And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
In our exposition of Matthew 4:18-22, we have shown, as it appears to us, that this was quite a different occasion from that, and consequently that the calling of the disciples there and here recorded were different callings. This one, as we take it, was neither their first call, recorded in John 1:35-42; nor their second, recorded in Matthew 4:18-22; but their third and last before their appointment to the apostleship. These calls are to be viewed as progressive stages in their preparation for the great work before them, and something similar is observable in the providential preparation of other eminent servants of Christ for the work to which they are destined.
Verse 1. And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon Him, х epikeisthai (G1945)] - literally, 'lay upon Him' "to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret."
Verse 2,3. And saw two ships ... And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's ... And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship - as in Matthew 13:2.
Verse 4. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught - munificent recompense for the use of his boat!
Verse 5. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, х Epistata (G1988)] - betokening not surely a first acquaintance, but a relationship already formed.
We have toiled all night - the usual time of fishing then (John 21:3), and even now.
And have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. Peter, as a fisherman, knew how hopeless it was to "let down his net" again at that time, except as a mere act of faith, "at His word" of command, which carried in it, as it ever does, assurance of success. This is a further proof that he must have been already and for some time a follower of Christ.
Verse 6 And when they had this done they enclosed a great multitude of fish: and their net brake Verse 6. And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fish: and their net brake, х dierreegnuto (G1284)]. This should have been rendered, 'was breaking,' or 'was beginning to break;' for evidently it did not break.
Verse 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, х buthizesthai (G1036)] - 'were sinking,' or 'were beginning to sink.'
Verse 8. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man. O Lord. Did Peter then wish Christ to leave him? Verily no. His all was wrapped up in Him. (See John 6:68.) 'Twas rather, 'Woe is me, Lord! How shall I abide this blaze of glory? A sinner such as I am is not fit company for Thee.' Compare Isaiah 6:5.
Verse 9,10. For he was astonished, and all that were with him ... And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not. This shows that the Lord read Peter's speech very differently from many learned and well-meaning commentators on it.
From henceforth - marking a new stage in their connection with Christ.
Thou shalt catch men. 'What wilt thou think, Simon, overwhelmed by this draught of fish, when I shall bring to thy net what will dim all this glory?'
Verse 11. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all and followed him. They did this before (Matthew 4:20); now they do it again: and yet after the Crucifixion they are at their boats once more (John 21:3). In such a business this is easily conceivable. After Pentecost, however, they appear to have finally abandoned their secular calling.
Remarks:
(1) Did Jesus give His disciples this miraculous draught of fish after they had toiled all the previous night and caught nothing? Did He do the same thing after His resurrection in precisely similar circumstances? Did He heal the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda, who had endured his infirmity thirty and eight years, but not until he had long vainly endeavoured to obtain a cure by stepping into the pool? In a word, Did He let the woman endure her issue of blood twelve years, sad spend all that she had upon physicians, only to find herself worse instead of better, before she found instant healing under His wings? Let us not doubt that "all these things happened unto them for ensamples, and are written for our admonition on whom the ends of the world are come," to the intent we should not doubt that at evening time it shall be light, that God will hear His own elect that cry unto Him day and night, though He hold out long, as if deaf to them.
(2) If the exclamation of Peter, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord," be compared with that of Isaiah, when the thrice-Holy One was revealed to him in his temple-vision, "Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips ... for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hosts" (Isaiah 6:5), can any right-thinking mind fail to see that such a speech, if from one creature to another, ought to liars been met as Paul met the attempts of the Lycaonians to do sacrifice to him and Barnabas, when he ran in among them, exclaiming with horror - "Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God" (Acts 14:14-15); and that when Jesus, instead of rebuking it, only comforted His trembling disciple with the assurance that wonders far surpassing what he had just witnessed would follow his own labours, He set His seal to views of His Person and character, which only the Word made flesh was entitled to accept? In fact, the more highly they deemed of Him, ever the more grateful it seemed to be to the Redeemer's spirit. Never did they pain Him by manifesting too lofty conceptions of Him.
(3) 'Simon,' says Dr. Hall most admirably, 'doth not greedily fall upon so unexpected and profitable a booty, but he turns his eyes from the draught to Himself, from the act to the Author, acknowledging vileness in the one, in the other majesty: "Go from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." It had been a pity the honest fisher should have been taken at his word. O Simon, thy Saviour is come into thine own ship to call thee, to call others by thee, unto blessedness; and dost thou say, "Lord, go from me?" as if the patient should say to the physician, Depart from me, because I am sick. [But] it was the voice of astonishment, not of dislike; the voice of humility, not of discontentment: yea, because thou art a sinful man, therefore hath thy Saviour need to come to thee, to stay with thee; and because thou art humble in the acknowledgement of thy sinfulness, therefore Christ delights to abide with thee, and Will call thee to abide with Him. No man ever fared the worse for abasing himself to his God. Christ hath left many a soul for froward and unkind usage; never any for the disparagement of itself, and entreaties of humility. Simon could not devise how to hold Christ faster than by thus suing Him to be gone, than by thus pleading his unworthiness.'
(4) Did Jesus teach Simon to regard the ingathering of souls to Himself by the Gospel as transcending all physical miracles? O that the ministers of the everlasting Gospel would rise to such a view of their calling, and travail in birth until Christ be formed in men's souls! But it is not they only whom Christ's words to Peter are fitted to stimulate. "He that winneth souls is wise" (Proverbs 11:30) - be he who he may. "They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they" - whoever they be - "that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever" (Daniel 12:3). "Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him" - no matter who - "let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins" (James 5:19-20).