The Hugh Catch Of Fish

“The Miracle of the Hugh Catch of Fish” LUKE 5:1-11 2/2/08

All 4 Gospels gives their account of Jesus’ calling His disciples. Some of them were fisherman by trade; we know that Matthew was a tax collector, and I’ve read that his brother James was also, they were both sons of Alphaeus.

In John 21:1-2 we’re told that 7 disciples went fishing and fished all night and caught nothing, that’s when the Lord called to them from the shore, ‘come and dine”. So at least 2 were tax collectors and at least 7 were fisherman, I don’t have any information on the other 3, Judas Iscariot was evidently good with books and mathematics since he was the Treasurer, but we don’t know that for a fact.

But be that as it may, some of the fishermen were mending nets while others were trying to catch a few fish when the Lord called them.

(Mark 1: 16-19 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

17And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. 18And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.

19And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.

But only Luke’s gospel records the miracle catch of fish, listen as I read today’s text found in

Luke 5:1-11 1And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, 2And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

3And 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.

4Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5And 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.

6And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. 7And 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.

8When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

9For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: 10And 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. 11And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

According to the gospels of Matthew and Mark the call of the disciples came after the miracles that Jesus did at Peter’s house in Capernaum. This is important to realize or we might have the impression that Jesus just happened to be by the Sea of Galilee ~~(Luke calls it Lake Gennesaret, Galilee is also called Tiberius.] ~~ All 3 names are the same body of water and It is six hundred eighty-five feet below sea level, about seven miles wide, and twelve miles long. In Christ’s day, it was abundant with fish. ~~

Most likely all of these men had been witnesses of the miracles that Jesus did in Jerusalem before returning to Galilee. They no doubt had been in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Jesus, because He is God already knew all about these men before He called them to be His disciples. It was going to be a rigorous life that Jesus’ was inviting these four fishermen to enter into.

Well what we have here in our text in LK.5: is what was taking place on the boats and on the shore where this great crowd was.

Simon had been washing and mending his nets, while at the same time kelp one ear listening to what Jesus was teaching, After all he had other responsibilities and duties to perform. He had to fish to make a living for his family; Jesus had not called them as yet, but was shortly going to.

~~ Let me say here that Jesus’ call for Simon to launch out into deeper water is an analogy of what He wants to do in Simon’s life. Jesus is going to take Simon Peter to a deeper, more personal commitment to Himself.~~