(4) Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. (5) And 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. (6) And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes; and their net brake. (7) And 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. (8) When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. (9) For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: (10) And 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. (11) And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.
Very many blessed things are contained in this short history of the miraculous draught of fishes. I might call upon the Reader to remark with me, what kindness to the poor fishermen, who had toiled all night and caught nothing, in thus immediately providing for them and their households. I might observe also, what a beautiful application was hereby made of the Lord's sermon. These, and other remarks, might be gathered from it of an instructive nature. But I pass by all these, in order to call the attention of the Reader to a point, yet vastly more momentous; namely, the testimony which this miracle of the Lord Jesus carried with it to the mind of Peter of the Godhead of Christ. For the Apostle's falling down at the feet of Jesus and crying out, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord, was altogether expressive what his views of Jesus at that time were. Peter, it should seem, at the moment recollected what the Lord had said to Moses in the Mount. Thou canst not see my face, for there shall no man see me and live. Exodus 33:20. And under these impressions, holy men concluded, that the sight of God must produce instant death. Hence Manoah, in after ages, when the angel of the Lord appeared to him and his wife, and did wonderously, expected death: We shall surely die, (said he), because we have seen God. Judges 13:22. Peter felt all this, and under a conscious sense of sin, desired the Lord to depart from him. The Apostle was convinced, that nothing short of an Almighty power could have produced such a miracle as was then shewn, and therefrom drew his conclusion of the Godhead of Christ. I hope the Reader will as readily, and from the same power as taught Peter, be led to the same conclusion, and then the passage will appear in all its beauty. See Matthew 16:13-17.