Bible Commentaries
Luke 5

Verse 1

1 Gennesaret was another name for the Sea of Galilee. The people were the ones meant by the common people in Mar 12:37. They were not prejudiced as were the priests and scribes, and manifested a hunger to hear the teaching of Jesus.

Verse 2

2 When a boat is said to be standing it means it is stationary in a certain spot. These two ships were thus being held while their owners were out washing their nets after a night's use in the sea.

Verse 3

3 Simon's full name was Simon Peter (verse 8). By moving the boat a little distance from the shore, the people could see and hear Jesus better.

Verse 4

4 The water was too shallow for fishing with a net where Jesus had been speaking. In bidding Simon to let the net down for a draught (for a "catch"), Jesus assured him that he would not be disappointed.

Verse 5

5 Simon's remarks indicated that his lowering of the net would be through faith in Jesus, even though the appearances were unfavorable.

Verse 6

6 The word brake is from an original that means a complete rending of the net. However, since the fish were not lost, the idea is that a full loss would have occurred had not something been done to prevent it.

Verse 7

7 The loss of the fish was prevented by the help of their partners in the business. Began to sink means the weight of the fish caused the boats to begin lowering, not that they were being submerged as yet.

Verse 8

8 Peter already had expressed faith in Jesus, but the success of the event was far beyond his expectation. Depart . . . I am a sinful man. He was so overawed by the power and wisdom of Jesus that he felt unworthy to be in his presence.

Verse 9

9 Doubtless the net had come into contact with a shoal or school of fish and no equipment would be able to withstand such a mass. But it required the wisdom of Jesus to know when and where to find such a group, hence the people were astonished.

Verse 10

0 This is the same event given notice in Mat 4:18-21, but that passage omits the items of the net and mass of fish.

Verse 11

1 Forsook all includes their father, who is mentioned by Matthew.

Verse 12

2 Lepers were under perpetual quarantine by the law of Moses (Lev 13:45-46), which accounts for the earnestness of this unfortunate man.

Verse 13

3 Leprosy was an incurable disease by any natural means, hence it was cured miraculously by Jesus and the recovery was immediate.

Verse 14

4 Tell no man. He was not to take the time for publishing the event to the people, for he had a personal duty yet to perform in connection with his recovery. The ceremony still remaining for him is described in Lev 14:1-32.

Verse 15

5 In spite of the request, the leper spread his report to the deed until it caused the crowds to gather about Jesus to receive his favors.

Verse 16

6 This was the occasion when he walked on the sea towards the apostles to their terrified astonishment (Mat 14:23-33).

Verse 17

7 These Pharisees and doctors (teachers) of the law were present for the purpose of finding fault with Jesus as we shall soon learn.

Verse 18

8 Sought means refers to the crowd that was in the way about the door.

Verse 19

9 See the comments at Mar 2:4 for the explanation of this verse.

Verse 20

0 A distinction is made between their and him. As far as the passage states, the palsied man did not have any faith to begin with.

Verse 21

1 This verse proves the statement made at verse 17 about the Pharisees.

Verse 22

4 For comments on this paragraph see those on Mat 9:5-6.

Verse 25

5 Immediately is the important word here. Professed workers of miracles today require patients to have the faith that "holds out" long enough to effect a cure. The true miraculous healing did not call for a prolonged period of time.

Verse 26

6 For ordinary human beings to glorify God means for them to give Him the credit for the wonderful things accomplished.

Verse 27

7 Levi's other name was Matthew (Mat 9:9). The receipt of custom was the tax office, and Levi was there because he was a publican whose business was to receive the taxes on behalf of the government.

Verse 28

8 At the bidding of Jesus, Levi left his work and followed.

Verse 29

9 Since Levi was a publican by occupation, it was natural that many of his guests at the feast would be from that class.

Verse 30

0 See the notes on Mat 9:11 about eating with others.

Verse 31

1 If the Pharisees had been as righteous as they claimed, that would have been the very reason for Jesus to associate with the others, on the principle that the sick are the ones who need a physician.

Verse 32

2 This verse continues the same thought set forth in the preceding one. The sinner is the one who needs to be induced to repent.

Verse 33

3 John was dead and his disciples were fasting and mourning his absence. The disciples of Jesus still had him with them and hence had no occasion for mourning.

Verse 34

5 Children of the bride-chamber were the close friends of the bridegroom. After the wedding the bridegroom would leave and then it would be appropriate for them to mourn. In the illustration Jesus likens himself to the bridegroom.

Verse 36

8 This paragraph is explained by the comments on Mat 9:16-17.

Verse 39

9 This verse has the same lesson that the preceding paragraph teaches, which is one of appropriateness. Incidentally, it also overthrows the theory referred to, that the illustration applied to the Old and New Testaments. According to that notion, Jesus teaches that every man would prefer the Old Testament as being the better.