Bible Commentaries

Luke 5:1. ἐγένετο δὲ, moreover it came to pass) This is in close connection with ch. Luke 4:44.⁵⁴— ἐπικεῖσθαι) The people pressed upon Him. Hence is evidenced the patient endurance of the Saviour.

Luke 5:2. ἁλεῖς, the fishermen) So they are called, as if being still regarded as strangers to Jesus.— ἀπέπλυναν, washed) inasmuch as their work was done.

Luke 5:3. ὃ ἦν, which was) Even then already his privilege of priority was given to Simon. [The other ship was that of Zebedee.—V. g.]— ἠρώτησεν) begged, as being not yet intimate with Him. [It seems that in different cases He used a different way of asking: for instance, Mark 3:9; Luke 19:5; Matthew 21:2-3; Matthew 26:18. Therefore it is not altogether likely that the call which we read of in Matthew 4:18-19, and in Mark 1:16-17, combined with the cure of Peter’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:30; Matthew 8:14 : comp. Luke 4:38), was prior to this call of Simon, related here by Luke.⁵⁵—Harm., p. 211.] The Lord does not immediately promise to them the draught of fishes: He first puts to the proof the obedience of Simon.— ἐπαναγαγεῖν) to thrust back again. So Luke 5:4, and Matthew 21:18. The prepositions have the same force in ἐπάνειμι, ἐπανέρχομαι, ἐπανήκω, ἐπανακάμπτω, κ. τ. λ. (viz. again, or back again).

Luke 5:4. εἰς τὸ βάθος, into the deep) This is more than the ὀλίγον, a little, Luke 5:3.— εἰς ἄγραν, for a draught) The promise. We may compare this fishing with that recorded in John 21:3; John 21:6, etc.

Luke 5:5. ῥήματί σου, at Thy word) Peter had become sensible of the power of Jesus’ words. The same faith is displayed on his part in Matthew 14:28, “Lord—bid me come to Thee on the water.”

Luke 5:7. κατένευσαν, beckoned) as being at a distance, and for the sake of modesty [so as not to shout in the presence of the Lord]. They wished help, since a fish, when taken, has such eagerness to escape; however, that eagerness is not increased by a cry [therefore it was not to avoid frightening the fishes that the fishermen did not cry]. The net, no doubt, was broken in the upper end of it, where it was made fast. The fishes saw the net, the ship, the men, and felt themselves pressed on every side: therefore a cry on the part of the fishermen would have had no new (particular) advantage above a gesture, beckoning, to their partners.— μετόχοις, partners) For they were κοινωνοὶ, associates in fishing, Luke 5:10. Often, among the members of one society or family, there may be many pious men.— βυθίζεσθαι, to sink) They were being sunk low in the waters by the weight of the fishes.

Luke 5:8. ἔξελθε, depart) Comp. Matthew 8:8.— ὄτι, because) Comp. 1 Kings 17:18; Isaiah 6:5.— ἀνὴρ ἁμαρτωλὸς, a sinful man) a greater sinner than an infant sinner [who has only original and not actual sin, as I have]. [That recognition of sins is deepest, which arises from the recognition and acknowledgment of the Divine glory.—V. g.] Jerome says, “Ignatius, the Apostolic father and martyr, writes boldly, ‘The Lord chose out as apostles men who were sinners above all men.’ ” Comp. 1 Timothy 1:14-15.

Luke 5:9. θάμβος, amazement) We ought to learn the fear of the Lord even from His benefits to us: ch. Luke 5:26, Luke 7:16; Jeremiah 5:24. [Such is the experience of all whom GOD determines to use as His instruments. In the present passage this is especially recorded of the triad, composed of those three who afterwards became the foremost among the apostles.—V. g.]—[ ἐπὶ τῇ ἄγρᾳ, at the draught) Jesus, in this instance, taught Simon by the very fact. Every work of God teaches us. To observe these lessons is the part of true prudence.—V. g.]

Luke 5:10. πρὸς τὸν σίμωνα, unto Simon) He spake to Simon especially, though not to him alone, inasmuch as Simon was the one who had spoken in Luke 5:8. Comp. Matthew 4:18-19. Luke also, as well as Matthew, has this saving of Jesus, in order that he may definitely describe those to whom the Saviour spake [just as he more definitely specifies the persons addressed in the following instances, with which comp. the parallel Gospels]: ch. Luke 6:20; Luke 6:27, Luke 9:23, Luke 11:45, Luke 16:1, Luke 12:22; Luke 12:41; Luke 12:54.— μὴ φοβοῦ, Fear not) Peter ceased to fear when he became accustomed to the miracles.— ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν, from henceforth) This was accomplished, ch. Luke 9:2.

Luke 5:11. ἅπαντα, all things) even the fishes which he had caught. They had even previously followed Jesus,—a fact which Luke recognises in Acts 1:21-22 : comp. John 1:43, etc.,—but not yet in such a way as to leave all that they had.

Luke 5:12. [ ἐν μιᾷ τῶν πόλεων, in one of the cities) See Gnom. on ch. Luke 1:1, Obs. 2, Not. marg. E. B. To wit, the particle ἐν, in, is not in this passage to be too closely pressed, as if it would not admit of the meeting with the leper having occurred in the neighbourhood of the city; comp. Matthew 8:1-2. This seems to be the very reason of the Transposition, that Mark, whom Luke follows, chose to tell first the miracles wrought within the city, ch. Luke 1:21, etc.—Harm., p. 253.— πλήρης λέπρας, full of leprosy) Among those who hold that the leper mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew is a different one, there are not wanting some who unduly wrest this phrase, which is used by Luke alone, and not by Mark also, as if it implied that the leper mentioned by Mark and Luke was clean according to the law (where the leprosy covered all the flesh), Leviticus 13:13; Leviticus 13:17, and therefore had the power of entering the city. But still he is sent away to the priest: therefore he had not before this shown himself to the priest; wherefore he must have been separate, as one accounted impure, even though the leprosy was very full upon him.—Harm., p. 253.— ἐπὶ πρόσωπον, on his face) No common humiliation.—V. g.

Luke 5:13. καὶ, and) [ καὶ forming the Apodosis, and as the consequence, etc.] [A most real and immediate fruit of his prayers.—V. g.]

Luke 5:15. θεραπεύεσθαι, to be healed) The verb is middle [and therefore means more strictly, to have themselves healed].

Luke 5:16. αὐτὸς, Himself) He for His part [as contrasted with the multitudes Luke 5:15].— ἦν ὑποχωρῶι) was in the habit of withdrawing. Thereby He both had a space of time for rest and prayer, and sharpened the desires of men for Him.

Luke 5:17. καθημένοι, sitting) as hearers that were treated with more especial honour than the rest.— νομοδιδάσκαλοι, doctors of the law) Scribes, Luke 5:21.— κώμης, village) The extremes, Jerusalem on the one hand, and the villages on the opposite, are specified: the towns which constitute the immediate mean between the capital city and the petty villages, are meant to be included.— ἦν) was present so as to heal. A similar expression occurs in the LXX., ἐσόμεθα τοῦ σῶσαί σε, we shall be present, or ready, for the purpose of saving thee, 2 Samuel 10:11; ἔσονται ὥστε ἐργάζεσθαι, they shall be present to perform, Numbers 8:11; γενέσθω ἡ χείρ σου τοῦ σῶσαί με, let Thy hand be present for the purpose of saving me, Psalms 119:173.— αὐτοὺς, them) namely, those of whom Luke 5:15 speaks.

Luke 5:19. ποίας, by what kind of way [sc. διὰ π. ὁδοῦ]) An Ellipsis the same as in ch. Luke 19:4, ἐκείνης; and in Acts 9:2, τῆς ὁδοῦ ὄντας. Comp. Lamb. Bos on the Ellipsis of the Preposition, διά. Others [as the Rec. Text] read διὰ ποίας;⁵⁶ others, διὰ ποίας ὁδοῦ; others otherwise.

Luke 5:25. ἄρας ἐφʼ ᾧ κατέκειτο, having taken up that whereon he lay) A happy expression. The couch had borne the man: now the man was bearing the couch.

Luke 5:26. παράδοξα, things unexpected [strange, unlooked-for]) viz. miracles performed, sins remitted.— σήμερον) on this remarkable day.

Luke 5:27. ἐθεάσατο, He beheld) with compassion.

Luke 5:28. ἅπαντα, his all) Though by this very act his house did not cease to be his; Luke 5:29.

Luke 5:29. ΄εγάλην, a great) on account of the multitude of guests.

Luke 5:30. ἐσθίετε, do ye eat) The Plural is used by them; but they were aiming at Jesus especially, as Luke 5:31 shows.

Luke 5:32. ΄ετανοίαν) ΄ετανοία is the transition of the mind from sin to righteousness, from sickness to health. This change is something of a delightful, not of a formidable nature: comp. the instance of Levi in proof of this, Luke 5:27-29.

Luke 5:33. δεήσεις) Solemn supplications.

Luke 5:34. ΄ὴ, Surely ye cannot, can ye? make, etc.) As the Lat. num, this interrogation expects a negative answer.

Luke 5:36. παραβολὴν, a parable) From a garment, and from wine: a kind of parable especially appropriate at a banquet [Luke 5:29]: comp. ch. Luke 14:7.— τὸ καινὸν) new.⁵⁷

Luke 5:39. εὐθέως, straightway) It is by degrees that the dispositions of minds are changed.— ὁ παλαιὸς, the old) Their own old doctrine was more palatable to the Pharisees than the generous (excellent) doctrine of Christ, which they fancied to be new, whereas it was far more ancient than their own: Galatians 3:17 [the covenant—the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul]; 1 John 2:7-8 [no new commandment—but an old commandment—from the beginning]: as to the excellence of the new wine, see Zechariah 9:17 [New wine—shall make cheerful—the maids]: though new, it is at the same time mild and pleasant. Matthew 11:30.