1 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, 2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. 3 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. 4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5 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.
6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. 7 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. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: 10 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. 11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. (Luke 5:1-11 KJV )
Jesus Calls the First Disciples
This event happened earlier than the two miracles at the end of the previous chapter and is the same one briefly mentioned by Matthew and Mark regarding Jesus’ call of Peter and Andrew to be fishers of men (Matt. 4:18; Mark 1:16). Matthew and Mark didn’t mention the miraculous catch, focusing instead on the call itself, but Luke includes it as one of the many signs Jesus performed in the presence of his disciples (John 20:30-31).
Large crowds gathered to hear Jesus preach, pressing in to hear the word of God (Luke 5:1), so much so that no house could hold them, and he took them to the lake shore. Though the crowd was disorderly and mostly made up of common people rather than religious leaders, Jesus welcomed them. Their souls were just as precious, and he came to bring many to God. He spoke in a way that ordinary people could understand, and despite the lack of comfort or ideal setting, the people craved the truth and recognized the power that came with it.
Jesus had few conveniences for preaching. He stood by the lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1), crowded and nearly pushed into the water. There were two boats, one belonging to Simon, and the other to Zebedee and his sons (Luke 5:2). Jesus waited until the fishermen had come ashore and washed their nets, then entered Simon’s boat and asked him to push out a little from land. Though he could have commanded, he asked kindly. This raised him up visually for the crowd and served as a practical pulpit. Jesus then sat and taught the people.
These fishermen had met Jesus before—at John’s baptism (John 1:40-41), at Cana (John 2:2), and in Judea (John 4:3)—but now he called them into a closer relationship with him.
After he finished preaching, Jesus told Peter to return to work: “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets” (Luke 5:4). It wasn’t the Sabbath, so this encouragement to return to business after worship shows how time with God can strengthen us for daily tasks. Religious devotion supports our work, and work should never pull us away from God.
Peter obeyed, even though they had worked all night and caught nothing (Luke 5:4-5). He said, “Master, we have toiled all night and taken nothing.” Still, they had stayed for the teaching and were refreshed by it. Their night’s failure didn’t stop them from obeying Christ’s word.
Some jobs are harder than others, but God gives strength to those who labor. Those who succeed with ease should remember others who struggle. These hardworking fishermen were chosen by Christ because of their diligence and resilience. Their lack of success showed that effort doesn’t always guarantee results. God wants us to be faithful and leave the outcome to him.
Peter’s words, “Nevertheless, at your word, I will let down the net,” show remarkable trust. Even after a fruitless night, they hoped for success because Jesus said so. We shouldn’t give up on our callings just because results don’t come quickly. Ministers, especially, must keep casting the gospel net. Obedience to Christ’s word brings hope, even in weariness.
The result was miraculous (Luke 5:6): they caught so many fish that their net began to break. They signaled their partners to help (Luke 5:7), and both boats were filled until they began to sink. This demonstrated Christ’s authority over nature and fulfilled Psalm 8:8, which speaks of all things being placed under the Son of Man, including the fish of the sea.
The miracle confirmed the message Jesus had just preached from Peter’s boat. Those on shore, watching him, would be even more convinced he was a teacher sent from God. It was also a blessing to Peter for lending Jesus his boat—just as the ark brought blessing to Obed-Edom’s house, so too does the gospel bring blessings. God repays acts of service with abundance.
The catch also foreshadowed the disciples’ future success. Though they would sometimes labor without visible results, under Christ’s direction they would bring many souls to him through the gospel.
Everyone involved was amazed, especially those who participated (Luke 5:9-10). As experienced fishermen, they knew this wasn’t chance. Their firsthand experience gave weight to their astonishment. They also benefited personally, which deepened their faith. When Christ’s work brings both grace and blessing, it has the greatest impact on us.
Peter was overwhelmed. He fell at Jesus’s knees and said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8). He didn’t fear the sinking boat, but felt unworthy of Jesus’s presence. His reaction was like the Old Testament saints who trembled at God’s glory. It was a cry of deep self-awareness. His humility was honest—he recognized his sinfulness in light of divine favor.
Peter’s conclusion, however, was off. If we are sinful, we shouldn’t ask Christ to leave—we should ask him to stay. Still, his words came from an honest heart. Christ often reveals our unworthiness so we will cling to him more earnestly.
Jesus responded with grace. He said to Peter, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch people” (Luke 5:10). Peter would become a fisher of men, bringing souls into the gospel net. When Peter later preached and three thousand were saved, Jesus’s words were fulfilled.
Finally, the fishermen left everything to follow Jesus (Luke 5:11). After bringing the boats to shore, they didn’t sell the catch. They walked away from it all to serve Christ. They gave up their business just when it had never been more profitable. Their commitment to Christ over wealth is a powerful testimony of true discipleship.