Bible Commentaries
Luke 5

Verses 1-11

Luk 5:1-11

Commentary On Luke 5:1-11

Galen Doughty

Luke 5:1-3 - Jesus helps himself to Peter’s boat and has him put out onto the lake far enough so that the people aren’t crowding him too much so he can teach them God’s Word. Peter, James and John and their companions have been working all night and are cleaning their nets. Jesus had stayed at Simon’s house before because he had healed his mother-in-law. Now however Jesus is teaching while Simon and his partners are working. Simon already has a relationship with Jesus but he is not yet a full disciple. He has not left everything, including his family and followed Jesus. Nor at this point has Jesus called Simon to be his disciple, at least Luke has not shared that. We don’t know how long the process of Jesus’ calling him went on, whether it was over a period of time or followed one particular incident like the miraculous catch.

Luke 5:4-7 - Jesus finishes teaching and asks Simon to put out into deep water and let down their nets to fish. You can hear Simon’s frustration in his answer. He doesn’t want to disobey Jesus but he clearly doesn’t see the point in putting out onto the lake to fish. They have worked hard all night and caught nothing. They are tired and are washing and mending the nets and then will rest. Simon doesn’t want to do this but because Jesus asks him he grudgingly accepts the task. They put out onto the lake, let down the nets and catch a huge shoal of fish, so many the nets are breaking and Peter has to call to his other boats, probably James and John, to come help them. In fact the nets are so full and the fish are so many that both boats are threatening to sink because of the weight of the fish.

My guess is Peter had never caught so many fish at one time in his life. What was the look on Jesus’ face sitting in the boat as they worked to haul in the nets? I don’t think he was gloating, I think he was smiling with joy because he wanted to bless Simon and his friends. That is his nature. If there was any "I told you so" look it was with compassion and love to the fishermen. Jesus had worked hard all his life in the carpenter’s shop or on a jobsite. He knew what it was to work all day and have not much to show for it. He knew what it was like to expend all your energy and still have so much to do. Now he blesses his friends, knowing somehow where the shoal of fish was and that it was ready to be caught if they but trusted him and did as he asked. That is the lesson here. We need to trust Jesus and do as he asks. He understands our needs and our situation. When he asks us to go beyond what we think we can do he knows what’s going on. We can trust him. When we do we will receive his blessing and his joy. Following Jesus and doing as he asks us always brings us joy and his blessing. Sometimes that blessing will not be material nor does it guarantee that we will not have to work hard or face difficulties to experience it but it will always be good! The boats were about to sink. They were tired but the adrenaline was flowing to get this miraculous catch onto shore! The blessing brought work. Who knows, with the money from the catch Peter may have been able to feed and provide for his family for some time, enabling him to go with Jesus. It is possible that the miracle is not just about Simon but about providing for his family too because Jesus knew what he was going to ask him to do. He cares about us!

Luke 5:8-11 - Simon sees everything that has happened and falls at his knees begging Jesus to get away from him because he is a sinful man. Simon understands at that moment that he is sinful and Jesus is holy. This is not the first miracle Simon has seen Jesus perform, but it is probably the first one that directly benefits him. Simon, James and John, his partners, and all the men on the boats that day, are astonished at the catch. The word Luke uses means dumbfounded, astonished, filled with wonder or stunned immovable by what they had seen. They can’t believe it and their wonder is mixed with a healthy fear towards Jesus and what he can do.

Jesus must sense this because he tells them not to be afraid. Then he gives them a new future; from now on you will catch men. If catching men with Jesus is anything like catching fish with Jesus then how can they not succeed? Did Peter think of this at Pentecost when 3000 came to Christ that day and were baptized? Certainly Jesus’ words were fulfilled that day. Jesus offers them a new life focused on him, following him and they take him up on his offer. They pull the boats ashore, leave everything and follow Jesus. Presumably when they get the boats onshore they have someone take care of the fish and sell them to provide for their families. We know from the other gospels James and John leave their father and we can assume from Luke that Peter leaves his wife and family to follow Jesus. They would never be men any rabbi would choose to teach or have as disciples. They were simple fishermen. But Jesus chooses them and that is enough. They leave everything and follow.

One other thing to note. This catch took place off the waters of Capernaum. Only a little over a mile west down the lake is Tabgha, where there was another miraculous catch of fish, after the resurrection when Peter went fishing with some of the disciples. That is when Jesus restores Peter after his denial so that he is ready for his role as leader and shepherd of his flock, the church. Peter could not have missed the connection between that first miraculous catch and the last one. No wonder he jumped out of the boat and swam to shore when John told him it was the Lord. At least he went toward Jesus and didn’t tell him get away from me!

Verses 12-16

Luk 5:12-16

Commentary On Luke 5:12-16

Galen Doughty

Luke 5:12-14 - Jesus and his disciples are in one of the towns around Lake Galilee. A leper comes to him, covered in sores. The Greek word can mean various skin diseases besides leprosy but the Law treated them all the same in order to protect the community from further infection.

The leper begs Jesus to heal him, but does not demand it. He says if you are willing. He knows Jesus has the power to heal him. Jesus reaches out his hand touches the man and heals him. Leprosy meant that no one but another leper could touch the sick man. He was unclean. That touch confirms Jesus’ compassion and love toward the man and his suffering. His healing was not gradual but immediate. The compassion and power of Jesus worked healing in the man’s skin and body immediately.

Jesus then tells him to go show himself to the priests and offer the proper sacrifices written in the Law of Moses. That means he would have had to travel from Galilee to Jerusalem to the temple in order to fulfill his command. He does this because only the priests could give him a clean bill of health and completely restore him to his family and give him back his life. Jesus is not trying to be difficult or put barriers in his way in order to have his life restored. Leprosy carried huge stigmas in that culture and Jesus wants to heal all his life not just his physical life. He wants to restore his relationships and his emotional health as well. Can you imagine the leper’s journey to Jerusalem and his telling the priests what happened when Jesus healed him? The word would spread to Judea about what Jesus was doing in Galilee!

Luke 5:15-16 - Luke notes Jesus’ pattern: intense times with people healing, preaching and teaching, then he would withdraw to lonely places to pray in order to re-charge. Was Jesus an introvert by personality needing alone time to gather energy from his Father for ministry and life? Or was he balanced, taking energy from the crowds as well? It is probably both because even an extrovert needs to re-charge and Jesus would expend tremendous amounts of energy as he taught and healed the people. The crowds pressing around him begging him to heal them would have drained anyone. Intense ministry is exhausting! Jesus shows us the way to re-charge our emotional, physical and spiritual batteries. Spend time away from the crowds and alone with God.

Verses 17-26

Luk 5:17-26

Commentary On Luke 5:17-26

Galen Doughty

Luke 5:17 - This is the first time Luke mentions the Pharisees. They had come from all over Galilee and even some had journeyed from Judea and Jerusalem. They had probably heard stories of Jesus’ healing and miracles and of his teaching and had come to check him out. If they had come from Jerusalem there might have been envoys from Gamaliel or another of the leading Pharisee rabbis, perhaps even some who were from the Sanhedrin. Luke is telling us that the religious authorities now were noticing Jesus and wanted to find out what was going on.

Then he says the power of God was with Jesus to heal that day. The Pharisees were there to check him out but God was there to show his Kingdom! The power of the Lord was with him to heal. Does that mean there were other times when that was not true? I don’t think so. I think this is Luke’s way of saying that Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit who brought him the power to heal and declare God’s Kingdom and forgiveness which is exactly what happened.

Luke 5:18-19 - Some men come with a friend who is paralyzed on a mat. They try and get him into the house to lay him before Jesus so he can heal him but cannot. So they go up onto the roof and begin to take the tiles off the roof and lower him down in front of Jesus, who is teaching the whole time. Mark’s gospel hints this incident took place at Peter’s house in Capernaum. That is entirely possible.

You can picture the scene. Jesus is teaching about the Kingdom of God, the important Pharisees are seated around him hanging on his every word and judging his every word to see if there is anything they disagree with so they can take a report back to Jerusalem about this new teacher in Galilee. As Jesus is talking the friends begin to tear the roof apart and lower their paralyzed friend. Little bits of dirt and roof tile fall around Jesus and maybe even on him or some of the Pharisees. You can almost see the Pharisees questioning why Jesus keeps talking or wondering when he is going to tell these men to stop. He’s teaching. They are interrupting him! This is rude and shocking behavior and Jesus is allowing it! No one would get away with such a thing if they had been teaching!

Luke 5:20 - Jesus isn’t bothered by the interruption. He is impressed with the faith of the friends and their love for their paralyzed friend. He turns to the sick man and says, "Friend, your sins are forgiven." I don’t think that was what the four friends thought he would say. I think they hoped Jesus would say you are healed or rise and walk. Jesus could be addressing the false notion current in Judaism of the time that if you had some serious disease it was God punishing you or your parents for some sin. He might be correcting that by saying his sins are forgiven. Or, knowing what the Pharisees were thinking he goes directly to the heart of who he is and what his mission is; he is the Servant-Messiah who has come to bring forgiveness to God’s people.

Luke 5:21-26 - The Pharisees understand the implications of Jesus’ statement. Did the paralytic, or his friends? They immediately think Jesus is blaspheming because only God can forgive sins. The Pharisees question about who does he think he is, is a good one. No one can grant forgiveness except God alone. Jesus’ question back to them is also a good one; which is easier forgiveness or healing. Both, only God can do. Jesus is being very clear and the Pharisees know it. He is claiming to be God. Yet the healing did not convince them it hardened them.

This is the first time Jesus uses the title Son of Man for himself in Luke’s gospel. This would also confuse the Pharisees because the Son of Man was a Messianic title but also a divine figure in Daniel and the name God used for the prophet Ezekiel, just calling him a man. It is cryptic and Jesus is being very deliberate in his use of the term here. Is he just a man? Is he the heavenly Messiah? Is he God himself? Which is it? Who is he? Jesus’ use of the title and his questions to the Pharisees and his actions in healing the man are all designed like a parable to push the Pharisees and the people to a decision about who he is. They are designed to produce faith in him!

Jesus says so you will know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on the earth, something only God could do, he tells the paralytic to get up and walk and he does. He goes home praising God healed and forgiven. The friends on the roof undoubtedly do the same. Everyone else, even the Pharisees, are amazed at what happened and are filled with awe. In one of Luke’s great understatements they exclaim, "We have seen remarkable things today!" No kidding!

This is the first confrontation in Luke’s gospel Jesus has with the Pharisees and it isn’t just the local Pharisees from Galilee, it is with some important Pharisees from Jerusalem. In his first encounter they think he is blaspheming because he is claiming to be God. Jesus reinforces his claim to be God by forgiving the man and healing him. There can be no mistake. The battle lines are drawn. Jesus claims to be God and will keep on claiming to be God. The Pharisees will keep trying to confirm this, probably because they find it so hard to believe and Jesus will keep affirming it, until they either accept or reject him. A few like Joseph and Nicodemus do, the rest plot to crucify him and succeed.

Verses 27-32

Luk 5:27-32

Commentary On Luke 5:27-32

Galen Doughty

Luke 5:27-32 - Luke follows the forgiving and healing of the paralytic with the call of Matthew or Levi. This too is a story about forgiveness and who can be forgiven. The Pharisees had a very specific program for repentance and forgiveness. One had to confess one’s sins, demonstrate your sincerity in repentance and then make restitution for your wrongs. If one of these things could not be done then you could not be forgiven. They had a list of despised trades that did not meet their criteria for repentance and forgiveness. Tax collectors were at the top of their list. What does Jesus do? He sees Levi at his tax booth collecting taxes, getting rich off of others and collaborating with the hated Romans and calls him then and there to follow him as his disciple! It was probably not the first time Levi had heard Jesus or seen him, but whatever the circumstances, Jesus’ call to him has its full effect. Levi leaves it all and follows Jesus! The tax collector is now a disciple! Jesus chooses another man whom the rabbis of his day would never choose! The Kingdom of God is open to those who repent and by faith follow Jesus not those who somehow demonstrate their sincerity to God as if they deserve his forgiveness. Sinners repent and are saved. The righteous think they do not need to repent and so are lost.

Levi, in celebration holds a banquet for his friends and invites Jesus. He wants his friends to meet his new Lord and rabbi. They come, and so does Jesus! He doesn’t mind fellowshipping with the other tax collectors and sinners; because these are all people God loves and wants to save. These are the very people Jesus came to die for and to call to repentance and to follow him. The Pharisees complain to the disciples about Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners! These are all people the Pharisees said could not repent because they didn’t meet their criteria for repentance. Why is Jesus wasting his time with them? Jesus hears their questions and answers them. He has come to call sinners to repentance not the righteous. In saying this he indicts the Pharisees. Levi and his friends know they are sinners and need forgiveness. They receive Jesus’ offer joyfully. The Pharisees think they are righteous and need no repentance. They reject Jesus’ offer and are confused by it sitting in judgment over it and over the very people Jesus says he wants to forgive.

Jesus had confronted the Pharisees about who he is when he healed the paralytic. They saw him as claiming he is God and they were right. Now here at Levi’s house Jesus attacks their theology of repentance and salvation. He goes right to the heart of their system of keeping the Law in order to be saved. He indicts it and shows it is wanting because they cannot see their own sin!

Verses 33-39

Luke 5:33-39

Commentary On Luke 5:33-39

Galen Doughty

Luke 5:33 - The Pharisees question Jesus about fasting and praying. They say John’s disciples and the Pharisees’ disciples often fast and pray but Jesus’ disciples do not, they keep on eating and drinking. How did they know what John’s disciples did? Was it obvious that they fasted and prayed? Also at least one or two of Jesus’ disciples were John’s disciples. At the moment Jesus has not called the twelve but he has many who are following him. Plus, how do they know Jesus’ disciples weren’t fasting and praying? Was there a certain day that people fasted and Jesus’ disciples ignored that? Was there a certain ritual people went through and when the Pharisees don’t see Jesus’ disciples doing it they assumed they are not fasting and praying? It is difficult to understand exactly how they knew what was going on with Jesus’ disciples.

The whole question of fasting and praying is related to religious rituals and activities that connect us to God or earn his favor. The Pharisees believed they had to do certain righteous and religious acts in order to please God and be acceptable to him. Jesus came with a totally different way of relating to God. Jesus talked about faith in him and following him. He talked about loving God and loving people, not just doing religious actions. In fact he said doing religious actions doesn’t do a thing for God!

Luke 5:34-35 - Jesus’ answer to the Pharisees’ question about his disciples fasting and praying points them to him and who he is. He does not question how they know his disciples don’t fast and pray like John’s disciples. He basically acknowledges that the way he and his disciples practice prayer is different. What he really wants them to understand is who he is as Messiah and God. The bridegroom is here. Israel was often called God’s bride and God her husband. That is how Jesus is describing himself to the Pharisees. He says while the bridegroom is here it is a time for celebration. When he leaves them then the guests will deny themselves and fast. Jesus is pointing them to a totally different way of relating to him and relating to God that substitutes true relationship, celebration, joy and love for religious rituals. The Pharisees had a very difficult time understanding Jesus because they were so locked into their system and were convinced it was the way that was going to get them to heaven. They were convinced they were pleasing God by their observance of the Law and all their traditions, including how they fasted and prayed. Strict Pharisees would fast every Monday and Thursday. Jesus implies in the Sermon on the Mount that the Pharisees fast in such a way that everyone knows they are fasting. They make a show of it to be seen by people and so be perceived as spiritual and righteous. Jesus’ disciples do not. The Pharisees are indicting Jesus’ practice of his faith in God as wanting and inadequate. Jesus is telling them it is their practice that is wanting!

Luke 5:36-39 - Jesus then tells them the parable of the new wine in old wine skins. He is saying he is God come in the flesh and the way to relate to him is by faith and obedience to Jesus personally. He calls people to follow him and submit their lives to him as Lord. There is a personal call from Jesus to be his disciple. The Pharisees hid behind their ritual and obedience to their traditions thinking that is what God wanted. Jesus is saying you can’t follow your ways and rightly relate to God any longer because I have come and I am God and Messiah. You have to come to me on MY terms. Religious and legal rituals do not constitute a relationship with me. You have to follow me and live for my Kingdom. It is far more personal and it is all about me and not all about you and your personal legal righteousness. You have to be secure in my call of you and my love and acceptance of you and then simply do what I do; follow me and I will show you how to relate to God.

Jesus is implying the New Covenant is here and the old ways will not work anymore! In fact if you try and overlay the outdated ways of legalism the Pharisees practice with following Jesus it will tear you apart. You have to let them go completely and cast your life upon Jesus and follow him. Abandon the old and follow the new. If you want to rightly relate to God then you must heed the new way to do that from God’s Messiah. He is Lord and you are not!

Luke alone adds v.39 to the saying. It is a cryptic saying and seems to imply that the Pharisees will reject the New Covenant Jesus offers because they will say the old way is better. They will not be able to abandon their legalistic ways to follow Jesus. If that is true then this phrase is prophetic and points to the increasing opposition of the Pharisees to Jesus because he became a threat to their whole religious system. Only a handful of Pharisees became his disciples, men like Joseph and Nicodemus. Legalism like a paganized version of the worship of Yahweh is a very hard thing to break and holds people captive. Jesus was trying to reach the Pharisees and challenge them to change. Ultimately they would not. They killed him in order to hold on to their religion, not knowing that by their actions they fulfilled God’s plan for Jesus and sealed their own eternal fate.

Questions by E.M. Zerr For Luke Chapter Five

1. Why did the people throng Jesus?

2. Where was he standing?

3. Tell what he observed on the lake.

4. Which ship did he enter ?

5. Tell the use he made of it.

6. After the discourse what did he request?

7. What report did Simon give him?

8. But what confidence did he express ?

9. Tell of the success.

10. How great was the catch ?

11. Relate Peter’s prayer to Jesus.

12. What caused the astonishment?

13. Who also were filled with astonishment?

14. What was their business relation to Simon?

15. Tell the change of occupation Jesus announced?

16. State their response to his call.

17. What afflicted man saw Jesus?

18. State his action.

19. And his remarks.

20. What did Jesus do and say?

21. When were the results obtained?

22. What did Jesus charge the man ?

23. And what was he to do?

24. How would this be a testimony?

25. Did the man observe the secret?

26. State the result.

27. What two things did the people seek?

28. To what place did Jesus withdraw?

29. What did he do?

30. What class sat by him as he taught?

31. Tell what power was present.

32. Who was brought to Jesus ?

33. How did they get to Jesus?

34. Whose faith did he observe?

35. To whom did he speak?

36. What favor was given him? -

37. Of what did the Jews complain?

38. Was it done aloud?

39. State the question Jesus asked them.

40. Is one more difficult than the other ?

41. Which one would be visible ?

42. What would the visible one prove?

43. State the outcome on the afflicted man.

44. How were the people impressed?

45. Whom did Jesus call next?

46. What was his occupation?

47. How did he honor Jesus?

48. Who were the guests?

49. Why did the Pharisees murmur?

50. What illustration did Jesus use in reply?

51. Tell whom he came to call to repentance.

52. What question was asked on fasting?

53. Who is the bridegroom of 34th verse?

54. State the days meant in 35th verse.

55. Who will fast then ?

56. Would fasting be appropriate before those days?

57. How was appropriateness taught by a garment ?

53. What else was used for such lesson ?

Luke Chapter Five

By Ralph L. Starling

Some time later by the Sea of Galilee,

The multitude grew ‘till He could hardly breathe.

Peter in his ship rowed Him out from land.

He taught the people with the ship His pulpit stand.

When He finished they moved to deep water.

Jesus said, “Drop the nets, don’t go any further.”

Peter said, “We have fished all night and caught nothing.”

When they did what He said their nets were broken.

There were so many fish they could hardly think.

There were so many fish both ships began to sink.

They were so astonished and so overwhelmed.

Jessus said, ‘Fear not, you will become fishers of men.”

Many came to Him to be healed from far and near.

Jesus retired to the wilderness for prayer.

A palsied man couldn’t reach Him for the crowd.

Friends took him to the roof top and let the man down.

The Pharisees and Scribes thought He had blasphemed.

They could hardly explain what they had seen.

Levi, a Publican made a great feast,

And invited the disciples to his house to eat.

The Scribe and the Pharisees were quick to object.

Jesus said, “the well need not a physician but the sick.”

With examples He put them to test,

And with that He put the matter to rest.