The Gospels · New Testament
Luke 5
Luke 5: the great draught, a roof opened for forgiveness and questions about fasting
General context
By the lake of Gennesaret Jesus teaches from Simon's ship, then tells him to launch out into the deep. Simon says they have toiled all night and taken nothing, lets down the net at his word, and the catch fills two ships until they begin to sink. Simon Peter falls at his knees and calls himself a sinful man; James and John, his partners, are named; the men bring their ships to land, forsake all and follow. In a certain city a man full of leprosy asks to be made clean, is touched and cleansed, and is charged to tell no man but to show himself to the priest. Jesus withdraws into the wilderness and prays. With Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, men let a man sick of the palsy down through the tiling; Jesus tells him his sins are forgiven, the scribes reason about blasphemy, and the man rises and carries his couch home. Levi the publican is called from the receipt of custom, leaves all and makes a great feast. The scribes and Pharisees murmur against his disciples for eating with publicans and sinners, and then ask why his disciples do not fast; Jesus answers with the physician, the children of the bridechamber, and the sayings about new cloth and new wine in old bottles.
Cited passages: Luke 5:1, Luke 5:3, Luke 5:4, Luke 5:5, Luke 5:6, Luke 5:7, Luke 5:8, Luke 5:10, Luke 5:11, Luke 5:12, Luke 5:13, Luke 5:14, Luke 5:16, Luke 5:17, Luke 5:19, Luke 5:20, Luke 5:21, Luke 5:24, Luke 5:25, Luke 5:27, Luke 5:28, Luke 5:29, Luke 5:30, Luke 5:31, Luke 5:33, Luke 5:34, Luke 5:37, Luke 5:38
Luke 5 (KJV)
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 inclosed 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.
12And 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.
13And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.
14And 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.
15But 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.
16And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
17And 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 Judæa, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
18And, 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.
19And 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.
20And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
21And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
22But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?
23Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
24But 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.
25And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.
26And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.
27And 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.
28And he left all, rose up, and followed him.
29And 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.
30But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
31And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
32I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
33And 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?
34And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
35But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
36And 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.
37And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
38But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
39No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.
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Historical context
The water is named as the lake of Gennesaret, and the healing of the leper happens in a certain city that the text leaves unnamed. Simon is called Simon Peter at the moment he falls down, though the naming is only reported later in the list of the twelve. James and John are identified as the sons of Zebedee and as partners with Simon; no other partner is named. Levi is introduced as a publican sitting at the receipt of custom and is not identified in this chapter with anyone else. The charge to the cleansed man refers to what Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them, without quoting the command. The objection about blasphemy is put in the mouths of the scribes and the Pharisees, and the reply about the Son of man having power upon earth to forgive sins is spoken by Jesus. The saying that the bridegroom shall be taken away is left unexplained where it stands.
Cited passages: Luke 5:1, Luke 5:8, Luke 5:10, Luke 5:12, Luke 5:14, Luke 5:17, Luke 5:21, Luke 5:24, Luke 5:27, Luke 5:29, Luke 5:35, Luke 6:14
Literary context
Each scene turns on a word and a response. Simon's nevertheless at thy word comes before the catch, and the catch produces not celebration but Depart from me. Touch recurs where distance would be expected, first a hand put forth to a man full of leprosy, then a roof opened to reach a crowded room. Objections escalate in order: reasoning in the heart about blasphemy, then a murmur about eating with publicans and sinners, then a direct question about fasting. Jesus answers each with an image rather than an argument, the physician for the sick, the children of the bridechamber, the new garment torn to patch the old, and new wine bursting old bottles. The chapter also sets prayer and withdrawal against growing fame, so the crowds and the wilderness stand next to each other.
Cited passages: Luke 5:5, Luke 5:6, Luke 5:8, Luke 5:13, Luke 5:19, Luke 5:21, Luke 5:30, Luke 5:31, Luke 5:33, Luke 5:34, Luke 5:36, Luke 5:37, Luke 5:15, Luke 5:16
Key moments
- Let down the net (Luke 5:5). Simon says they caught nothing all night but will let the net down.
- Depart from me (Luke 5:8). Simon Peter falls at his knees and calls himself a sinful man.
- A leper touched (Luke 5:13). Jesus touches the man and the leprosy departs immediately.
- Down through the tiling (Luke 5:19). Men lower the paralysed man through the roof into the crowd.
- Thy sins are forgiven thee (Luke 5:20). Jesus speaks forgiveness before any healing is mentioned.
- Levi leaves the custom seat (Luke 5:28). The publican leaves all, rises and follows.
- New wine, old bottles (Luke 5:37). Jesus answers the fasting question with a saying about containers.
For reflection
Simon's first recorded response to the catch is to ask Jesus to leave him. What does the text suggest that a sign like this asks of the person who receives it?
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