Luke 5

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,

And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

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.

Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

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.

And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

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.

When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

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

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.

And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

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.

And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

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.

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.

And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

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.

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.

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.

And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?

But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?

Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?

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.

And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.

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.

And he left all, rose up, and followed him.

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.

But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?

And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

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?

And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?

But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

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.

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.

But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.

No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

What does Luke 5:26 mean?

Explanation

Luke 5:26 describes the reaction of the crowd to a miraculous healing performed by Jesus.

In the preceding verses, Jesus heals a paralyzed man, whose friends had brought him and let him down through the roof into the house where Jesus was teaching.

After seeing the man stand up and walk at Jesus' command, the witnesses are filled with astonishment and reverence for God.

The phrase "strange things" can be understood as extraordinary or unusual events that surpass human ability or common experience, pointing to the miraculous nature of Jesus' healing power.

Their response encapsulates a mixture of emotions: amazement, glorification of God, and a reverential fear or awe at witnessing such a supernatural event.

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

At the time Luke 5:26 was written, Jesus was engaged in his public ministry, traveling around Galilee, preaching in synagogues, and performing miracles.

The social and religious context was that of a Jewish society under Roman occupation, which was expectant of a Messiah, a savior figure prophesied in the Hebrew Scriptures.

Jesus' miracles were signs that not only validated His message but also identified Him as this expected Messiah.

The healing of the paralytic in Capernaum, where this event took place, is a testament to Jesus' divine authority, both to forgive sins and to heal.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse can be seen from several perspectives.

The amazement and glorification of God indicate that the people recognized the act as divine.

The fear they felt was a common reaction in the Bible to encounters with the divine or holy, reflecting an understanding of God's overwhelming power and holiness.

From a Christological viewpoint, this episode underlines the Christian doctrine that Jesus has divine authority and that His miracles are signs of the in-breaking of God's Kingdom.

Additionally, the communal response to the miracle can be contrasted with individual faith, highlighting the corporate dimension of faith experiences.

Practical Applications

The response of the crowd in Luke 5:26 can serve as a model for believers today in several ways. It calls for a recognition of the presence of God in the extraordinary occurrences in life and responding with praise and godly fear.

The verse also invites contemporary Christians to reflect on how they perceive and react to God's work in the world, and to remain open to the miraculous.

The acknowledgment of God's power to do "strange things" encourages the faithful to trust in God's possibilities beyond human understanding or limitations.

Cross-References

Mark 2:12: "And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion."
Matthew 9:8: "But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men."
Acts 4:21: "So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done."

Language Study

The key words in the original Greek text of Luke 5:26 include:

"εθαυμασαν" (ethaumasan) translated as "they were all amazed", with "θαυμαζω" (thaumazō) meaning "to wonder" or "to be amazed".
"εδοξαζον" (edoxazon) translated as "glorified", derived from "δοξαζω" (doxazō), which means "to honor or glorify".
"επλησθησαν φοβου" (eplēsthēsan phobou) translated as "were filled with fear", with "φοβος" (phobos) commonly meaning "fear" or "reverential awe".

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparison to other ancient myths and religious traditions, miraculous healings are not unique to the Christian narrative.

Various cultures have stories of gods or demigods performing extraordinary acts of healing.

What differentiates the accounts of Jesus' miracles from some mythological stories is the historical contexts and purposes; Jesus' miracles are signs of the coming of God’s Kingdom and are performed for the sake of faith and compassion rather than solely a display of power.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific perspective, reports of miraculous healing such as in Luke 5:26 are often met with skepticism, as they do not conform to the natural laws as currently understood by science.

However, the effects of belief and faith on physical health, referred to as the "placebo effect", are well-documented in medical literature.

While not suggesting that the miracle in Luke was a placebo, the interaction between faith, belief, and health is an area of continued study in the field of psychosomatic medicine.

Commentaries

Commentaries on Luke 5:26 often focus on the linkage between forgiveness of sins and physical healing as demonstrated in the preceding verses, highlighting Jesus' authority in both the spiritual and physical realms.

They also discuss the public's reaction to Jesus' miracles as an aspect of his ministry that drew crowds and stirred up various responses from awe to opposition.

Many scholars emphasize that the crowd's glorification of God shows the correct response to Jesus' works, directing honor towards the Father and acknowledging His work through the Son.

Experts also regard the fear mentioned as a natural reaction to an encounter with divine power, which sets apart Jesus' healings from those of other healers of the time.

Luke 5

Luke 5

What does Luke 5:26 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 5:26 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?