Luke 5:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken,

NIV: For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,

NASB: For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken;

CSB: For he and all those with him were amazed at the catch of fish they had taken,

NLT: For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him.

KJV: For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:

NKJV: For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken;

In return for the use of his boat and as an introduction to a lifelong mission, Jesus has allowed Peter and Andrew (Mark 1:16) to catch an enormous haul of fish. The overloaded nets threaten to break, and both their boat and James and John's are at risk of sinking (Luke 1:1–7). This is how Jesus works: turning scarcity into abundance beyond anyone's wildest expectations.

When Jesus performs a miracle, people are as impressed with the quality of the results as the fact of the results. When He turned water into wine at the wedding at Cana, the steward praised the taste (John 2:9–10). After Jesus healed a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, the bystanders proclaimed, "He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak" (Mark 7:37).

The four fishermen are soon to learn Jesus' greatest miracle is what He can do in human lives. Later, Paul will tell the Ephesians God can do "far more abundantly than all that we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20). That includes building a worldwide church: a body of brothers and sisters from every nation and tribe (Revelation 7:9). Jesus doesn't just invite the fishermen into this work (Luke 5:10). He also so changes them personally that religious leaders become confused as to how uneducated tradesmen could express such profound theological arguments (Acts 4:13).

Those in the church these men build continue to experience God's extravagant blessings. When speaking of eternity, Paul quotes Isaiah 64:4: "But, as it is written, 'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him'" (1 Corinthians 2:9). The fish are just the beginning.

Luke 5:1–11 records Jesus' first call to specific disciples and the importance of humility for His followers. Andrew and Peter met Jesus before (John 1:35–42) and likely know of Jesus' power and authority (Luke 4:31–44). When Jesus uses that power to directly bless the fishermen, Peter humbly acknowledges his unworthiness. Peter, Andrew, James, and John leave everything to follow Jesus. Luke continues by showing the importance of cleanness, forgiveness in response to faith, and repentance. Matthew 4:18–22 and Mark 1:16–20 also record Jesus' call to the four fishermen but not the fishing; John 21 provides a parallel scene after Jesus' resurrection.

Luke 5 continues Jesus' Galilean Ministry (Luke 4:14—9:50). The passage alternates calls to discipleship with miracles and teachings which demonstrate what discipleship entails. Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, and their business partners, James and John, to follow Him and make more disciples. Then Jesus makes a man with leprosy ceremonially clean. He forgives the sins of a paralytic. After He calls Levi to follow Him, Jesus celebrates instead of fasting. This draws critical questions from the crowd. The religious leaders consider Jesus' actions blasphemous. His message of forgiveness, faith, and repentance cannot be contained by their tradition.

Jesus has already proved He can expel demons, heal ailments, and reveal the kingdom of God (Luke 4:31–44). In this chapter, He begins to separate His followers from His detractors. This begins with calling the first five disciples and emphasizing faith and repentance over religious tradition. He will drive home the point by treating the Sabbath as a blessing rather than a burden (Luke 6:1–11). After formally inviting the Twelve to follow Him, Jesus will explain to a crowd what discipleship looks like and invite them to build their lives on Him (Luke 6:12–49). In chapter 7, Jesus champions Gentiles and the marginalized.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.