Luke

5:1-11

The mission of the Messiah, 1:5-9:50

3. The signs of the Messiah, 4:31-6:11

ii] Sign of the fish - Lord of mankind

In the episode, The Sign of the Fish, the sign is intertwined with the call of the first disciples, although the passage is more concerned with their vocation than their call. Although this event seems early in Jesus' ministry, it is clear that Jesus now has a considerable popular following. It is also likely that Jesus has an existing acquaintance with Peter, James and John. John, in his gospel, 21:1-14, alludes to this story in order to underline Christ's call to "catch men", something the disciples forget following the resurrection.

The miracle of the draft of fishes is both a messianic sign, in that it reveals the messiah to those with eyes to see (note Peter's response "depart from me for I am a sinful man") and a teaching parable, in that it illustrates something of the will of the messiah ("don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men"). There are, of course, a myriad of ways commentators handle miracles, ranging from fables to allegories. Blomberg's description of miracles as "audiovisuals" of a deeper reality points us in the right direction. Nolland's title for this passage Fishing Associates for Jesus encapsulates its message.

The issue of application is an interesting one. If the story describes the vocation of the disciples as gatherers for salvation, a vocation confirmed in Jesus' final commission to them, is their vocation ours? We must always remember that a specific command to a specific person or group, is not necessarily a universal command. A survey of scripture indicates that the vocation is not an individual one, but rather a community one to which all members of the Christian community contribute in their own particular way. Our support for a missionary society is a good example of how the many contribute to the face-to-face mission of the few.

The six episodes in The Signs of the Messiah, 4:31-6:11, reveal the nature of the messiah's authority. The episodes are in the form of messianic signs which together reveal the simple truth, "he does what only God can do." This section, and the three that follow, are primarily drawn from Markan material and set out to relate the acts of messiah. Although geography is not of great concern to Luke, these acts form the bulk of Jesus' Galilean ministry.

egeneto (ginomai) aor. "one day" - it happened, it came about. Used to indicate a new section in the gospel.

hn eJstwV "was standing" - had been standing. The imperfect of the verb to-be with the perfect participle forming a periphrastic pluperfect. Subordinate to "he saw", v2. Jesus "stood beside the lake", Moffatt.

en tw/ + inf. "as" - on the [to press in on .... to hear]. The preposition followed by a dative articular infinitive of "to press in on" and "to hear", probably forming a temporal clause; "while the crowd was pressing in on (him) and listening to the word of God", NAB. Subordinate to "stood beside the lake." "The crowd pressed near him, straining to hear him", Bock.

ton legon tou qeou "the word of God" - Possibly a subjective genitive, "the message God reveals", or less likely an objective genitive, "the message about God", although better, a genitive of source, "the message from God that Jesus proclaims." A common descriptive of Jesus' preaching and of the apostolic preaching in Acts. "The word coming from God", Fitzmyer.

eiden (oJraw) aor. "he saw" - Main verb. Jesus spots two boats on the edge of the lake, one of which can serve as a preaching platform, given that the crowd is crushing in on him. Note, as usual, Jesus sits to teach.

eJstwta (iJsthmi) perf. part. "at" - standing [beside the lake]. The participle is adverbial, probably temporal, "as he stood beside the lake", Moffatt, in the sense of simply "being" at the lake, so "at" as NIV. "He saw two boats drawn up on the lake-side", Barclay.

de "-" - but, and. Here continuative, "and the fisherman disembarked, washing their nets."

apobanteV (apobainw) aor. part. "left" - having gone away, departed, disembarked. The participle is adjectival limiting "boats", "boats where were left beside the lake."

eplunon (plunw) imperf. "who were washing" - were washing. The imperfect is durative, denoting the ongoing action of washing (Mark has "repairing") their nets following a night of fishing.

SimwnoV (Simwn) gen. "belonging to Simon" - Simon's. The genitive is possessive, it was Simon's boat. "Christ uses Peter's boat as a pulpit, whence to throw the net of the gospel over his hearers", Plummer.

epanagagein (epanagw) aor. inf. "to put out" - to bring, to return. Introducing a dependent statement of entreating expressing what Jesus asked Peter to do. Here as "to put out to sea."

kaqisaV (kaqizw) aor. part. "then he sat down" - having sat down. The participle is adverbial, probably forming a temporal clause, "when he sat down."

edidasken (didaskw) imperf. "taught" - he was teaching. Possibly an inceptive imperfect, "he began teaching the people", or durative, "he went on teaching", NEB.

lalwn (lalew) pre. part. "speaking" - A not so common complementary participle, completing the thought of the verb "finished".

proV + acc. "[said] to [Simon]" - The command is addressed "to" Simon. This may imply that he was steering the boat, so Plummer, or better, it was his boat.

epanagage (epanagw) aor. imp. "put out" - bring, return. "Push out into deep water", Williams.

to baqoV "deep water" - the deep. The presence of the article may imply a particular spot on the lake. "The son of a carpenter is telling the fisherman where to toss their nets!", Bock. Yet, the sense is probably that the boat was "a little from the shore", v3, but now it is to go into deeper water where fish are found.

calasate (caletw) aor. imp. pl. "let down" - The plural command implies that it is addressed to Peter and those with him in the boat.

eiV "for [a catch]" - Here expressing purpose, "in order to catch."

epistata (hV ou) voc. "Master" - chief, master. Probably an expression of respect, but possibly a recognition of Jesus' authority. Note how Matthew and Mark prefer the term "teacher", or "rabbi".

kopiasanteV (kopiaw) aor. part. "we've worked hard" - having labored. The word carries the sense of "wearisome work", BAGD. The participle is probably concessive, forming a participle phrase describing what the disciples did, and is followed by a result clause; "although we have worked hard throughout the night we have caught nothing."

dia + gen. "all [night]" - through (in time). "Throughout the night."

epi + dat."[but] because [you say so]" - [but] upon, on [the word of you]. In the sense of "in reliance upon." Probably expressing "reluctant obedience", TH., but more likely a recognition of Jesus' authority; "all the same, if you say so ...", Barclay.

calasw (calaw) sing. fut. "I will let down" - The singular obviously referring to Peter's personal response to Jesus' command.

ta diktua (on) "the nets" - Nets (plural) used for deep water fishing.

poihsanteV (poiew) aor. part. "when they had done [so]" - having done [this]. The participle is adverbial forming a temporal clause, as NIV. "After they did this ..."

sunekleisan (sugkleiw) aor. "they caught" - they shut up. "They did so and made such a huge catch of fish", REB.

polu adj. "a large number" - many, much. Emphasizing the "great multitude of fish", and thus the miraculous nature of the catch. It is unclear what type of miracle it was. Does it display Jesus' knowledge (he knew where the fish were without seeing them), or does it display his will (he caused the fish to be there)? Some have argued that Jesus could see the fish from where he was standing, but the response of Peter discounts this view.

icquwn (uV oV) gen. "of fish" - The genitive is descriptive.
      "that" - The clause is consequential, so NIV; So "that their nets began to split", REB.

dierrhsseto (diarrhssw) imperf. pas. "began to break" - were being burst, split, torn. The imperfect is probably inceptive where the emphasis is placed at the beginning of the action, so NIV.

kateneusan (kataneuw) aor. "they signaled" - they signaled by the nodding of heads. This word is probably chosen because their hands are full and their voices would not carry to the other boat.

toiV metocoiV (oV) "their partners" - to the partners, companion. Grundmann notes that boats usually worked in pairs so Peter and his crew are signalling to their business partners, James and John, probably still with their boat on the beach.

tou + inf. "-" - in order [to help]. Articular infinitive with the article in the genitive, a construction that usually forms a purpose clause; "in order that, having come, they may help them."

wJste + inf. "that" - Forming a consequential clause, "so that / with the result that."

baqizesqai (baqizw) pres. pas. inf. "they began to sink" - The present tense is probably inceptive with the emphasis at the beginning of the action, so NIV.

idwn (eidon) aor. part. "when [Simon Peter] saw this" - having seen. The participle is adverbialforming a temporal clause, as NIV.

prosepesen (prospiptw) aor. "he fell at" - he fell before. "He threw himself at Jesus' feet", Barclay.

toiV gonasin (u atoV) dat. "[Jesus'] knees" - the knees [of Jesus]. Locative dative with "Jesus" as a possessive genitive. Peter threw himself "at the feet" of Jesus. "Knees" rather than "feet" possibly indicates that Peter actually knelt before Jesus with his head level with Jesus' knees. Of course, Jesus could already be on his knees in squatting fashion, rather than standing in the boat.

exelqe (exercomai) aor. imp. "go away" - go out. The sense "go out" as if expelling Jesus' presence from his mind, is unlikely. Lit. "go forth from me" = "go and leave me", Fitzmyer.

kurie (oV) voc. "Lord" - Lord, master. Here, "Supreme Lord", rather than just "Sir", Nolland.

oJti "-" - for, because. Here expressing cause/reason. In this miracle Peter recognizes something of Jesus' person and so asks Jesus to back off from him "because" he knows himself to be a sinful man. Peter's response is an interesting one. It is not a full-blown recognition of the person of Jesus, nor is it an overt act of repentance, but it does evidence a quality always found in a seeker, namely, a recognition of their unworthiness before God. This prompts an obvious question; is it necessary to begin a gospel presentation by telling the congregation they are sinners? Confronted by the grace of God in Jesus, the seeker can't help but recognize their state of loss. "For I'm only a sinful man", Phillips.

qamboV gar periscen auton "were astonished" - for astonishment had seized him [and all the ones with him]. Peter is not the only one who is shocked. "Peter and everyone with him were completely surprised", CEV.

epi + dat "at [the catch of fish]" - concerning. Here serving to identify the particular referent that astonished them, "were astonished with respect to / with reference to the catch of fish."

wJn gen. rel. pro. "-" - which. The tense is due to attraction to the genitive "of fish", a genitive of content.

sunelabon (sunlambanw) aor. "they had taken" - they took. "All the fish they had caught", CEV.

omoiwV adv. "and so" - likewise.

mh fobou (fobew) pres. imp. "don't be afraid" - This particular negation indicates that the command is to cease an action already in progress. For Jesus, a recognition of unworthiness is no ground for fear, but rather, is the very basis of approval before God.

apo tou nun "from now on" - from the now, present. For the disciples, things will be different from this moment on. "Beginning immediately", TH.

esh/ zwgrwn (zwgrew) pres. part. "you will catch [men]" - you will be catching alive. Probably with the sense "rescue", so "save alive", and therefore "gather for salvation." The future of the verb to-be with the present participle forming the periphrastic future. Although it is difficult to give any particular reason for the choice of a periphrastic construction rather than a simple verb, the choice is often for emphasis, and here one suspects that the choice serves to underline durative action; "you will continue to gather people for salvation." This story describes the incorporation of Peter, James and John into Jesus' mission, and so probably serves as Luke's version of the call of the disciples, cf. Mk.1, Matt.4. None-the-less, the story doesn't really describe the call of the disciples, but rather their vocation. "It's people you will be catching", NJB.

anqrwpouV (oV) "men" - The position is emphatic emphasizing that the disciples will be catching people from now on, and not fish. "From now on you will bring in people instead of fish", CEV.

katagagonteV (katagw) aor. part. "so they pulled [their boats] up" - having put in at, arrived at, brought to [the boats upon the land]. The participle is adverbial, possibly, temporal, causal or consequential. "Then they hauled the boats up onto the land", Barclay.

afenteV (afihmi) aor. part. "left [everything]" - having left. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the participle "having arrived". "Leaving all they followed him", Moffatt.

panta "everything" - The impression from John 21 is that these disciples still owned their boats, let alone their homes, so what is the "everything" all about? Possibly in the sense of leaving their profession behind and so becoming amateur fishermen, Bock.

hkolouqhsan (akolouqew) aor. "followed" - they followed, came after, accompanied. The sense is to follow as a disciple; "and became his followers (disciples)", Barclay.

Luke Introduction

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