NOTES for Luk 5:1-16

Fishing in daylight, when fish hide from the sun, is a hopeless pursuit, especially since Simon, an experienced fisherman, had caught nothing even at night. Yet Jesus catches His fish in the most unsuitable places and at the most unsuitable times. And now His principal catch is not on the shore, where crowds were ready to hear His parables, but in a small boat, where He found several people ready to leave their familiar life and follow the new Teacher to the end. While the other Evangelists emphasize that the fishermen who followed Jesus became “fishers of men” (Mark 1:17), here in Luke they are first of all themselves caught in broad daylight—caught by His light, by the wonder of His person. Without this “absolute captivation” by the image of Jesus, they could have done nothing to bring His Kingdom nearer or proclaim His Gospel.