Luke 5:1-11

With thanks to page sponsors:
The Rev. Mary and Harry Piper,
St Martin's Episcopal Church,
Shady Cove, OR.
(Jan 07-08)

• Reading the Text:
  • NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
  • Greek Interlinear Bible, ScrTR, ScrTR t, Strong, Parsing, CGTS, CGES id, AV.
  • The Bible Gateway: NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
  • The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Greek text with concordance, commentaries.
  • The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary & sermons.
• Historical References, Commentary and Comparative Texts:
  • The Five Gospels Parallels, John W. Marshall, University of Toronto.
  • "Fishing for Humans," The Jesus Database, an online annotated inventory of the traditions concerning the life and teachings of Jesus. Dr. Gregory C. Jenks, FaithFutures Foundation.
  • Stephen Carlson's color-coded Greek Synoptic Parallels.
  • III.XIV.3, Adversus Haereses, Irenaeus of Lyons. (c. 180)
  • IV.9, Against Marcion, Tertullian (c. 210)
  • Chapter XII, On Idolatry, Tertullian (c. 211)
  • Chapter IX, On Modesty, Tertullian (c. 217)
  • I.LXIII, Against Celsus, Origen. (c.246)
  • "Peter's Miraculous Catch of Fishes," Luke 5:1-11, Martin Luther, c. 1525.
  • Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists, John Calvin, 1558: Matthew 4:18-25/Mark 1:16-20/Luke 5:1-11.
  • From the Geneva Notes.
    • "Christ reveals to the four disciples whom he had taken unto himself the office of the apostleship, which would be committed unto them in the future."
  • From Matthew Henry's Commentary (c. 1700).
    • "When Christ had done preaching, he told Peter to apply to the business of his calling. Time spent on week days in public exercises of religion, need be but little hinderance in time, and may be great furtherance to us in temper of mind, as to our worldly business. With what cheerfulness may we go about the duties of our calling, when we have been with God, and thus have our worldly employments sanctified to us by the word and prayer!"
  • From Wesley's Notes. John Wesley (1703-1791).
    • "They had followed him before, John 1:43, but not so as to forsake all. Till now, they wrought at their ordinary calling."
  • From the Commentary on the Whole Bible (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
    • "The more highly they deemed Him, ever the more grateful it was to the Redeemer's spirit. Never did they pain Him by manifesting too lofty conceptions of Him."
  • From The People's New Testament, B.W. Johnson, 1891.
    • "Tristam (Land of Israel) says of the fish in the Sea of Galilee: "The shoals are marvelous, black masses, many hundred yards long, with their black fins projecting out of the water as thick as they could pack. Any net would break that enclosed such a shoal.""
• Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
  • Commentary, Luke 5:1-11, Arland J. Hultgren, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2010.
    • "God often becomes manifest in the ordinary, even seemingly unnecessary events of a person's life — events which nevertheless are in accord with some purpose that is or is not known."
  • Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
  • "Into the Deep," commentary by Kate Huey at i.ucc.org: Sermon Seeds, lectionary citations, weekly theme, lectionary texts, bulletin back page.
    • "What do you think is the best way to "share the good news" of Jesus Christ?"
  • "First Thoughts on Year C Gospel Passages in the Lectionary," Epiphany 5, William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia.
    • "Despite signs of legendary development the bearers of the Jesus tradition never divinised Peter. He remained one of them, one of us; leadership by grace. The best traditions let it remain so. They also affirm his role and the continuing role and need for leadership and its accountability in the church. Ultimately Luke is linking that leadership to Jesus’ own leadership and mission declared before his home town synagogue. It is a leadership that sets free."
  • Exegesis, Russell Pregeant, Lectionary Homiletics sample, 2010.
    • "One aspect of 'leaving all' to follow Jesus that is particularly prominent in Luke-Acts is the call to the sharing of, or even divesting oneself of, personal wealth."
  • "Regular People as Disciples," Mary Hinkle, Pilgrim Preaching: Keeping Company with Biblical Texts and the People Who Hear and Preach Them.
    • "The reason for the call is not to say to Peter, 'Buck up, little buddy, you're not so bad,' but rather, 'Stop being afraid now. We have work to do.'"
  • Exegetical Notes by Brian Stoffregen at CrossMarks Christian Resources.
    • "Rather than a call story, it is a pronouncement story. Rather than calling Simon (and the other fishermen), Jesus announces to Simon (and only to Simon!) what Simon will now be doing (v. 10). Although the task is similar, the words are different from the call stories in Matthew and Mark."
  • "Exegetical Considerations: 5th Sunday after Epiphany," Richard Carlson, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Using Greek for Sunday Text Preparations.
    • "What qualifies Simon, James, and John for the commission Jesus is bestowing upon them?"
  • Lectionary Blogging, John Petty, Progressive Involvement, 2010.
    • "The process of Simon's conversion is not complete--he won't get the name of Peter from Jesus until 6:14.  Then again, no one's conversion is ever complete."
  • Holy Textures, Understanding the Bible in its own time and in ours, Luke 5:1-11, David Ewart, 2010.
    • "Malina also comments (page 363) that the reference in Luke 5:7 and 5:10 to James and John as "partners" of Simon, suggests that they operated under a lease from a tax collector."
  • "First Look: Luke 5:1-11," Lee Koontz, Reflectious, 2010.
    • "Being a follower of Jesus is less about doctrine or theology than it is about reaching out to people with grace, compassion, and love."
  • "Gone Fishin'," Sea Raven, Liberal Christian Commentary, 2010.
    • "Why are we still fighting over who gets to wear the stole, carry the staff, light the candles, lead the rituals?"
  • "Fishing For Christ," Gospel Analysis, Sermons from Seattle, Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington. Detailed background and exegesis.
    • "All four Gospels agree on the first fundamental tenet of discipleship: God uses disciples to "catch people" for Jesus Christ. This is the first thing that Jesus said to his disciples, and this statement about fishing set the tone for the rest of his ministry."
  • Jesus Now, Luke 5:1-11. Lectionary, study and worship resources from Faith Futures Jesus Then & Now.
  • Laterally Luke, by Brian McGowan, Anglican priest in Western Australia.
  • "Quite a Catch," Expository Essay, Luke 5:1-11, Dr. William R. Long. Part 2.
    • "...here they are following Jesus not because business is bad, but precisely when it couldn't be better."
  • "Get Out of Here," William H. Willimon, The Christian Century, 2004.
    • "Peter sees his situation as a lack of faith rather than a lack of fish, and he blurts out, 'Get out of here, Jesus,'" literally in the Greek 'Get out of my neighborhood!'"
  • "The Translation of Wonder," John Stendahl, The Christian Century, 1998.
    • "Jesus does not leave Simon on his knees. He bids him leave his fear behind and offers him larger scope for his wonder."
  • "They Left All and Followed Him," Rev. Bryan Findlayson, Lectionary Bible Studies and Sermons, Pumpkin Cottage Ministry Resources.
    • "As Peter's confession is the 'rock' upon which Christ builds his church, so his commission is the foundation task of the church."
  • "Put Out Into Deep Water," Jerry Goebel, One Family Outreach. "Focus on scripture from a justice perspective." Exegesis, study, and teen study and activities.
    • "The first thing we must understand about this miracle is that Jesus didn’t send the Apostle’s out into the lake because he was hungry and wanted fish and chips for lunch. He doesn’t give them a task for his sake; he sends them out for their sake. Jesus doesn’t send us into mission for his sake; it is for our sake that we must go. Faith unpracticed is not faith at all."
  • "Goin' Fishin'," Larry Broding's Word-Sunday.Com: A Catholic Resource for This Sunday's Gospel. Adult Study, Children's Story, Family Activity, Support Materials.
    • "Have you ever gone fishing? What fish stories do you have?"
  • "Where 'Down' Means 'Up' and 'Up' Means 'Down'," Ordinary 5, Fr. Gerry Pierse, C.Ss.R., from Sundays Into Silence: Reflections on the Sunday Gospels in the Light of Christian Meditation. Claretian Publications.
    • "Prayer is a time for being before God as we truly are."
  • Lectionary Commentary and Preaching Paths (Epiphany C5), by Dennis Bratcher, at The Christian Resource Institute.
    • "In the metaphor of needing help with the large catch of fish, Luke presents the Christian vocation as one of mutual labor in following both the person and the word of Jesus. In that context, the tremendous success of Jesus’ ministry, the sheer numbers in the crowds, required help in continuing to proclaim the message."
• Articles & Background:
  • "Disciple," wikipedia.
  • "The Galilean Fishing Economy and the Jesus Tradition," by K.C. Hanson.
    • "I employ a model of embedded economics to articulate the relationships between the various players in the sub-system: the Roman emperors; Herod Antipas; the tax administrators; the brokers, tax collectors, and toll collectors; the fishing families; the hired laborers; the suppliers of raw goods and other products; fish processors; and shippers and carters. This model is developed in order to provide a more focussed frame of reference for the interpretation of the Jesus tradition (metaphors and narratives) and the location of Jesus' activity and network recruitment in Galilean fishing villages."
  • "The Tension between Poverty and Possessions in the Gospel of Luke," John Sheila Galligan, Spirituality Today, Spring 1985.
    • "No fanatic about renunciation of possessions, Jesus nevertheless warned us that they could hinder our being open to the Kingdom and that we have to use them for others welfare."
• Recommended articles from ATLAS, an online collection of religion and theology journals, are linked below. ATLAS Access options are available for academic institutions, alumni of selected theological schools, and clergy/church offices.
  • Berquist, Jon L., "Between Text and Sermon: Luke 5:1-11," Interpretation, 2004.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Niedner, Frederick, "Amateurs and Rookies," The Christian Century, 2001.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Rogness, Michael, "'You Are My Son, the Beloved': The Epiphany Gospels," Word & World, 2004. (Section on this text begins on page 89.)
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Smith, Charles W.F., "Fishers of Men," Harvard Theological Review, 1959.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Stendahl, John, "The Translation of Wonder," The Christian Century, 1998.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Vogel, Leroy E., "6th Sunday after Pentecost: Luke 5:1-11," Concordia Journal, 1985.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Ward, Richard F., "Protagonist Corner," Journal for Preachers, 2007.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Willimon, William H., "Get Out of Here," The Christian Century, 2004.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Yaqob, Olga, MVM, "The Face of God in Suffering: Iraq," Theology Today, 2006.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
• Reviews:
• Sermons:
  • "Why Some People Don't Catch Fish," the Very Rev. Robert Wright, Day 1, 2010.
  • "Go Deeper? Are You Serious, Jesus?" Richard Ward, 30 Good Minutes, Chicago Sunday Evening Club, 2007.
  • Fifth Sunday of Epiphany, 8. February 2004, Goettinger Predigten: Every Sunday Sermons based on the RCL by a team of Lutheran theologians/ pastors:
    • "Do Not Be Afraid," by Hubert Beck, 4 February, 2007.
    • Sermon on Luke 5:1-11 by David Zersen, 8 February, 2004.
    • Sermon on Luke 5:1-11 by Samuel D. Zumwalt, 8 February, 2004.
  • "Patterns, Prisms, and Prisons," the Rev. Dr. Wiley Stephens, Day 1, 2004.
  • "In a Dark Time the Eye," the Rev. Dr. Robert Edgar, Day 1, 2003.
  • "Unworthy," Dr. Richard Wing, 30 Good Minutes, Chicago Sunday Evening Club, 2001.
  • "Your Life's Work," the Rev. Dr. John Buchanan, 30 Good Minutes, Chicago Sunday Evening Club, 1999.
  • "Trust Changes Everything," Bishop Michael Marshall, 30 Good Minutes, Chicago Sunday Evening Club, 1994.
  • "Fishing for Christ," Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington.
  • "Life With Purpose," the Rev. Ruben Duran, Day 1, 1996.
  • Father Andrew M. Greeley, "Priest, Author, Sociologist," Commentary and Homily, 2004.
• With Children:
  • "Fishermen Who Became Fishers of Men," Illustrating the Story (lessons, children's sermons), coloring pages, activity sheets, crafts, children's songs. MSSS Crafts.
  • "Partnership," Fr. Max Bowers, Kid's Church.
  • "Jesus' Disciples Catch Lots of Fish," Sunday School Lessons: Family Bible Study, art projects, music, stories, etc.
  • "Let's Go Fishing," children's sermon, coloring page. Charles Kirkpatrick, Sermons 4 Kids.
  • "Casting a Net," Jim Kerlin, childrensermons.com.
  • "The Fishers of Men," children's study, puzzles, coloring sheet, etc. Higher Praise Christian Center.
  • "Using Your Net," Chris Lee, sermons4kids.com.
• Drama:
  • "The First Five," from A Certain Jesus by Jose Ignacio and Maria Lopez Vigil. Ideal for catechetical and liturgical dramatization of today's gospel. Claretian Publications.
  • "Capernaum St. 1 - The Call," Jane and Mark Lewis, Potted Jam.
• Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
  • Clip Art, Luke 5:10, Fr. Richard Lonsdale, Resources for Catholic Educators.
  • Clip Art Images: Luke 5:1-11, Luke 5:1-11 #2, Misioneros Del Sagrado Corazón en el Perú.
  • Luke 5:1-11, Liturgical Drawing, Maria d.c. Zamora, Claretian Resources, Philippines. ("Download and use these for free.")
  • Luke 5:1-11 at Cerezo Barredo's weekly gospel illustration. Liberation emphasis.
• Hymns and Music:
  • "Push Out Into the Deep," F. Richard Garland, 2008. Tune: ST. THOMAS.
  • Contemporary/Praise Song suggestions, Together to Celebrate, David MacGregor.
  • Hymns with Scripture Allusions: Luke 5:5. The Cyber Hymnal.
  • Hymnal Scripture References, The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship.
• Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
  • Calling the Disciples
  • Miracles
• Movies scenes with the following themes, listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
  • Call
  • Brothers
• Literature and Literary References:
  • "Let Down Your Nets for a Catch," Patricia Schnapp. Poetry. National Catholic Reporter, 2003.
• Find Worship Resources & Suggested Other Readings for use with this text:
  • Epiphany 5C
• Study Links and Resources for the Book of Luke