The Gospels · Chapter 5 of 24

Luke 5

After a night of empty nets, Peter obeys Jesus' word and hauls in a catch so great the nets break, then falls down calling himself a sinful man; Jesus calls him to catch men. Jesus cleanses a leper, forgives and heals a paralytic lowered through a roof, calls Levi the tax collector, and answers critics with images of a physician, a bridegroom, and new wine.

What happens in Luke 5

By the lake of Gennesaret Jesus teaches from Simon's boat, then tells him to launch into the deep. Despite a fruitless night, Simon obeys and encloses a catch so large the nets tear and two boats nearly sink. Overwhelmed, Simon Peter falls at Jesus' knees confessing his sin, and Jesus tells him he will henceforth catch men. Peter, James, and John forsake all to follow. Jesus then touches and cleanses a man full of leprosy.

Teaching amid Pharisees, he forgives and heals a paralytic let down through the roof, proving that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins. He calls Levi from the tax booth and feasts with tax collectors and sinners, answering the scribes that he came to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance. To their questions about fasting he speaks of the bridegroom, and of new wine that needs new bottles.

Luke 5 in context

Luke gathers early scenes that reveal both Jesus' power and his mission to sinners. Leprosy and paralysis marked people as unclean and cut off; a tax collector like Levi was a social and religious outcast. In each case Jesus crosses the boundary, touching, forgiving, dining.

The Pharisees and scribes appear as watchers, troubled that he claims to forgive sins and that he keeps company with the wrong people. The new wine sayings signal that something fundamentally new has arrived.

Main themes of Luke 5

Luke 5 (KJV)

1And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, 2And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. 3And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. 4Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. 6And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. 7And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. 8When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 9For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: 10And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. 11And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. 12And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 13And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him. 14And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. 15But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. 16And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed. 17And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them. 18And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. 19And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus. 20And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. 21And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? 22But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts? 23Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? 24But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. 25And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. 26And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day. 27And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. 28And he left all, rose up, and followed him. 29And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. 30But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? 31And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. 32I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 33And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink? 34And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? 35But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. 36And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. 37And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. 38But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. 39No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

Verses to carry from Luke 5

“When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”Luke 5:8

“But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.”Luke 5:24

“I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”Luke 5:32

Reflection

Peter's best fishing came after obeying a word that made no professional sense. Where has Christ asked you to let down the nets again in a place you have already given up on? And notice this: your sense of unworthiness is not a reason to keep Jesus at arm's length. He calls sinners who know their need, not the righteous who feel none.

A prayer from Luke 5