be other occasions when Simon would again be overwhelmed by fear when fishing for men. After all, that is what the prophet Isaiah prophesied:

Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted to thee, and the Gentiles shall come unto thee.Isa. 60:5

Finally, Jesus showed him grace by captivating him. With the others, Simon “forsook all, and followed him” (v. 11). Christ had become so attractive to Simon through this expe­rience that he forsook all and followed Christ in a way he hadn’t thus far.

Conclusion🔗

Through this miracle, Christ revealed the power of His word, the glory of His Person, and the grace in His work. He is doing something special in the life of Simon to prepare him for the task of being an apostle. And this is essentially what He does when He draws any sinner to follow Him. He shows us our own unworthiness by the light of the worthi­ness of Christ. Calvin comments fittingly on this passage: “Thus Christ sinks his own people in the grave, that he may afterwards raise them to life.” Indeed, the life of a believer is one in which he dies more and more to his own wisdom and ability, and rises again through grace bestowed by this glorious Christ.

Questions🔗

  1. Give some instances in the Christian life that are like the deep into which Peter was called to launch out. How should Christ’s word help us in such places?
     
  2. Discuss the importance of the implied promise in verse 4 for how Peter should have reacted to Christ’s word. How should we use the many promises in Scripture?
     
  3. Discuss this statement and how it pertains to our pas­sage: “Christ either hears the prayers His people pray, or the ones they should pray.”
     
  4. There can be many ups and downs in the life of Christ’s disciples. Trace them out in our passage, and discuss what purpose Christ has in leading His people in this way.
     
  5. The disciples here literally forsook all. What sorts of things should Christ’s disciples forsake even when they do not literally forsake all?

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