Teaching Simon Peter
The scene in Lk 5:1-11 is Jesus at the lake of Genneseret, the sea of Galilee. A multitude has gathered there to hear him. But teaching Simon Peter is the Lord’s main objective in this passage.
The lesson for Simon, teach and preach the word of God, v1. There are many who will hear the word of God. The people pressed upon Jesus to hear him speak. His word was with authority and power, Lk 4:36. They stayed there until he left speaking, v4. And they didn’t even come for miracles; they wanted to hear the word of God. They didn’t want to hear the words of the scribes. The word of God, not the word of men, is what they heard, 1 Cor 2:1, 4-5; Mk 7:5-9, 13.
The lesson for us, teach and preach the word of God even though today they will not endure sound doctrine, 2 Tim 4:3-4. They heap to themselves teachers having itching ears. They want to hear the words of men, enticing words, men’s wisdom. Yet, there are those who still want and need the word of God.
The lesson for Simon, the Lord wants to use what you have, v2-3. In teaching Simon Peter, the ship made a convenient pulpit. Jesus’s voice was amplified over water and from the ship he could see more of the audience.
The lesson for us, the Lord wants to use what you have. He used Moses’s rod. He used the lad’s 5 loaves and 2 fishes. You may not think you have much for the Lord to use. You have all he needs.
And preach where the people are. This is public ministry. You don’t need to advertise, rent a building, use a PA. It’s free and the word of God has free course, 2 Thes 3:1.
When he left speaking, there was no altar call, no fleecing the crowd. They simply needed to hear his word, believe on him that sent Jesus, Jn 5:24, believe on Jesus, Jn 6:29, and do God’s will, Jn 7:17. The lesson for Simon, leave the results to God, v4. With Cornelius Peter gave no altar call, prayed no prayer of salvation. He just had the word of God and the Spirit of God.
The lesson for Simon, your experience is no match for God’s wisdom, v4-5. Jesus said, “Let down your nets”. There were two ships v2 and the fishermen were washing their nets, plural. His partners were James and John v10. They should have let their net down, too. Peter let down only his net, singular, because they had toiled all the night and caught nothing. Peter said, “Nevertheless at thy word” (that’s a good enough reason to do it). God’s command is all you need. Trust him regardless of your experience.
The lesson for us, don’t refuse the Lord’s command just because your experience tells you that it won’t work. The widow could have refused to check the barrel of meal and the cruse of oil because she knew from the night before that it was empty. And the other lesson, doing half the command (net) is not obedience.
The lesson for Peter, when God tells you to do something, be prepared for him to do more than you expect, v6-7. They caught a great multitude of fishes. This was God’s miraculous provision. The net brake because they didn’t let down the nets, plural. The lesson for us, God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, Eph 3:21.
Note: The net breaking was not a big problem because when they brought their ships to land they forsook all. You might find that your “net” breaks before you forsake all. The banking business turned south for me before I left. Auré confessed that he lost interest in tennis before he left for the ministry.
Note: They had so many fish that the ships began to sink. They might have been tempted to keep fishing after such a haul (fishing’s never been so good) v9. Auré was offered a better coaching job. I was approached by a bank when I left FNB.
In our society they could have seen Jesus as an added blessing to their fishing business and would have thought of a way to use their increased profitability to “further the gospel” while continuing to fish, which is what they liked and knew how to do.
In teaching Simon Peter, he needed to be humbled. Peter fell down and said, “Depart from me”. “I am a sinful man”. He didn’t believe the Lord and didn’t fully follow his command. The lesson for Simon, he humbled himself before the Lord, v8. This is the same lesson we need. In 1 Tim 1:15 Paul confessed, “I am chief” of the sinners. 1 Cor 1:29 no flesh should glory. We’re not ready to be fully used until we are humbled. There was more humbling still in the future for Simon Peter.
“Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men”. The lesson for Simon, he was going to catch a multitude of men when he started fishing for them, v9-10. Acts 2:41, 3,000 souls. Acts 4:4 another 5,000. Acts 21:20 many thousands. The lesson for us, if we fish for men, following Jesus’ command, we will catch some or many. God gives the increase.
They forsook all, and followed him. Contrast Matt 4:18-22. Jesus ‘walking’ by the sea. They were casting a net. And the others were in the ship with their father mending their nets. Lk 4 washing their nets and they weren’t in the ships, the fishermen were gone out of them. Different day.
In Matt 4 left their nets, and J and J left their ship and their father. In Lk 4 they forsook all. Ships, nets, fish, business. In Matt 4, I’ll make you fishers of men. Mk 1:17 to “become” fishers of men. It’s a process. You must fish for them before you can catch them, Lk 4. People give up too easily. The lesson for Simon, forsake all and follow me. Put all your effort into fishing for men, v11. In teaching Simon Peter, Jesus took him further into the ministry by stages.
The lesson for us, the Lord deals with us by stages. We start by thrusting out a little. Then we launch out into the deep. We forsake something, then we forsake all.
To study the prior lesson, see Authority and Power. To study the next lesson, see Typical Days in Jesus’s Ministry.