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 5:8 mean?

Explanation

This verse occurs immediately after Jesus performed the miracle of the large catch of fish on Lake Gennesaret, also known as the Sea of Galilee.

Simon Peter, a fisherman by trade, had been fishing all night without success.

Jesus, after using Simon's boat as a platform for teaching the multitudes, instructs him to let down his nets for a catch.

When Simon obeys, he and his fellow fishermen haul in such a large catch that their nets begin to break.

Peter's response is one not merely of astonishment but of profound personal realization of his own unworthiness in the presence of the divine.

The miracle serves as a stark contrast to his unsuccessful human efforts and brings about a confession of his sinful nature, as he recognizes Jesus' authority and holiness.

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Historical Context

This verse is found in the Gospel of Luke, which was written to convey the life and teachings of Jesus Christ to a predominantly Gentile (non-Jewish) audience, likely sometime around 80-110 AD.

The event happens early in Jesus' public ministry.

In the historical context, Peter and the other fishermen were likely experiencing the hardships of a peasant's life under Roman occupation, which included economic pressures.

Peter's response to the miracle reflects the Jewish concept of God's holiness and the idea that one who encounters the divine must be pure.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse underscores several key themes such as the recognition of Jesus' divine authority, human sinfulness, and the proper response to God's revelation.

In Peter's plea, "Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord," we see an echo of Isaiah's cry in Isaiah 6:5 when he saw the Lord.

It establishes a pattern where an encounter with the divine leads to a recognition of one's own sinfulness.

Additionally, it touches upon the theme of calling and vocation, as following this event, Jesus invites Peter to become a "fisher of men."

Practical Applications

In practical terms, this verse can be applied in daily life by reminding individuals to maintain humility, acknowledging personal shortcomings, and recognizing the need for divine grace.

It encourages self-reflection upon encountering the teachings of Jesus or witnessing acts that may be perceived as reflecting divine intervention.

Furthermore, it serves as an invitation to transformation, calling individuals to change their life path similar to how Peter's life changed following this event.

Cross-References

Isaiah 6:5: Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
Matthew 4:19: And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Language Study

In the original Greek, the key phrases include:

"fell down" (προσέπεσεν, prosepesen): which implies falling before someone in reverence;
"Depart from me" (ἔξελθε, exelthe): which can mean to go out or go away, indicating Peter's sense of unworthiness;
"for I am a sinful man" (ὅτι ἀνὴρ ἁμαρτωλός εἰμὶ, hoti anēr hamartōlos eimi): here, "ἁμαρτωλός" (hamartōlos) is a common term for "sinful," denoting someone who is an offender or missing the mark from a moral standpoint.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

This expression of unworthiness before the divine presence is not unique to Christianity.

In many ancient cultures and religions, there is a motif of a mortal feeling overwhelmed and sinful in the presence of deity or the divine.

For example, in some Ancient Near Eastern texts, individuals may express feelings of inadequacy or fear when approached by the divine or when entering sacred spaces.

Scientific Perspectives

The event that triggers Simon Peter's response is a miraculous catch of fish.

From a scientific perspective, there are no natural explanations for such a sudden and abundant catch after a fruitless night, especially given that Peter and his companions were experienced fishermen familiar with the lake.

The account pivots more on theological significance rather than on empirical evidence, illustrating the biblical assertion of miracles as events that transcend natural laws and scientific explanation.

Commentaries

Commentaries on this verse often highlight Peter's immediate recognition of Jesus' authority, contrasting human limitation with divine power.

They may also focus on the theme of conversion and calling.

William Barclay notes the universality of realizing one's own unworthiness when confronted with the presence or even the idea of God.

This humility is a necessary step toward discipleship.

Other scholars point to this event as foundational for Peter's role among the disciples and as a leader in the early church.

They argue that the experience was transformative, helping to mold him for his future ministry, as described in the Acts of the Apostles and other New Testament writings.

Luke 5

Luke 5

What does Luke 5:8 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 5:8 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?