Jesus was appointing fishers of men

JESUS WAS APPOINTINGFISHERS OF MEN
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Luke 5:10 10andso were James and John, the sons of
Zebedee, Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon,
"Don'tbe afraid;from now on you will fish for
people."
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Fearnot; from henceforth thou shalt catchmen.
Luke 5:10
Fishing for men
W. H. Burton.
To be goodfishermen we must be —
I. ARDENTLYENAMOURED OF THE FISHING.
II. INTIMATELY ACQUAINTED WITH THE FISHES. In following the
analogy, we may observe that, because ofhis acquaintance with the fishes, the
fisherman knows —

1. Where to fish. A novice would throw in his line anywhere; but not so the
fisherman. Fishes of various sorts must be sought in various localities, and in
some places you may seek in vain for any. Many a man has "toiled all the
night and has takennothing," simply because he has been trying in the wrong
place;while others round about him have "made a goodtide." For one sorthe
may go to the quiet lake and the gentle stream; for another to the open sea or
the deep channel; while for others he has to go out into the great wide ocean.
And in our spiritual fishing we must learn where to catchmen. We may find
opportunities in the quiet lakes ofour owndomestic circles, orin the pleasant
streams of our socialfriendships. Becauseofhis acquaintance with the fishes,
the fisherman also knows —
2. How to fish. Like men, fishes differ very much in their dispositions and
habits, so that what would be suitable for catching one class would not be
successfulwith another. For instance:While some must be drawn, others
must be driven. I have seenfishermen, after casting their net, row round
about it, making as much noise as possible with their oars, in order to frighten
the fishes into it; while, in other instances, a bright light has been burned in
the boat to allure them, if possible, into the snare. It is exactly so with men.
Some are caughtin shoals, while others must be caught singly. There are some
that never can be takenin a net, and there are others that cannever be taken
with a line. You must go about it very cautiously. The fish is a shy creature,
and many would-be sportsman has driven away all chance of successby his
incautious procedure. Almost anybody can casta net, but it requires an expert
to use the line. People cansuccessfullyaddress large assemblies, who are ill at
ease whenin personalintercourse with the ungodly. This is a work that
demands all our skill and care. You may see a wonderful example of this in
our Saviour's conversationwith the woman at the well. I have been in the
same boat with severalpersons, eachprovided with similar lines, hooks, and
bait; and yet some have been as wonderfully successfulas others have been
strangelyunfortunate. The secret, to those who understood fishing, was
obvious. The goodfisherman, knowing exactly how to manage and tempt his
prey, could, with inferior apparatus, secure success;while the novice, with the
best patent gear, might sit, and wait and watchin vain. The application is

easy. Seek to allure men! Make your Christianity an attractive thing!
Surround all you do with the genuine sunshine of the Bible! RevealChrist,
and He "will draw all men unto Him." Again, his acquaintance with the fishes
will teachthe fisherman —
3. When to fish. "A word in season, how goodit is!" Some fishes are to be
caught when the tide is high; others, when it is low; and others, when it is
"slack."Some canbe obtained only in cloudy weather, and others may be
caught when the sky is clearand bright. For some the daylight is needful, and
for others there is no time like the night. And the fit seasonfor approaching
men may be equally various. As in fishing, so, as a rule, with men, the best
time to seek them is during "the slack" ofthe tide. It is not well to make the
attempt during either the full swing of the flood, or of the strong rush of the
ebb. Indeed, no ordinary lead would carry your bait to where they are. You
must seek men when they are quiet. It is worthy of observationthat most
fishes arc caughtbest in cloudy weather. When the skyis murky and
lowering, then the fisherman puts out to sea. This certainly suggeststo us the
appropriateness of Christian words in seasons ofsorrow.
III. MORALLY QUALIFIED TO BE FISHERMEN. Piety, patience,
perseverance,and every Christian grace will be needful in this work. Its
difficulties are neither few nor small.
(W. H. Burton.)
Catching men alive
Bishop Goodwin.
Thou shalt catchmen. The word "catch" is different from any word that has
been used concerning the fish, and expressesthe catching alive of the prey to

be caught; so that the phraseologyofour Lord seems to carry with it the
thought that fishers of men are to toil for living creatures, andthat unless they
be caught alive they might as wellnot be caught at all. How well would it be
for all those who are calledto be fishers of men, to remember that their work
is not to fill their boat with fishes which may serve as food for themselves, but
to catchliving men and make them servants of the MostHigh God.
(Bishop Goodwin.)
Fishers of men
Canon Duckworth., B. Weiss.
The designof this miracle was twofold. It was intended —
1. To produce an immediate effect upon the minds of Peterand the rest, to
deepen their faith in the Masterwho had calledthem, and to set forth His
power, His watchfulness, His love. But still more —
2. To take effectin the future; it was emphatically a prophetic miracle — to be
lookedback to and to yield inexhaustible comfort again and again amid the
heavy cares and discouraging tasks ofthe years to come, when the gospel-net
had been finally put into their hands, and they had become "fishers of men."
St. Peterwas to translate into spiritual language all that belongedto his old
fisherman's life. He was to understand that it had been in a homely, but still
most real, way a preparation for the new unearthly service to which Christ
was calling him. So you may remember the simple shepherd-life of David is
setforth in the seventy-eighth Psalm as a preparatory discipline for kingly
rule. And so, according to the fancy of an early writer, the trade of tentmaker
followedby Saul of Tarsus prefigured the work which lay in store for Paul the
apostle, as the maker of tabernacles forthe people of God, the founder of
Churches all over the known world.

(Canon Duckworth.)The promise that Petershould become a fisher of men
was made still more impressive by a greatsymbolical miracle.
1. The number of fish caught at Jesus'word representedthe men he should
some day take.
2. As he fished all night and caught nothing, so had he afterwards to labour
long in Israelwithout winning a single human soul.
3. So, too, at Jesus'word, he put further out into the deep of the greatGentile
world, and drew there a greatdraught.
4. Last of all, there were two boats to fill — the Gentile-Christianand the
JewishChristian Churches. Then the net began to tear, and the opposition of
these two sections threatenedthe Church with a grievous schism. But the
draught was brought safelyto land, to the confounding of the circumcised
Jew, through whose instrumentality this Divine action had been brought
about.
(B. Weiss.)
Men-catchers
C. H. Spurgeon., C. Babut, B. D.
The man who saves souls is like a fisher upon the sea.
1. A fisher is dependent and trustful.

2. He is diligent and persevering.
3. He is intelligent and watchful.
4. He is laborious and self-denying.
5. He is daring — not afraid to venture upon a dangerous sea.
6. He is successful. He is DO fisher who never catches anything.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)There is as much analogyas contrastbetweenthe first and
secondvocations ofthe sons of Jonas and Zebedee.
1. Like the fisherman, the minister of the gospelmust be furnished with a
goodnet, i.e., he must be conversantwith the Scriptures, and mighty in them.
2. Like the fisherman, he must be acquainted with the sea, i.e., the world, and
not fearto confront its perils in pursuance of his calling.
3. Like the fisherman, he must now mend, now casthis nets.
4. Like the fisherman, he must labour perseveringly, and waitpatiently.

5. Like the fisherman, he must enter into the spirit of his vocation, i.e., he
must be animated with the enthusiasm of the holy ministry.
6. Like the fisherman, he must dare to expose his life (Acts 20:24).
7. Like the fisherman, he must draw in his net after having castit.
(C. Babut, B. D.)
Sympathy a bait
Dr. J. Clifford.
It is a fact of which we can scarcelymake too much, that nothing baits the
gospelfisherman's hook like sympathy.
(Dr. J. Clifford.)
Purposelesssermons
Dr. J. Clifford.
Are an insult to God and man. A sermon that aims at anything short of
catching men is a mistake. Let us beware of converting means into ends.
(Dr. J. Clifford.)
Catching bait
C. H. Spurgeon.

The fisherman, however, thinks far less of his gathering bait than he does of
his catching bait, in which he hides his hook. Very numerous are his
inventions for winning his prey, and it is by practice that he learns how to
adapt his bait to his fish. Scores ofthings serve as bait, and when he is not
actually at work the wise fisherman takes care to seize anything which comes
in his way which may be useful when the time comes to casthis lines. We
usually carried mussels, whelks, andsome of the coarsersorts offish, which
could be used when they were wanted. When the anchor was down the hooks
were baited and let down for the benefit of the inhabitants of the deep, and
greatwould have been the disappointment if they had merely swarmed
around the delicious morsel, but had refused to partake thereof. A good
fisherman actually catches fish. He is not always alike successful, but, as a
rule, he has something to show for his trouble. I do not call that man a
fisherman whose basketseldomholds a fish; he is sure to tell you of the many
bites he had, and of that very big fish which he almostcaptured; but that is
neither here nor there. There are some whose knowledge ofterms and
phrases, and whose extensive preparations lead you to fear that they will
exterminate the fishy race, but as their basketreturns empty, they canhardly
be so proficient as they seem. The parable hardly needs expounding: great
talkers and theorizers are common enough, and there are not a few whose
cultured boastfulness is only exceededby their life-long failure. We cannot
take these for our example, nor fall at their feet with reverence for their
pretensions. We must have sinners saved. Nothing else will contentus: the
fisherman must take fish or lose his toil, and we must bring souls to Jesus, or
we shall break our hearts with disappointment.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Sucking off the bait
C. H. Spurgeon.
Walking to the head of the boat one evening, I saw a line over the side, and
must needs hold it. You can feelby your finger whether you have a bite or no,
but I was in considerable doubt whether anything was at the other end or not.

I thought they were biting, but I was not certain, so I pulled up the long line,
and found that the baits were all gone;the fish had suckedthem all off, and
that was what they were doing when I was in doubt. If you have nothing but a
sort of gathering bait, and the fish merely come and suck, but do not take the
hook, you will catchno fish; you need killing bait. This often happens in the
Sunday-school. A pleasing speakertells a story, and the children are all
listening; he has gathered them; now comes the spiritual lesson, but hardly
any of them take notice of it, they have suckedthe bait from the hook, and are
up and away. A minister in preaching delivers a telling illustration, all the
ears in the place are open, but when he comes to the applicationof it the
people have become listless;they like the bait very well, but not the hook; they
like the adornment of the tale, but not the point of the moral. This is poor
work. The plan is, if you possibly can manage it, so to get the bait on the hook
that they cannotsuck it off, but must take the hook and all. Do take care, dear
friends, when you teach children or grown-up people, that you do not arrange
the anecdotesin such a way that they can sortthem out, as boys pick the
plums from their cakes, orelse you will amuse but not benefit.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Over-cautious fishermen
From Hervey's "Manual of Revivals."
— A very zealous revivalist of our acquaintance was wont to say that over-
cautious preachers were like fishermen who refuse to castforth the net for
fear they might catcha devil-fish.
(From Hervey's "Manualof Revivals.")
Sinners must be taken out of their native element
C. H. Spurgeon.

We must never be satisfiedtill we lift sinners out of their native element. That
destroys fish, but it saves souls. We long to be the means of lifting sinners out
of the waterof sin to lay them in the boatat the feet of Jesus. To this end we
must enclose them as in a net; we must shut them up under the law, and
surround them with the gospel, so that there is no getting out, but they must
be captives unto Christ. We must net them with entreaties, encircle them with
invitations, and entangle them with prayers. We cannotlet them getawayto
perish in their sin, we must land them at the Saviour's feet. This is our design,
but we need help from above to accomplishit: we require our Lord's direction
to know where to castthe net, and the Spirit's helping of our infirmity that we
may know how to do it. May the Lord teachus to profit, and may we return
from our fishing, bringing our fish with us. Amen.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
The draught of fishes
J. B. Clark.
This miracle illustrates —
I. THE LOW LEVEL OF A LIFE WITHOUT CHRIST FOR ITS MASTER.
Fishing had become to these men the chief end and whole aim of living. Up to
this time their life was exceedinglynarrow. It had no horizon wider than the
sea which held their food and supplied their trade. Thus they would have lived
and died, but for the call and commissionof Christ. The secularideal of life
always binds men to earth. Only Christ canraise it.
II. THE TRUE RELATION BETWEENBUSINESSAND RELIGION, Our
Lord lived a carpenter before He died a Saviour. Through all His early
manhood He consecratedmanual toil by His own example, and so He wedded
the daily and spiritual life for ever in one. Here He sanctions Simon's business,
even while crowning it with a higher calling. Our Lord is masterboth of
business and religion; no drudgery is too low or mean to become, when done

for Christ's sake, the very service ofGod. How this transfigures the net of the
fisher, the miner's pick, the grocer's scales, the clerk's tape: in eachof them
can be discerneda humble tool for the accomplishment of the Divine will. The
servant's broom, thus held, becomes a sceptre in the hand that holds it.
III. THE SECULAR LIFE, SUBMITTED TO CHRIST, BECOMES A
SCHOOL FOR THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. It was in doing His daily work for
Christ's sake that Petertook his first and most needed lessonin apostleship —
the lessonofhumility. And thus it is, through the arts and implements which
are the most familiar, that the Lord is always seeking to lift men up from
secularto spiritual lives. As the Easternastrologers were pointedto the
Redeemer's cradle by a star; as the womanof Samaria, in the very act of
drawing waterout of Jacob's well, was led to dip and drink of the sweeter
waters of life; as Peter, the fisherman, by a surprising draught of fishes was
made lowly enough to catch men — so through the humblest art or calling of
the daily life, the Lord is reaching down hands to train and mould us for a
purer spiritual life and service. The counting-room is no longer narrow, when
thus its higher use as schoolroomof the soul is recognized. Dollars and cents
no longer degrade men when they learn to read on their face, not the name of
Caesaronly, but the holier sealand superscription of God. The irritating
cares ofhome ceaseto fret the housekeeper'sspirit when she begins to treat
them as part of that ministry by which the Lord seeksto make her a more
profitable servant.
IV. THE NOBLE SERVICES OF A LIFE CONSECRATED IN ALL ITS
ACTIVITIES TO THE LORD. Notall at once;we cannotenter schooland
graduate the same day. It needs many lessons;line upon line of experience;
but success does come atlast.
V. PRACTICAL LESSONS.

1. The service of the Lord is always the truest service we canrender to
ourselves. We have all something to give up to become followers of Jesus. Yet
give it up! Yours will be a strange experience if the things you give up for
Christ's sake do not soonlook small beside the things you have gained. They
will be, in comparison, as the Sea ofGalilee to the world, as the worth of a fish
to the value of an immortal man.
2. No business on earth is worth following for its ownsake. It may be an
honest and innocent business; but if it be not also a Christian calling, and that
by our own most deliberate choice, it will certainly dwarf the higher nature of
him who follows it. It may keepus alive. It may bring us gains. But what are
life and wealth worth, in any soberman's estimate, when thus secured? The
"successes"ofmillionaires have been commonly the worstmistakes oflife.
There is a higher law reigning over all trades, professions, occupation(1
Corinthians 10:31).
3. The climax of all callings is to be a fisher of men.
(J. B. Clark.)
The noblest calling
J. B. Clark.
An eminent New England divine, in his last sickness,was askedby a friend,
"What seems to you now the greatestthing?" "Nottheology," saidthis prince
of theologians;"not controversy," againreplied this chief of debaters; "but,"
gathering up his last breath to speak the words, while his spirit hovered at the
gate of heaven, "the greatestthing in the world is to save a soul." He spoke of
what he knew, for he had felt the joy of delivering many; and could the

witness of all saints, from Peter down to the lastascended, be taken, would it
not be the same, "the greatestthing on earth is to save a soul"?
(J. B. Clark. .)
The "net" of a genuine Christian life
J. B. Clark.
You and I may never be heroes of a Pentecost;we are not masters of the great
seine, which Peterand John of old, and some modern disciples, shootout and
catchmen by the thousands; but have we not some humble hand-net with
which we can take a few? Along our coastline, for some years, men have been
setting up what they call "weirs," consisting ofa series of enclosedponds,
connectedwith eachother by openings, and terminating, at last, in a netted
fence running far out into the bay. Against this netted fence the fish, in their
progress, strike, and, following it down, they are safelyenclosed, atlast, in the
smallestpond where they are easilycaptured when the tide is out. Like this
netted arm, running far out into the busy world, is a genuine Christian life. It
has none of the specialgifts of a Finney or a Moody, but in the coming and
going tides more than one soul is arrestedby this standing net of a godly life.
Unconsciouslyguided by the holy barrier in their way, they are drawn into
stiller waters, and when the tide goes outat last, many, I believe, will be found
takenfor Christ, and takenby fishers of men whose chief skill has been to
stand, to stand firm and without rent, in the midst of a restless sea.
(J. B. Clark.)
Catchmen by love
J. B. Clark.
Would you be a fisher of men? And do you ask, How may I succeed?Love is
the bestpilot, the only wise interpreter. Love men as Christ loved them, and
you will not mourn your small skill or limited chance. Love will soonshow you

your own best way. To catchmen without love is as hopeless as to catch fish
without a net. Love is the net. There never was a wickedsinner unsoftened by
a pure and steadfastlove. There never was a waywardscholarwho did not
reward the faithful, patient love of his teacher. Let our love be only such that
we can pray as Christ prayed for men, canweep as Christ wept over them,
can bleed as Christ bled for them, can stretchour arms of help as wide as He
stretchedHis on the cross ofsacrifice I Then we shall be able to catch men, for
so He drew us, and so He is drawing the world to Himself. "Fearnot," He
seems to sayto all who love, yet shrink from this holy calling, "fearnot; love
men, and you shall catchthem."
(J. B. Clark.)
Ministerial lessons
J. S. Hoare, B. D.
Christ's method of training His ministers for their high office was very
remarkable. It was by a miracle, especiallydesignedto represent, in a figure,
their future office, me that the homely trade in which they were engagedwas
for everhallowed to be the emblem of the gathering into the Church of such
as should be saved.
1. The unwearied patience and consummate skill, without which the
fisherman cannotbe successfulin alluring his prey, are, no doubt, fit
illustrations of that constancyof purpose and that heavenly wisdom which are
such important elements in the characterofthe Christian teacher.
2. And, perhaps, the factthat the four disciples had toiled all night and taken
nothing, and yet were ready, at their Master's bidding, againto let down the
net for a draught, is recordedas an instance of that unwavering faith in the
Divine promise, and that patient continuance in well-doing, which had
prepared these simple-minded peasants of Galilee for that office in which the
Christian minister has only to obey, while he leaves results in a higher hand,

and, even when he fears he has bestowedlabour in vain, still to labour on, in
reliance upon the assurance thatGod's word shall not return to Him void.
3. But perhaps the chief ministerial lessonwhich our Lord intended to convey
to the minds of His apostles was this — that as even the fisherman, in spite of
all his skill, must still depend on the powerof Him whose is the sea, for He
made it, so all the successofthe gospelpreacheris of the Lord alone.
(J. S. Hoare, B. D.)
Fishers of men
Christian Age.
I. NONE SHOULD ENTER THE MINISTRYBUT THOSE WHO ARE
CALLED OF CHRIST, There are other voices to which young men are apt to
listen.
1. There is the voice of the love of a life of literary ease. The young man has a
passionfor books;his daily toil seems to him mean and degrading;and he
fancies that if he were in the ministry he would have nothing to do but to
study, and that study would be a lifelong and ever-increasing delight. At the
best he becomes a respectable bookworm, who hates preaching, which so
greatly interferes with his studies;but he must preachor starve, and so he
preaches sermons about the gospel — very learned sermons — which do his
hearers about as much realgood as would an admirable lecture on the
chemistry of food delivered to a number of farm labourers who at the close of
a day's toil had hurried into a kitchen! hungry for food.
2. There is a voice of the ambition to be respectable, genteel!

3. There is the voice of the love of publicity. Sometimes a little successin
delivering half a dozen addresses to a Sunday School, or in making as many
speechesin a debating society, turns a young man's brain, and he is sure that
his proper place is in the ministry.
4. There is still another voice to which many young men are apt to listen,
imagining that it is indeed the voice of Christ calling them to devote
themselves to the ministry — the voice of a sincere desire to do good. This
desire is quick and powerful in the heart of every young man who has really
given himself to Christ. But it is a pitiable mistake to imagine that the callto
do goodand the callto become a preacherof the gospelis one and the same
thing. To none of the voices that I have named should a young man listen
when he is debating the question whether he should devote himself to the
ministry of the Word. Before he takes that solemn, and in many cases
irrevocable step, he should be very sure that it is the voice of Christ that he
has heard saying to him, "Follow Me, and I will make you a fisher of men."
II. BUT — this is the secondfactthat should be pondered — WHEN A MAN
HAS HEARD THAT CALL HE SHOULD OBEYIT AT ANY COST. It may
be that he cannotdo so without making sacrifices;like Simon and Andrew,
James and John, he may have to leave behind him nets, boats, valuable
fishing-tackle, and dear friends; he may have to give up greatpresent
advantages, stillgreaterprospective advantages;but like those of whom this
narrative speaks to us, he should cheerfully forsake all, and follow Christ.
Amos, the herdsman, was as true a prophet of the Lord as Isaiah, although he
was rearedin a palace. The other young man is in the counting-house;he is
the eldestson of the successfulhead of the firm; he knows that in due time he
will be a partner in the firm; he, too, is called, clearly called — he has no
doubt that it is Christ's voice he hears — yet he hesitates, for the nets and
boats that will have to be left are too many and too valuable; he reminds
himself of the factof which of I have reminded you, that it is not in the
ministry only that a man cando good, and so, with this excuse, which he

knows is for him a lie, he silences the Voice that calls so clearly. And hence
comes that fact, which all the Churches deplore, that so few young men come
forth from the middle and upper ranks of societyto serve our Lord Jesus
Christ as preachers of His Word. This was Garibaldi's most effective appeal
to his fellow-countrymen: — "Soldiers, your efforts againstoverwhelming
odds have been unavailing. I have nothing to offer you but hunger, thirst,
hardship, death: let all who love their country follow me" (July 22, 1849).
Such an appealdoes Christ address to-day to the sons of our Christian
merchants and landowners.
(Christian Age.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(10) Which were partners with Simon.—The Greek word is not the same as
that in Luke 5:7; that expressing that they were sharers in the work, this a
more generalpartnership in business, as in Philemon 1:17.
Thou shalt catchmen.—This is St. Luke’s equivalent for the “I will make you
fishers of men” in St. Matthew and St. Mark. The word implies that what is
caught is takenalive. The only other passagein which it occurs in the New
Testamentis 2Timothy 2:26.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
5:1-11 When Christ had done preaching, he told Peterto apply to the business
of his calling. Time spent on week days in public exercisesofreligion, 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! Though they had taken
nothing, yet Christ told them to let down their nets again. We must not
abruptly quit our callings because we have not the successin them we desire.
We are likely to speedwell, when we follow the guidance of Christ's word.
The draught of fishes was by a miracle. We must all, like Peter, own ourselves
to be sinful men, therefore Jesus Christmight justly depart from us. But we
must beseechhim that he would not depart; for woe unto us if the Saviour
depart from sinners! Ratherlet us entreat him to come and dwell in our
hearts by faith, that he may transform and cleanse them. These fishermen
forsook all, and followedJesus, whentheir calling prospered. When riches
increase, andwe are tempted to setour hearts upon them, then to quit them
for Christ is thankworthy.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
Fearnot - He calmed their fears. With mildness and tenderness he stilled all
their troubled feelings, and to their surprise announced that henceforward
they should be appointed as heralds of salvation.
From henceforth - Hereafter.
Shalt catchmen - Thou shalt be a minister of the gospel, and thy business
shall be to win people to the truth that they may be saved.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
10. Simon, fear not—This shows how the Lord read Peter's speech. The more
highly they deemed Him, ever the more grateful it was to the Redeemer's
spirit. Neverdid they pain Him by manifesting too lofty conceptions ofHim.
from henceforth—marking a new stage oftheir connectionwith Christ. The
last was simply, "I will make you fishers."

fishers of men—"Whatwilt thou think, Simon, overwhelmed by this draught
of fishes, when I shall bring to thy net what will beggarall this glory?" (See on
[1572]Mt4:18.)
Matthew Poole's Commentary
See Poole on"Luke 5:3"
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
And so was also James and John, the sons of Zebedee,....Who were in the
other ship, and had been beckonedto them to come and help them, and did
come, and were witnessesofthe miracle:
which were partners with Simon; were sharers with him in loss and gain in
the fishing trade; these were equally astonishedat the miracle, as Simon and
his brother, and the men that were in the boat with them, where Jesus was:
and Jesus saidunto Simon; who was at his knees, and expressedhis dread of
his majesty, and the consternationof mind he was in particularly:
fear not; do not be afraid of me, I shall do thee no harm, nor shall the boats
sink, or any damage come to any person, or to the vessels, norbe so much
amazed and affrighted, at the multitude of the fish taken:
from henceforth thou shalt catchmen; alive, as the word signifies, or "unto
life", as the Syriac and Persic versions render it; thou shalt castthe net of the
Gospel, and be the happy instrument of drawing many persons out of the
depths of sin and misery, in which they are plunged, into the wayof life and
salvation;and which was greatlyverified, in the conversionof three thousand
at one cast, under one sermon of his,

Geneva Study Bible
And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners
with Simon. And Jesus saidunto Simon, Fearnot; from henceforth thou shalt
catchmen.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Expositor's Greek Testament
Luke 5:10. Ἰάκωβονκαὶ Ἰωάννην, dependent on περιέσχεν: fear encompassed
them also, not less than Peterand the rest. This specialmention of them is not
explained, unless inferentially in what follows.—μὴ φοβοῦ, fearnot, addressed
to Peteralone. He alone, so far as appears, is to become a fisher of men, but
the other two are named, presumably, because meantto be included, and in
matter of fact they as well as Simon abandon all and follow Jesus (Luke
5:11).—ζωγρῶν:the verb means to take alive, then generallyto take;here and
in 2 Timothy 2:26. The analytic form (ἔσῃ ζωγρῶν) implies permanent
occupation= thou shall be a taker.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
10. partners] Here koinonoi, ‘associates’in profits, &c.
Fearnot] Accordingly, on another occasion, whenPetersees Jesuswalking on
the sea, so far from crying Depart from me, he cries “Lord, if it be Thou, bid
me come to Thee on the water” (Matthew 14:28); and when he saw the Risen
Lord standing in the misty morning on the shore of the Lake “he casthimself
into the sea” to come to Him (John 21:7).
10. thou shalt catch]Literally, ‘thou shalt be catching alive.’ In Jeremiah
16:16 the fishers draw out men to death, and in Amos 4:2, Habakkuk 1:14,
men are “made as the fishes of the sea” by way of punishment. Here the word
seems to imply the contrastbetweenthe fish that lay glittering there in dead

heaps, and men who should be captured not for death (James 1:14), but for
life. But Satantoo captures men alive (2 Timothy 2:26, the only other passage
where the verb occurs). From this and the parable of the seine or haulingnet
(Matthew 13:47) came the favorite early Christian symbol of the ‘Fish.’ “We
little fishes,” says Tertullian, “after our Fish (ΙΧΘΥΣ, i. e. Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς
Θεοῦ Υἱὸς Σωτήρ) are born in the water(of baptism).” The prophecy was
first fulfilled to Peter, when 3000 were convertedby his words at the first
Pentecost. In a hymn of St Clement of Alexandria we find “O fisher of mortals
who are being saved, Enticing pure fish for sweetlife from the hostile wave.”
Thus, He who “spreadthe fisher’s net over the palaces ofTyre and Sidon,
gave into the fisher’s hand the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” “He caught
orators by fishermen, and made out of fishermen his orators.” We find a
similar metaphor used by Socrates, Xen. Mem. ii. 6, “Try to be goodand to
catchthe good. I will help you, for I know the art of catching men.”
Bengel's Gnomen
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 spokenin
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 addressedin
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,Fearnot) Peterceasedto fear when he became
accustomedto the miracles.—ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν, from henceforth) This was
accomplished, ch. Luke 9:2.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 10. - Fearnot. A feeling of intense overpowering awe on a sudden came
on Simon after listening to the words and seeing this last actof powerwhich
so closelyaffectedhim. The very fish of his native lake, then, were subject to
this strange holy Man! This was no mortal, thought the fisherman, and he fell
at the Master's feet. "Finding as it does its parallel in almost all
manifestations of a Divine or even an angelic presence, it (this awful fear)

must be owned to contain a mighty, because an instructive, witness for the
sinfulness of man's nature, out of which it comes to pass that any near
revelation from the heavenly world fills the children of men, even the holiest
among them, with terror and amazement, yea, sometimes with the expectation
of death itself" (Archbishop Trench, 'Introduction to the Epistles to the Seven
Churches'). The same "Fearnot" ("Be not afraid") was uttered on like
occasions to Isaiah(Isaiah 6:7), to Daniel (Daniel 10:12), and severaltimes
during the earthly ministry was said to the disciples, and for the last time the
reassuring words were spokenby the Redeemerafterthe Ascensionto his own
dear follower, John, who could not bear the sight of the glorious majestyof his
risen Lord. Thou shalt catchmen. The imagery containedin these words of
the Masterto his fishermen-followers was, ofcourse, drawn from the late
scene. Theirfailure in catching fish, their Teacher's marvellous success, the
net bursting with the greatcatch of silvery fish; the Lord's strange prophetic
words which accompaniedtheir call to his service, - all would in after-years
often come up before the disciples in their hours of alternating failure and
successin the mighty task he had set them to do. The greatFisherman, Christ;
his imitators and servants, fishers;the world of men pictured as fish, - were
ever favourite images for the pencil, the graving tool, and the pen of the
Christian artist and writer of the first ages of the faith. One of the earliest
extant hymns, for instance, of the Church, by Clement of Alexandria, dwells
on the image. The words are addressedto Christ -
"Fisherof men, the blest,
Out of the world's unrest,
Out of sin's troubled sea,
Taking us, Lord, to thee;
Out of the waves ofstrife
With bait of blissful life;

Drawing thy nets to shore,
With choicestfish, good store."
(Hymn of Clement of Alexandria.) The favourite Christian monogramof the
fish, carved on so many tombs in the Catacombs, belongs to the same imagery
- the ιχθυς
Vincent's Word Studies
Partners (κοινωνοὶ)
In Luke 5:7 the word rendered partners is μέτοχοι;from μετά, with, and ἔχω,
to have. The word here denotes a closerassociation, a common interest. The
kindred noun, κοινωνία, fellowship, is used of the fellowship of believers with
Christ (1 Corinthians 1:9); the communion of the body and blood of Christ (1
Corinthians 10:16); the communion of the Holy Ghost (2 Corinthians 13:14).
The persons referred to in Luke 5:7 might have been only hired workmen
(Mark 1:20), temporarily associatedwith the principals.
Thou shalt catch(ἔσῃ ζωγρῶν)
Lit., thou shalt be catching, the participle and finite verb denoting that this is
to be his habitual calling. Both Matthew and Mark make the promise to be
addressedto Peterand his companions; Luke to Peteralone. The verb
ζωγρέω, to catch, is compounded of ζωός, living, and ἀγρεύω, to catchor take.
Hence, lit., to take alive: in war, to take captive, instead of killing. Thus
Homer, when Menelaus threatens the prostrate Adrastus:
"Adrastus claspedthe warrior's knees and said,

O son of Atreus, take me prisoner" (ζώγρει).
Iliad, vi., 45, 6; compare Iliad, x., 378.
So Herodotus: "The Persians took Sardis, and captured Croesus himself
alive" (ἔξώγρημαν). - I., 86.
There is certainly a reasonfor the use of this term, as indicating that Christ's
ministers are calledto win men to life. Compare 2 Timothy 2:26, where,
according to the best supported rendering, the servant of Godis represented
as taking men alive out of the power of Satan, to be preserved unto the will of
God; i.e., as instruments of his will (compare A. V. and Rev.). The word thus
contains in itself an answerto the sneering remark of the Apostate Julian, that
Christ aptly termed his apostles fishers; "for, as the fisherman draws out the
fish from waters where they were free and happy, to an element in which they
cannot breathe, but must presently perish, so did these."
STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary
Thou shalt catchmen - Ανθρωπους εσῃ ζωγρων, Thou shalt catch men alive;
this is the proper significationof the word. Fearnot: these discoveries ofGod
tend to life, not to death; and ye shall become the instruments of life and
salvationto a lostworld. These fish are takento be killed and fed on; but
those who are convertedunder your ministry shall be preserved unto eternal

life. See on Matthew 4:18; (note), etc., where this subjectis consideredmore at
large.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Luke 5:10". "The Adam Clarke
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/luke-
5.html. 1832.
Return to Jump List return to 'Jump List'
Albert Barnes'Notes onthe Whole Bible
Fearnot - He calmed their fears. With mildness and tenderness he stilled all
their troubled feelings, and to their surprise announced that henceforward
they should be appointed as heralds of salvation.
From henceforth - Hereafter.
Shalt catchmen - Thou shalt be a minister of the gospel, and thy business
shall be to win people to the truth that they may be saved.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Barnes, Albert. "Commentaryon Luke 5:10". "Barnes'Notes onthe Whole
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/luke-5.html. 1870.
The Biblical Illustrator
Luke 5:10
Fearnot; from henceforth thou shalt catchmen
Fishing for men
To be goodfishermen we must be--
I.
ARDENTLYENAMOURED OF THE FISHING.
II. INTIMATELY ACQUAINTED WITH THE FISHES. In following the
analogy, we may observe that, because ofhis acquaintance with the fishes, the
fisherman knows--

1. Where to fish. A novice would throw in his line anywhere; but not so the
fisherman. Fishes of various sorts must be sought in various localities, and in
some places you may seek in vain for any. Many a man has “toiled all the
night and has takennothing,” simply because he has been trying in the wrong
place;while others round about him have “made a goodtide.” For one sort he
may go to the quiet lake and the gentle stream; for another to the open sea or
the deep channel; while for others he has to go out into the great wide ocean.
And in our spiritual fishing we must learn where to catchmen. We may find
opportunities in the quiet lakes ofour owndomestic circles, orin the pleasant
streams of our socialfriendships. Becauseofhis acquaintance with the fishes,
the fisherman also knows--
2. How to fish. Like men, fishes differ very much in their dispositions and
habits, so that what would be suitable for catching one class would not be
successfulwith another. For instance:While some must be drawn, others
must be driven. I have seenfishermen, after casting their net, row round
about it, making as much noise as possible with their oars, in order to frighten
the fishes into it; while, in other instances, a bright light has been burned in
the boat to allure them, if possible, into the snare. It is exactly so with men.
Some are caughtin shoals, while others must be caught singly. There are some
that never can be takenin a net, and there are others that cannever be taken
with a line. You must go about it very cautiously. The fish is a shy creature,
and many would-be sportsman has driven away all chance of successby his
incautious procedure. Almost anybody can casta net, but it requires an expert
to use the line. People cansuccessfullyaddress large assemblies, who are ill at
ease whenin personalintercourse with the ungodly. This is a work that
demands all our skill and care. You may see a wonderful example of this in
our Saviour’s conversationwith the woman at the well. I have been in the
same boat with severalpersons, eachprovided with similar lines, hooks, and
bait; and yet some have been as wonderfully successfulas others have been
strangelyunfortunate. The secret, to those who understood fishing, was
obvious. The goodfisherman, knowing exactly how to manage and tempt his
prey, could, with inferior apparatus, secure success;while the novice, with the
best patent gear, might sit, and wait and watchin vain. The application is

easy. Seek to allure men! Make your Christianity an attractive thing!
Surround all you do with the genuine sunshine of the Bible! RevealChrist,
and He “will draw all men unto Him.” Again, his acquaintance with the fishes
will teachthe fisherman--
3. When to fish. “A word in season, how goodit is!” Some fishes are to be
caught when the tide is high; others, when it is low; and others, when it is
“slack.” Some canbe obtained only in cloudy weather, and others may be
caught when the sky is clearand bright. For some the daylight is needful, and
for others there is no time like the night. And the fit seasonfor approaching
men may be equally various. As in fishing, so, as a rule, with men, the best
time to seek them is during “the slack” ofthe tide. It is not well to make the
attempt during either the full swing of the flood, or of the strong rush of the
ebb. Indeed, no ordinary lead would carry your bait to where they are. You
must seek men when they are quiet. It is worthy of observationthat most
fishes arc caughtbest in cloudy weather. When the skyis murky and
lowering, then the fisherman puts out to sea. This certainly suggeststo us the
appropriateness of Christian words in seasons ofsorrow.
III. MORALLY QUALIFIED TO BE FISHERMEN. Piety, patience,
perseverance,and every Christian grace will be needful in this work. Its
difficulties are neither few nor small. (W. H. Burton.)
Catching men alive
Thou shalt catchmen. The word “catch” is different from any word that has
been used concerning the fish, and expressesthe catching alive of the prey to
be caught; so that the phraseologyofour Lord seems to carry with it the
thought that fishers of men are to toil for living creatures, andthat unless they

be caught alive they might as wellnot be caught at all. How well would it be
for all those who are calledto be fishers of men, to remember that their work
is not to fill their boat with fishes which may serve as food for themselves, but
to catchliving men and make them servants of the MostHigh God. (Bishop
Goodwin.)
Fishers of men
The designof this miracle was twofold. It was intended--
1. To produce an immediate effectupon the minds of Peterand the rest, to
deepen their faith in the Masterwho had calledthem, and to set forth His
power, His watchfulness, His love. But still more--
2. To take effectin the future; it was emphatically a prophetic miracle--to be
lookedback to and to yield inexhaustible comfort again and again amid the
heavy cares and discouraging tasks ofthe years to come, when the gospel-net
had been finally put into their hands, and they had become “fishers of men.”
St. Peterwas to translate into spiritual language all that belongedto his old
fisherman’s life. He was to understand that it had been in a homely, but still
most real, way a preparation for the new unearthly service to which Christ
was calling him. So you may remember the simple shepherd-life of David is
setforth in the seventy-eighth Psalm as a preparatory discipline for kingly
rule. And so, according to the fancy of an early writer, the trade of tentmaker
followedby Saul of Tarsus prefigured the work which lay in store for Paul the
apostle, as the maker of tabernacles forthe people of God, the founder of
Churches all over the known world. (Canon Duckworth.)

The promise that Petershould become a fisher of men was made still more
impressive by a greatsymbolical miracle.
1. The number of fish caught at Jesus’word representedthe men he should
some day take.
2. As he fished all night and caught nothing, so had he afterwards to labour
long in Israelwithout winning a single human soul.
3. So, too, at Jesus’word, he put further out into the deep of the greatGentile
world, and drew there a great draught.
4. Last of all, there were two boats to fill--the Gentile-Christian and the
JewishChristian Churches. Then the net began to tear, and the opposition of
these two sections threatenedthe Church with a grievous schism. But the
draught was brought safelyto land, to the confounding of the circumcised
Jew, through whose instrumentality this Divine action had been brought
about. (B. Weiss.)
Men-catchers
The man who saves souls is like a fisher upon the sea.
1. A fisher is dependent and trustful.
2. He is diligent and persevering.

3. He is intelligent and watchful.
4. He is laborious and self-denying.
5. He is daring--not afraid to venture upon a dangerous sea.
6. He is successful. He is DO fisher who never catches anything. (C.
H.Spurgeon.)
There is as much analogyas contrastbetweenthe first and secondvocations of
the sons of Jonas and Zebedee.
1. Like the fisherman, the minister of the gospelmust be furnished with a
goodnet, i.e., he must be conversantwith the Scriptures, and mighty in them.
2. Like the fisherman, he must be acquainted with the sea, i.e., the world, and
not fearto confront its perils in pursuance of his calling.
3. Like the fisherman, he must now mend, now casthis nets.
4. Like the fisherman, he must labour perseveringly, and waitpatiently.

5. Like the fisherman, he must enter into the spirit of his vocation, i.e., he
must be animated with the enthusiasm of the holy ministry.
6. Like the fisherman, he must dare to expose his life (Acts 20:24).
7. Like the fisherman, he must draw in his net after having castit. (C. Babut,
B. D.)
Sympathy a bait
It is a fact of which we can scarcelymake too much, that nothing baits the
gospelfisherman’s hook like sympathy. (Dr. J. Clifford.)
Purposelesssermons
Are an insult to God and man. A sermon that aims at anything short of
catching men is a mistake. Let us beware of converting means into ends. (Dr.
J. Clifford.)
Catching bait
The fisherman, however, thinks far less of his gathering bait than he does of
his catching bait, in which he hides his hook. Very numerous are his
inventions for winning his prey, and it is by practice that he learns how to
adapt his bait to his fish. Scores ofthings serve as bait, and when he is not
actually at work the wise fisherman takes care to seize anything which comes

in his way which may be useful when the time comes to casthis lines. We
usually carried mussels, whelks, andsome of the coarsersorts offish, which
could be used when they were wanted. When the anchor was down the hooks
were baited and let down for the benefit of the inhabitants of the deep, and
greatwould have been the disappointment if they had merely swarmed
around the delicious morsel, but had refused to partake thereof. A good
fisherman actually catches fish. He is not always alike successful, but, as a
rule, he has something to show for his trouble. I do not call that man a
fisherman whose basketseldomholds a fish; he is sure to tell you of the many
bites he had, and of that very big fish which he almostcaptured; but that is
neither here nor there. There are some whose knowledge ofterms and
phrases, and whose extensive preparations lead you to fear that they will
exterminate the fishy race, but as their basketreturns empty, they canhardly
be so proficient as they seem. The parable hardly needs expounding: great
talkers and theorizers are common enough, and there are not a few whose
cultured boastfulness is only exceededby their life-long failure. We cannot
take these for our example, nor fall at their feet with reverence for their
pretensions. We must have sinners saved. Nothing else will contentus: the
fisherman must take fish or lose his toil, and we must bring souls to Jesus, or
we shall break our hearts with disappointment. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Sucking off the bait
Walking to the head of the boat one evening, I saw a line over the side, and
must needs hold it. You can feelby your finger whether you have a bite or no,
but I was in considerable doubt whether anything was at the other end or not.
I thought they were biting, but I was not certain, so I pulled up the long line,
and found that the baits were all gone;the fish had suckedthem all off, and
that was what they were doing when I was in doubt. If you have nothing but a
sort of gathering bait, and the fish merely come and suck, but do not take the
hook, you will catchno fish; you need killing bait. This often happens in the
Sunday-school. A pleasing speakertells a story, and the children are all

listening; he has gathered them; now comes the spiritual lesson, but hardly
any of them take notice of it, they have suckedthe bait from the hook, and are
up and away. A minister in preaching delivers a telling illustration, all the
ears in the place are open, but when he comes to the applicationof it the
people have become listless;they like the bait very well, but not the hook; they
like the adornment of the tale, but not the point of the moral. This is poor
work. The plan is, if you possibly can manage it, so to get the bait on the hook
that they cannotsuck it off, but must take the hook and all. Do take care, dear
friends, when you teach children or grown-up people, that you do not arrange
the anecdotesin such a way that they can sortthem out, as boys pick the
plums from their cakes, orelse you will amuse but not benefit. (C.
H.Spurgeon.)
Over-cautious fishermen
A very zealous revivalist of our acquaintance was wontto saythat over-
cautious preachers were like fishermen who refuse to castforth the net for
fear they might catcha devil-fish. (From Hervey’s “Manualof Revivals.”)
Sinners must be taken out of their native element
We must never be satisfiedtill we lift sinners out of their native element. That
destroys fish, but it saves souls. We long to be the means of lifting sinners out
of the waterof sin to lay them in the boatat the feet of Jesus. To this end we
must enclose them as in a net; we must shut them up under the law, and
surround them with the gospel, so that there is no getting out, but they must
be captives unto Christ. We must net them with entreaties, encircle them with
invitations, and entangle them with prayers. We cannotlet them getawayto
perish in their sin, we must land them at the Saviour’s feet. This is our design,
but we need help from above to accomplishit: we require our Lord’s direction

to know where to castthe net, and the Spirit’s helping of our infirmity that we
may know how to do it. May the Lord teachus to profit, and may we return
from our fishing, bringing our fish with us. Amen. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The draught of fishes
This miracle illustrates--
I. THE LOW LEVEL OF A LIFE WITHOUT CHRIST FOR ITS MASTER.
Fishing had become to these men the chief end and whole aim of living. Up to
this time their life was exceedinglynarrow. It had no horizon wider than the
sea which held their food and supplied their trade. Thus they would have lived
and died, but for the call and commissionof Christ. The secularideal of life
always binds men to earth. Only Christ canraise it.
II. THE TRUE RELATION BETWEENBUSINESSAND RELIGION, Our
Lord lived a carpenter before He died a Saviour. Through all His early
manhood He consecratedmanual toil by His own example, and so He wedded
the daily and spiritual life for ever in one. Here He sanctions Simon’s
business, even while crowning it with a higher calling. Our Lord is master
both of business and religion; no drudgery is too low or mean to become,
when done for Christ’s sake, the very service of God. How this transfigures
the net of the fisher, the miner’s pick, the grocer’s scales, the clerk’s tape: in
eachof them can be discerned a humble toolfor the accomplishment of the
Divine will. The servant’s broom, thus held, becomes a sceptre in the hand
that holds it.

III. THE SECULAR LIFE, SUBMITTED TO CHRIST, BECOMES A
SCHOOL FOR THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. It was in doing His daily work for
Christ’s sake that Petertook his first and most needed lessonin apostleship--
the lessonofhumility. And thus it is, through the arts and implements which
are the most familiar, that the Lord is always seeking to lift men up from
secularto spiritual lives. As the Easternastrologers were pointedto the
Redeemer’s cradle by a star; as the womanof Samaria, in the very act of
drawing waterout of Jacob’s well, was led to dip and drink of the sweeter
waters of life; as Peter, the fisherman, by a surprising draught of fishes was
made lowly enough to catch men--so through the humblest art or calling of the
daily life, the Lord is reaching down hands to train and mould us for a purer
spiritual life and service. The counting-roomis no longer narrow, when thus
its higher use as schoolroomofthe soulis recognized. Dollars and cents no
longerdegrade men when they learn to read on their face, not the name of
Caesaronly, but the holier sealand superscription of God. The irritating
cares ofhome ceaseto fret the housekeeper’sspirit when she begins to treat
them as part of that ministry by which the Lord seeksto make her a more
profitable servant.
IV. THE NOBLE SERVICES OF A LIFE CONSECRATED IN ALL ITS
ACTIVITIES TO THE LORD. Notall at once;we cannotenter schooland
graduate the same day. It needs many lessons;line upon line of experience;
but success does come atlast.
V. PRACTICAL LESSONS.

1. The service of the Lord is always the truest service we canrender to
ourselves. We have all something to give up to become followers of Jesus. Yet
give it up! Yours will be a strange experience if the things you give up for
Christ’s sake do not soonlook small beside the things you have gained. They
will be, in comparison, as the Sea ofGalilee to the world, as the worth of a fish
to the value of an immortal man.
2. No business on earth is worth following for its ownsake. It may be an
honest and innocent business; but if it be not also a Christian calling, and that
by our own most deliberate choice, it will certainly dwarf the higher nature of
him who follows it. It may keepus alive. It may bring us gains. But what are
life and wealth worth, in any soberman’s estimate, when thus secured? The
“successes”ofmillionaires have been commonly the worstmistakes oflife.
There is a higher law reigning over all trades, professions, occupation(1
Corinthians 10:31).
3. The climax of all callings is to be a fisher of men. (J. B. Clark.)
The noblest calling
An eminent New England divine, in his last sickness,was askedby a friend,
“What seems to you now the greatestthing?” “Nottheology,” saidthis prince
of theologians;“not controversy,” againreplied this chief of debaters; “but,”
gathering up his last breath to speak the words, while his spirit hovered at the
gate of heaven, “the greatestthing in the world is to save a soul.” He spoke of
what he knew, for he had felt the joy of delivering many; and could the
witness of all saints, from Peter down to the lastascended, be taken, would it
not be the same, “the greatestthing on earth is to save a soul”? (J. B. Clark. )

The “net” of a genuine Christian life
You and I may never be heroes of a Pentecost;we are not masters of the great
seine, which Peterand John of old, and some modern disciples, shootout and
catchmen by the thousands; but have we not some humble hand-net with
which we can take a few? Along our coastline, for some years, men have been
setting up what they call “weirs,” consisting ofa series ofenclosedponds,
connectedwith eachother by openings, and terminating, at last, in a netted
fence running far out into the bay. Against this netted fence the fish, in their
progress, strike, and, following it down, they are safelyenclosed, atlast, in the
smallestpond where they are easilycaptured when the tide is out. Like this
netted arm, running far out into the busy world, is a genuine Christian life. It
has none of the specialgifts of a Finney or a Moody, but in the coming and
going tides more than one soul is arrestedby this standing net of a godly life.
Unconsciouslyguided by the holy barrier in their way, they are drawn into
stiller waters, and when the tide goes outat last, many, I believe, will be found
takenfor Christ, and takenby fishers of men whose chief skill has been to
stand, to stand firm and without rent, in the midst of a restless sea.(J. B.
Clark.)
Catchmen by love
Would you be a fisher of men? And do you ask, How may I succeed?Love is
the bestpilot, the only wise interpreter. Love men as Christ loved them, and
you will not mourn your small skill or limited chance. Love will soonshow you
your own best way. To catchmen without love is as hopeless as to catch fish
without a net. Love is the net. There never was a wickedsinner unsoftened by
a pure and steadfastlove. There never was a waywardscholarwho did not
reward the faithful, patient love of his teacher. Let our love be only such that
we can pray as Christ prayed for men, canweep as Christ wept over them,
can bleed as Christ bled for them, can stretchour arms of help as wide as He

stretchedHis on the cross ofsacrifice I Then we shall be able to catch men, for
so He drew us, and so He is drawing the world to Himself. “Fearnot,” He
seems to sayto all who love, yet shrink from this holy calling, “fearnot; love
men, and you shall catchthem.” (J. B. Clark.)
Ministerial lessons
Christ’s method of training His ministers for their high office was very
remarkable. It was by a miracle, especiallydesignedto represent, in a figure,
their future office, me that the homely trade in which they were engagedwas
for everhallowed to be the emblem of the gathering into the Church of such
as should be saved.
1. The unwearied patience and consummate skill, without which the
fisherman cannotbe successfulin alluring his prey, are, no doubt, fit
illustrations of that constancyof purpose and that heavenly wisdom which are
such important elements in the characterofthe Christian teacher.
2. And, perhaps, the factthat the four disciples had toiled all night and taken
nothing, and yet were ready, at their Master’s bidding, againto let down the
net for a draught, is recordedas an instance of that unwavering faith in the
Divine promise, and that patient continuance in well-doing, which had
prepared these simple-minded peasants of Galilee for that office in which the
Christian minister has only to obey, while he leaves results in a higher hand,
and, even when he fears he has bestowedlabour in vain, still to labour on, in
reliance upon the assurance thatGod’s word shall not return to Him void.
3. But perhaps the chief ministerial lessonwhich our Lord intended to convey
to the minds of His apostles was this--that as even the fisherman, in spite of all

his skill, must still depend on the powerof Him whose is the sea, for He made
it, so all the successofthe gospelpreacheris of the Lord alone. (J. S. Hoare, B.
D.)
Fishers of men
I. NONE SHOULD ENTER THE MINISTRYBUT THOSE WHO ARE
CALLED OF CHRIST, There are other voices to which young men are apt to
listen.
1. There is the voice of the love of a life of literary ease. The young man has a
passionfor books;his daily toil seems to him mean and degrading;and he
fancies that if he were in the ministry he would have nothing to do but to
study, and that study would be a lifelong and ever-increasing delight. At the
best he becomes a respectable bookworm, who hates preaching, which so
greatly interferes with his studies;but he must preachor starve, and so he
preaches sermons about the gospel--verylearned sermons--whichdo his
hearers about as much realgood as would an admirable lecture on the
chemistry of food delivered to a number of farm labourers who at the close of
a day’s toil had hurried into a kitchen! hungry for food.
2. There is a voice of the ambition to be respectable, genteel!
3. There is the voice of the love of publicity. Sometimes a little successin
delivering half a dozen addresses to a Sunday School, or in making as many
speechesin a debating society, turns a young man’s brain, and he is sure that
his proper place is in the ministry.

4. There is still another voice to which many young men are apt to listen,
imagining that it is indeed the voice of Christ calling them to devote
themselves to the ministry--the voice of a sincere desire to do good. This desire
is quick and powerful in the heart of every young man who has really given
himself to Christ. But it is a pitiable mistake to imagine that the call to do
goodand the call to become a preacherof the gospelis one and the same
thing. To none of the voices that I have named should a young man listen
when he is debating the question whether he should devote himself to the
ministry of the Word. Before he takes that solemn, and in many cases
irrevocable step, he should be very sure that it is the voice of Christ that he
has heard saying to him, “Follow Me, and I will make you a fisher of men.”
II. BUT--this is the secondfactthat should be pondered--WHEN A MAN HAS
HEARD THAT CALL HE SHOULD OBEY IT AT ANY COST. It may be
that he cannot do so without making sacrifices;like Simon and Andrew,
James and John, he may have to leave behind him nets, boats, valuable
fishing-tackle, and dear friends; he may have to give up greatpresent
advantages, stillgreaterprospective advantages;but like those of whom this
narrative speaks to us, he should cheerfully forsake all, and follow Christ.
Amos, the herdsman, was as true a prophet of the Lord as Isaiah, although he
was rearedin a palace. The other young man is in the counting-house;he is
the eldestson of the successfulhead of the firm; he knows that in due time he
will be a partner in the firm; he, too, is called, clearly called--he has no doubt
that it is Christ’s voice he hears--yet he hesitates, for the nets and boats that
will have to be left are too many and too valuable; he reminds himself of the
fact of which of I have reminded you, that it is not in the ministry only that a
man can do good, and so, with this excuse, which he knows is for him a lie, he
silences the Voice that calls so clearly. And hence comes that fact, which all
the Churches deplore, that so few young men come forth from the middle and
upper ranks of societyto serve our Lord Jesus Christas preachers ofHis

Word. This was Garibaldi’s most effective appealto his fellow-countrymen:--
“Soldiers, your efforts againstoverwhelming odds have been unavailing. I
have nothing to offer you but hunger, thirst, hardship, death: let all who love
their country follow me” (July 22, 1849). Suchan appealdoes Christ address
to-day to the sons of our Christian merchants and landowners. (Christian
Age.)
Copyright Statement
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Exell, JosephS. "Commentary on "Luke 5:10". The Biblical Illustrator.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tbi/luke-5.html. 1905-1909.
New York.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
And so was also James and John, the sons of Zebedee,....Who were in the
other ship, and had been beckonedto them to come and help them, and did
come, and were witnessesofthe miracle:
which were partners with Simon; were sharers with him in loss and gain in
the fishing trade; these were equally astonishedat the miracle, as Simon and
his brother, and the men that were in the boat with them, where Jesus was:

and Jesus saidunto Simon; who was at his knees, and expressedhis dread of
his majesty, and the consternationof mind he was in particularly:
fear not; do not be afraid of me, I shall do thee no harm, nor shall the boats
sink, or any damage come to any person, or to the vessels, norbe so much
amazed and affrighted, at the multitude of the fish taken:
from henceforth thou shalt catchmen; alive, as the word signifies, or "unto
life", as the Syriac and Persic versions render it; thou shalt castthe net of the
Gospel, and be the happy instrument of drawing many persons out of the
depths of sin and misery, in which they are plunged, into the wayof life and
salvation;and which was greatlyverified, in the conversionof three thousand
at one cast, under one sermon of his, Acts 2:41
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on Luke 5:10". "The New John Gill Expositionof
the Entire Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/luke-
5.html. 1999.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Simon, fear not — This shows how the Lord read Peter‘s speech. The more
highly they deemed Him, ever the more grateful it was to the Redeemer‘s
spirit. Neverdid they pain Him by manifesting too lofty conceptions ofHim.
from henceforth — marking a new stage of their connectionwith Christ. The
last was simply, “I will make you fishers.”
fishers of men — “What wilt thou think, Simon, overwhelmedby this draught
of fishes, when I shall bring to thy net what will beggarall this glory?” (See on
Matthew 4:18.)
Copyright Statement
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text
scannedby Woodside Bible Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-BrownCommentary is in the
public domain and may be freely used and distributed.
Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on
Luke 5:10". "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfb/luke-5.html. 1871-8.
People's New Testament

Said unto Simon. Not to him alone (Matthew 1:19). Simon, Andrew, James
and John were all told to become "fishers of men."
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Original work done by Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 atThe
RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
Johnson, BartonW. "Commentary on Luke 5:10". "People's New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pnt/luke-5.html.
1891.
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
Thou shalt catchmen (εσηι ζωγρων — esēizōgrōn). Periphrastic future
indicative, emphasizing the linear idea. The old verb ωγρεω — Zōgreō means
to catchalive, not to kill. So then Peteris to be a catcherof men, not of fish,
and to catchthem alive and for life, not dead and for death. The great
Pentecostwill one day prove that Christ‘s prophecy will come true. Much
must happen before that greatday. But Jesus foreseesthe possibilities in
Simon and he joyfully undertakes the task of making a fisher of men out of
this poor fisher of fish.
Copyright Statement

The Robertson's WordPictures of the New Testament. Copyright �
Broadman Press 1932,33,Renewal1960. All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Broadman Press (Southern BaptistSunday SchoolBoard)
Bibliography
Robertson, A.T. "Commentary on Luke 5:10". "Robertson'sWord Pictures
of the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/luke-5.html. Broadman
Press 1932,33. Renewal1960.
Vincent's Word Studies
Partners ( κοινωνοὶ )
In Luke 5:7 the word rendered partners is μέτοχοι ; from μετά ,with, and ἔχω
,to have. The word here denotes a closerassociation, a common interest. The
kindred noun, κοινωνία ,fellowship, is used of the fellowship of believers with
Christ (1 Corinthians 1:9); the communion of the body and blood of Christ (1
Corinthians 10:16); the communion of the Holy Ghost (2 Corinthians 13:14).
The persons referred to in Luke 5:7 might have been only hired workmen
(Mark 1:20), temporarily associatedwith the principals.
Thou shalt catch( ἔσῃ ζωγρῶν )
Lit., thou shalt be catching, the participle and finite verb denoting that this is
to be his habitual calling. Both Matthew and Mark make the promise to be
addressedto Peterand his companions; Luke to Peteralone. The verb
ζωγρέω , to catch, is compounded of ζωός , living, and ἀγρεύω ,to catchor

take. Hence, lit., to take alive: in war, to take captive, instead of killing. Thus
Homer, when Menelaus threatens the prostrate Adrastus:
“Adrastus claspedthe warrior's knees and said,
O son of Atreus, take me prisoner ” ( ζώγρει )Iliadvi., 45,6;compare Iliad, x.,
378.
So Herodotus: “The Persians took Sardis, and captured Croesus himself
alive” ( ἔξώγρημαν ). - I., 86.
There is certainly a reasonfor the use of this term, as indicating that Christ's
ministers are calledto win men to life. Compare 2 Timothy 2:26, where,
according to the best supported rendering, the servant of Godis represented
as taking men alive out of the power of Satan, to be preserved unto the will of
God;i.e., as instruments of his will (compare A. V. and Rev.). The word thus
contains in itself an answerto the sneering remark of the Apostate Julian, that
Christ aptly termed his apostles fishers;“for, as the fisherman draws out the
fish from waters where they were free and happy, to an element in which they
cannot breathe, but must presently perish, so did these.”
sa40
Copyright Statement
The text of this work is public domain.
Bibliography

Vincent, Marvin R. DD. "Commentaryon Luke 5:10". "Vincent's Word
Studies in the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/vnt/luke-5.html. Charles
Schribner's Sons. New York, USA. 1887.
The Fourfold Gospel
and so were also James and John, sons of Zebedee1, who were partners with
Simon. And Jesus saidunto Simon, Fearnot2; from henceforththou shalt
catchmen3.
James and John, sons of Zebedee. See .
Fearnot. See .
From henceforth thou shalt catchmen. Jesus here shows the purpose for
which this miracle had been wrought. It was a prophetic type or picture which
foreshadowedthe triumphs of the day of Pentecostand other seasons when
the apostles hadgreatingatherings of souls through the preaching of the
gospel.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website. These files
were made available by Mr. Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 at
The RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
J. W. McGarveyand Philip Y. Pendleton. "Commentaryon Luke 5:10". "The
Fourfold Gospel". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tfg/luke-
5.html. Standard Publishing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1914.

Abbott's Illustrated New Testament
We are not to suppose that these words are all that was said. They express the
substance of what was, perhaps, a long conversation.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Abbott, John S. C. & Abbott, Jacob. "Commentaryon Luke 5:10". "Abbott's
Illustrated New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ain/luke-5.html. 1878.
Calvin's Commentary on the Bible
Luke 5:10.Forafterwards thou shalt catchmen. The words of Matthew are, I
will make you fishers of men; and those of Mark are, I will cause that you may
become fishers of men. They teach us, that Peter, and the other three, were
not only gatheredby Christ to be his disciples, but were made apostles, or, at
least, chosenwith a view to the apostleship. It is, therefore, not merely a
generalcallto faith, but a specialcallto a particular office, that is here
described. The duties of instruction, I do admit, are not yet enjoined upon
them; but still it is to prepare them for being instructors, (340) that Christ
receives and admits them into his family. This ought to be carefully weighed;
for all are not commanded to leave their parents and their former occupation,
and literally (341)to follow Christ. There are some whom the Lord is satisfied
with having in his flock and his Church, while he assigns to others their own
station. Those who have receivedfrom him a public office ought to know, that

something more is required from them than from private individuals. In the
case ofothers, our Lord makes no change as to the ordinary way of life; but
he withdraws those four disciples from the employment from which they had
hitherto derived their subsistence, thathe may employ their labors in a nobler
office.
Christ selectedrough mechanics, — persons not only destitute of learning, but
inferior in capacity, that he might train, or rather renew them by the power of
his Spirit, so as to excelall the wise men of the world. He intended to humble,
in this manner, the pride of the flesh, and to present, in their persons, a
remarkable instance of spiritual grace, that we may learn to implore from
heaven the light of faith, when we know that it cannot be acquired by our own
exertions. Again, though he chose unlearned and ignorant persons, he did not
leave them in that condition; and, therefore, what he did ought not to be held
by us to be an example, as if we were now to ordain pastors, who were
afterwards to be trained to the discharge of their office. We know the rule
which he prescribes for us, by the mouth of Paul that none ought to be called
to it, unless they are “ apt to teach,” (1 Timothy 3:2.) When our Lord chose
persons of this description it was not because he preferred ignorance to
learning as some fanatics do, who are delighted with their own ignorance, and
fancy that, in proportion as they hate literature, they approachthe nearerto
the apostles. He resolvedat first, no doubt, to choose contemptible persons, in
order to humble the pride of those who think that heaven is not open to the
unlearned; but he afterwards gave to those fishers, as an associatein their
office, Paul, who had been carefully educated from his childhood.
As to the meaning of the metaphor, fishers of men, there is no necessityfor a
minute investigation. Yet, as it was drawn from the present occurrence, the
allusion which Christ made to fishing, when he spoke of the preaching of the
Gospel, was appropriate:for men stray and wander in the world, as in a great
and troubled sea, till they are gatheredby the Gospel. The history related by
the EvangelistJohn(John 1:37) differs from this: for Andrew, who had been

one of John’s disciples, was handed over by him to Christ, and afterwards
brought his brother along with him. At that time, they embracedhim as their
master, but were afterwards elevatedto a higher rank.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Calvin, John. "Commentary on Luke 5:10". "Calvin's Commentary on the
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cal/luke-5.html. 1840-
57.
James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary
THE FUNCTION AND SIGNIFICANCE OF MIRACLE
‘Fearnot; from henceforth thou shalt catchmen.’
Luke 5:10
In considering this narrative there are two subjects on which we may dwell;
first, the generalfunction of miracle in the ministry of our Lord; and next, the
symbolic significance ofthis miracle in particular.

I. The function of miracle.—Whatthis true function of miracle is may best be
gatheredfrom John’s comment on the first miracle at Cana of Galilee (John
2:11). By it ‘He manifested forth His glory, and His disciples believed on
Him.’ Various words are used in the Gospelnarratives to describe miracles.
The simplest, and perhaps leastsignificant, is the word which we render
‘wonder.’ The secondis a word denoting properly a ‘power’ at work. The
third is the word ‘sign.’ Of what is miracle a sign? The answeris clear. It is a
sign of the manifest intervention of a superhuman will and purpose in the
realms of nature and of humanity, working in the one absolutely, in the other
with the concurrence through faith of the wills of those on whom it works. As
such, it is intended further to call the world’s attention to the characterand
mission of Him Who works it, and to incline men to listen reverently to His
Word, and bow to His authority. Its function is thus simply preparatory.
II. The symbolic meaning of this particular miracle.—The keyto that
meaning is given by His charge to the Apostles to be ‘fishers of men,’ and by
His parable (see Matthew 13:47-50), whichlikens the Kingdom of Heaven to a
‘draw-net castinto the sea.’In all points of the narrative we trace the ever-
recurring experience of the Church of Christ, especiallyin the apostolic age,
but also at all greatepochs of progress and revival.
His messengers are to be earnestand faithful ‘fishers of men.’
Bishop Barry.
(SECOND OUTLINE)
FISHERS OF MEN

Observe:—
I. The presence of Christ ensures success.—The netencloseda greatmultitude
of fishes. We canwash the Gospelnets. We can mend the Gospelnets. We can
let down those nets into the seething sea of human life; but without the Spirit
of Christ we cannot save, or help, or comforta single soul.
II. St. Peter’s astonishment.—St. Peterdid not mean ‘depart,’ and Christ
knew it. There were two causes forSt. Peter’s astonishment. He saw the glory
of his Lord; he felt the sinfulness of his own heart. Such an experimental
acquaintance, both with Christ and with self, is necessaryto the salvationof
any man.
III. The Lord’s gracious promise.—TheGreek is, ‘Thou shalt take men alive.’
Fish are caughtfor death, for food; men are to be caught for life. Every true
minister of the Gospelcanlook his people in the face and say, ‘I seek not
yours, but you.’ The real objectof the preaching of the Gospelis a gathering
of souls unto God; that men may be brought out by grace from lives of self-
pleasing and self-indulgence, and led to consecratethemselves to Christ as
their only Lord and Master.
—Rev. F. Harper.
Illustration
‘There was a circumstance connectedwith the miracle that St. Peter had
witnessed, which was especiallyto be attended to in connectionwith his future
ministry. The generallife of a fisherman was no doubt toilsome and hard; but

it was also upon the whole successful. Christchose a moment in St. Peter’s life
for the enforcing of the greatlessonwhich He desiredto teachwhen the
labour had been peculiarly unsuccessful;they had toiled all night and had
takennothing, and it was after this night of fruitless effort that Christ joined
the party and bid them once more cast out their nets. It was not, therefore, the
generalsuccessoftheir occupationthat made Christ choose the life of
fishermen as the type of the life of His Apostles;He would not represent the
work to which he calledPeter and James and John as an ordinary work,
which they had only to go about as they would about any other work in order
to ensure success;he rather took the fishermen at a moment when their
human sagacityand skill had failed them, and when they had given up their
endeavours for the time as useless, in order to show them that the mainspring
of their successin their future work was to be, not confidence in their own
skill, but faith in Himself. Moreover, the personalpresence ofChrist could
very much strengthen the lesson.’
(THIRD OUTLINE)
THE MINISTERS CALLING
What was true of St. Peteris true, in measure, of every Christian minister.
I. The sea.—The sea, in which the catcherof men plies his benevolent
vocation, is the world of human society. In its vastness, in its vicissitudes, in its
uncertainties, in its dangers, this world of humanity is as a great ocean, both
inviting and yet often repelling the toil of the toiler.
II. The fish.—The fish which are soughtin this sea are human souls. As the
disciples, in exercising their calling, sometimes toiled all night and caught

nothing, because the fish were wary or were elsewhere, so we are reminded,
by the figurative language of the text, that it is a hard, laborious, unpromising
task in which the preachers of the Gospelare engaged. Toilis often followed
by disappointment and discouragement.
III. The net.—The net which is castinto this sea is the Gospel—aninstrument
devised by Divine wisdom, and adapted to enclose souls ofevery kind.
Without the net the fisherman is helpless; with the net he is Divinely
equipped.
IV. Things which make for success.—Thequalities of the successfulfisherman
are to be imitated by the faithful minister of Jesus Christ. Skill, assiduity,
patience, perseverance, with the blessing of God, may effectgreatwonders.
V. The result.—The catching of the fish may representthe bringing souls
within the sacredand secure environment of the Church, and the landing of
them may picture the leading them to heavenly felicity. The Christian
minister is only satisfiedand rewardedwhen those who are far from God are
brought nigh, are made partakers of eternal salvation.
Illustration
‘This miracle had a twofold object. It was intended to produce an immediate
effectupon their minds, to deepentheir faith in a MasterWho had called
them, and to setforth His power, His watchfulness, His love. But still more it
was intended to take effectin the future; it was emphatically a prophetic
miracle, it was to be lookedback to and to yield inexhaustible comfort again
and again, amid the heavy cares and discouraging tasks ofthe years to come,
when the Gospelnet had been finally put into their hands, and they had

become fishers of men. How many a time when that net has been castand
drawn to the shore by wearyarms and found empty—how many a time the
memory of this scene has revived the sinking hearts of workers forChrist!
The greattriumphs of the Gospelof Christ have often been like the
miraculous draught of fishes—overpowering surprises afterperiods of
stagnation. The successhas been perilous from its very magnitude, and the
suddenness of its demand upon the strength and skill of those who had to reap
it.’
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Nisbet, James. "Commentaryon Luke 5:10". Church Pulpit Commentary.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cpc/luke-5.html. 1876.
John Trapp Complete Commentary
10 And so was also James, andJohn, the sons of Zebedee, which were
partners with Simon. And Jesus saidunto Simon, Fearnot; from henceforth
thou shalt catchmen.
Ver. 10. Thou shalt catchmen] {See Trapp on "Matthew 4:19"}

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Trapp, John. "Commentary on Luke 5:10". John Trapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/luke-5.html.
1865-1868.
Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible
Luke 5:10. Thou shalt catchmen.— Thou shalt captivate, or take alive. The
exactmeaning of the word ζωγρων . See 2 Timothy 2:26 in the margin. To
catch, implies something more of artifice than the word carries with it, or the
occasionseems to require.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Coke, Thomas. "Commentaryon Luke 5:10". Thomas Coke Commentary on
the Holy Bible. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tcc/luke-
5.html. 1801-1803.

Greek TestamentCriticalExegeticalCommentary
10. ἔσῃ ζωγρῶν] Compare, and indeed throughout this miracle, the striking
parallel, and yet contrast, in John 21—withits injunction, ‘feed My lambs,’
‘shepherd My sheep,’given to the same Peter;its net which did not burst: and
the minute and beautiful appropriateness of eachwill be seen:this, at, or
near, the commencementof the Apostolic course;that, at how different, and
how fitting a time!
It is perhaps too subtle, and hardly accordantwith the rules of emphasis, to
find (with Me(48). and Stier) a fitness in ζωγρῶν as expressing the ethical
catching of men. I prefer taking it as the word common to both acts—merely
as catch.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Alford, Henry. "Commentary on Luke 5:10". Greek TestamentCritical
ExegeticalCommentary.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hac/luke-5.html. 1863-1878.
Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament
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 spokenin

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 addressedin
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, Fearnot) Peterceasedto fearwhen he became
accustomedto the miracles.— ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν, from henceforth) This was
accomplished, ch. Luke 9:2.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bengel, JohannAlbrecht. "Commentary on Luke 5:10". Johann Albrecht
Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jab/luke-5.html. 1897.
Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
See Poole on"Luke 5:3"
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Poole, Matthew, "Commentaryon Luke 5:10". Matthew Poole's English
Annotations on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/luke-5.html. 1685.
Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament
Catchmen; by proclaiming to them the gospel, and thus bringing them from
the service ofSatan to the service ofChrist.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Edwards, Justin. "Commentary on Luke 5:10". "Family Bible New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/fam/luke-5.html.
American Tract Society. 1851.
Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools andColleges
10. κοινωνοί, ‘associates’in profits, &c. comp. Luke 5:7.
μὴ φοβοὺ. Accordingly, on another occasion, whenPetersees Jesus walking
on the sea, so far from crying Departfrom me, he cries “Lord, if it be Thou,

bid me come to Thee on the water” (Matthew 14:28);and when he saw the
RisenLord standing in the misty morning on the shore of the Lake “he cast
himself into the sea” to come to Him (John 21:7). These blessedwords μὴ
φοβοῦ, so characteristicofthe Gospel(Matthew 10:26;Matthew 10:31;
Matthew 14:27; Matthew 28:5; Mark 5:36; Mark 6:50) seemto be favourite
words with St Luke (Luke 1:13; Luke 1:30, Luke 2:10, Luke 8:50, Luke 12:4;
Luke 12:7; Luke 12:32, Luke 24:36;Acts 18:9; Acts 27:24).
ἔσῃ ζωγρῶν. Literally, ‘thou shalt be catching alive (ζωός, ἀγρεύω). If the
Emperor Julian had attended to the meaning of the verb his sneerthat the
‘men’ so ‘caught’ would die, like fishes out of water, would have become
pointless. In Jeremiah 16:16 the fishers draw out men to death, and in Amos
4:2; Habakkuk 1:14, “men are made as the fishes of the sea” by way of
punishment. Here the word seems to imply the contrastbetweenthe fish that
lay glittering there in dead heaps, and men who should be captured not for
death (James 1:14), but for life. But Satantoo captures men alive (2 Timothy
2:26, the only other passagewhere the verb occurs). From this and the
parable of the seine or haulingnet (Matthew 13:47) came the favourite early
Christian symbol of the ‘Fish.’ “We little fishes,” says Tertullian, “after our
Fish (ΙΧΘΥΣ, i.e. Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς θεοῦ Υἱὸς Σωτήρ) are born in the water(of
baptism).” The prophecy was first fulfilled to Peter, when 3000 were
convertedby his words at the first Pentecost. In a hymn of St Clement of
Alexandria we find “O fisher of mortals who are being saved, Enticing pure
fish for sweetlife from the hostile wave.” Thus, He who “spreadthe fisher’s
net overthe palaces ofTyre and Sidon, gave into the fisher’s hand the keys of
the kingdom of heaven.” “He caughtorators by fishermen, and made out of
fishermen his orators.” We find a similar metaphor used by Socrates, Xen.
Mem. II. 6, “Try to be goodand to catchthe good. I will help you, for I know
the art of catching men.”
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
"Commentary on Luke 5:10". "Cambridge Greek TestamentforSchools and
Colleges".https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cgt/luke-5.html.
1896.
Whedon's Commentary on the Bible
10. Sons of Zebedee—The children and wife of Zebedee often occur; but it is
in this transactionalone that we catch a glimpse of Zebedee himself.
Matthew 4:21. As all the evangelists concurin silently leaving him out, Blunt
concludes that he died shortly after, and notes this as one of those
“undesignedcoincidences”that show that truth is the basis of the Gospel
histories. He also acutely conjectures that either James or John was the
apostle who desiredto be permitted to go and bury his father, namely,
Zebedee.
Julian the Apostate endeavoured to turn the simile of fishing against
Christianity; inasmuch as fish were caught from their living element for
death. But for the very purpose of avoiding this cavil, or rather from the very
intention of a goodsymbolicalmeaning, our Lord uses not the word αγρευειν,
which signifies simply to capture; but the word ζωγρειν, which signifies to
take alive, being compounded of the words alive and capture. So in the Latin,
the word servus, signifying servant or slave, is from servare, to preserve,
because slaves were generallyprisoners of war savedfrom death for
servitude. The same word is used by Paul, 2 Timothy 2:26 : Takencaptive by
him at his will. Whatevermay be the destiny, therefore, of the literal fish, the

souls they symbolize are captured by the spiritual fishermen into the service
of the giver of life.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Whedon, Daniel. "Commentary on Luke 5:10". "Whedon's Commentary on
the Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/whe/luke-5.html.
1874-1909.
PeterPett's Commentary on the Bible
‘And Jesus saidto Simon, “Do not be overawed, from now on you will be
taking men alive.” ’
And Jesus then gently saidto Simon Peter. “Do not be overawed, from now on
you will be taking men alive.” It was His callto Peterto follow Him, and both
knew it, just as both knew that Peterhad had a life-changing experience. And
it was an illustration of the fact that his future life was to be involved in
‘netting’ men. He was to be a ‘winner of souls’. In the other Gospels the call is
put more blatantly, ‘Follow Me.’Both were surely said, for in neither case do
we have the full conversations.Fromnow on Jesus was going to train Peterto
be a preacher, a catcherof men. And for Peterand the others life would never
be the same again.

As we have already seenthe picture of men of God as fishermen is found in
the Old Testament. The scatteredchildren of Israelwere to be gatheredby
‘fishermen’ fishing them (Jeremiah16:16). No wonder Jesus chose fishermen.
They were skilled at it.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Pett, Peter. "Commentary on Luke 5:10". "PeterPett's Commentary on the
Bible ". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pet/luke-5.html. 2013.
The Expositor's Greek Testament
Luke 5:10. ἰάκωβονκαὶ ἰωάννην, dependent on περιέσχεν: fear encompassed
them also, not less than Peterand the rest. This specialmention of them is not
explained, unless inferentially in what follows.— μὴ φοβοῦ, fearnot,
addressedto Peteralone. He alone, so far as appears, is to become a fisher of
men, but the other two are named, presumably, because meant to be included,
and in matter of fact they as well as Simon abandon all and follow Jesus (Luke
5:11).— ζωγρῶν: the verb means to take alive, then generally to take;here
and in 2 Timothy 2:26. The analytic form ( ἔσῃ ζωγρῶν) implies permanent
occupation= thou shall be a taker.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Nicol, W. Robertson, M.A., L.L.D. "Commentary on Luke 5:10". The
Expositor's Greek Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/egt/luke-5.html. 1897-1910.
George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary
Christ answers the thought of St. Peter, that instead of any loss or evil coming
to him, he should, on the contrary, receive a greatreward, by being appointed
a fisher of men; and, as he had takenso many fishes by the divine assistance,
so he should take in his net innumerable souls, not so much by his own
industry, as by the divine grace and assistance. (Maldonatus)
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Haydock, George Leo. "Commentaryon Luke 5:10". "GeorgeHaydock's
Catholic Bible Commentary".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hcc/luke-5.html. 1859.

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes
also James = James also.
Zebedee. Aramaean. App-94.
not. Greek. me. App-105.
catch= be capturing (alive), used of taking captives. Greek. zogreo. Occurs
only here, and 2 Timothy 2:26.
men. App-123.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bullinger, Ethelbert William. "Commentary on Luke 5:10". "E.W.
Bullinger's Companion bible Notes".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bul/luke-5.html. 1909-1922.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(10) Which were partners with Simon.—The Greek word is not the same as
that in Luke 5:7; that expressing that they were sharers in the work, this a
more generalpartnership in business, as in Philemon 1:17.
Thou shalt catchmen.—This is St. Luke’s equivalent for the “I will make you
fishers of men” in St. Matthew and St. Mark. The word implies that what is
caught is takenalive. The only other passagein which it occurs in the New
Testamentis 2 Timothy 2:26.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCE HURT MD
Luke 5:10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were
partners with Simon. And Jesus saidto Simon, "Do not fear, from now on you
will be catching men.
James:Lu 6:14 Mt 4:21 20:20
partners: Lu 5:7 2 Co 8:23
from: Eze 47:9,10 Mt 4:19 13:47 Mk 1:17 Ac 2:4
Luke 5:1-11 CharacteristicsofJesus'Divinity, Part 1 - John MacArthur
Luke 5:1-11 CharacteristicsofJesus'Divinity, Part 2 - John MacArthur
Luke 5:1-11 Catching Fish or Men? - Steven Cole

J C Ryle's Comments on Luke 5 - clear, devout, and accurate
Luke 5 Resources- Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
A PROPHECY:FROM NOW ON
CATCHING MEN NOT FISH!
So also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon
- James and John were also struck with amazement, a mixture of fear mingled
with awe. So Jesus mercifully meets their need commanding them not to be
fearful. This group of Simon Peter, James and John would become the central
core of Jesus'disciples and be allowedto see things not seenby the others,
such as Jesus'transfiguration, which amazed them to such as extent "they fell
face down to the ground and were terrified." (Mt. 17:1-5, 6)
Do not fear (present imperative with a negative) - This command more
literally means "stop being fearful." Why would Simon fear? When he
realized he was in the presence ofGod, he was uncertain of what fate might
await. But Jesus quickly calms his fearwith this command.
John MacArthur - In the terror of the recognitionof his sinfulness, Peter
wanted to send the Lord away, but Jesus wantedto draw Peter closer. The
very point at which the sinner feels the most alienation is the point at which
the Saviorseeks reconciliation. In Psalm51:17 David wrote, “The sacrifices of
God are a brokenspirit; a brokenand a contrite heart, O God, You will not
despise.” Throughthe prophet IsaiahGod declared, “Forthus says the high
and exaltedOne Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, ‘I dwell on a high
and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit in order to revive
the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite’ ” (Isa. 57:15; cf.
66:2). At their moment of deepestalienation when, overwhelmedby their
sinfulness, Peter, James, and John sought to flee, Jesus reachedout to pull
them to Himself. This is the glorious moment of their repentance. He did the

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