Luk 5:4-7 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 4. Launch (b) out . Go out with your vessels. Into the deep . Into the sea; at a distance from the shore. For a draught . A draught of fish; or let down your nets for the taking of fish. (b)

Luke 5:4-7

Verse 4. Launch (b) out. Go out with your vessels.

Into the deep. Into the sea; at a distance from the shore.

For a draught. A draught of fish; or let down your nets for the taking of fish.

(b) Jn 21:6 Verse 5. Master. This is the first time that the word here translated Master (c) occurs in the New Testament, and it is used only by Luke. The other evangelists call him Rabbi, or Lord. The word here used means a prefect, or one placed over others, and hence it comes to mean teacher or guide.

At thy word. At thy command. Though it seemed so improbable that they would take anything after having in vain toiled all night, yet he was willing to trust the word of Jesus and make the trial. This was a remarkable instance of faith. Peter, as it appears, knew little then of Jesus. He was not then a chosen apostle. Jesus came to these fishermen almost a stranger and unknown, and yet at his command Peter resolved to make another trial, and go once more out into the deep. Oh, if all would as readily obey him, all would be in like manner blessed. If sinners would thus obey him, they would find all his promises sure. He never disappoints. He asks only that we have confidence in him, and he will give to us every needful blessing.

(c) Ps 127:1,2, Eze 37:11,12 Verse 6. Their net brake. Or their net began, to break, or was about to break. This is all that is implied in the Greek word. If their nets had actually broken, as our English word seems to suppose, the fish would have escaped; but no more is meant than that there was such a multitude of fishes that their net was on the point of being rent asunder.

(d) "And when they" Eccl 11:6, Gal 6:9 Verse 7. They beckoned. They gave signs. Perhaps they were at a considerable distance, so that they could not be easily heard.

Their partners. James and John. See Lk 5:10. The following remarks of Dr. Thomson (The Land and the Book, vol. it. p. 80,81) will furnish a good illustration of this passage. After describing the mode of fishing with the "hand-net" and the "drag-net," he adds:

"Again, there is the bag-net and basket-net, of various

kinds, which are so constructed and worked as to enclose

the fish out in deep water. I have seen them of almost

every conceivable size and pattern. It was with some

one of this sort, I suppose, that Simon had toiled all

night without catching anything, but which, when let

down at the command of Jesus, enclosed so great a

multitude that the net brake, and they filled two

ships with the fish until they began to sink. Peter

here speaks of toiling all night; and there are

certain kinds of fishing always carried on at night.

It is a beautiful sight. With blazing torch the boat

glides over the flashing sea, and the men stand gazing

keenly into it until their prey is sighted, when,

quick as lightning, they fling their net or fly

their spear; and often you see the tired fishermen come

sullenly into harbour in the morning, having toiled

all night in vain. Indeed, every kind of fishing is

uncertain. A dozen times the angler jerks out a

naked hook; the hand-net closes down on nothing; the

drag-net brings in only weeds; the bag comes up empty.

And then again, every throw is successful--every net is

full; and frequently without any other apparent reason

than that of throwing it on the right side of the

ship instead of the left, as it happened to the

disciples here at Tiberias."

(e) Ex 23:5, Gal 6:2, Prov 18:24