J.C. Ryle's Devotional Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke
Section 25
The Miraculous Catch of Fish
Luke Chapter 5, Verses 1-11

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 and saw two ships standing by the lake, but the fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people out of the ship.

Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing. Nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes, and their net break. 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.

When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all they that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken. And so was also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

We have in these verses the history of what is commonly called the miraculous catch of fish. It is a remarkable miracle on two accounts. For one thing it shows our Lord's complete dominion over the animal creation. The fish of the sea are as much obedient to his will as the frogs and flies and lice and locusts in the plagues of Egypt. All are his servants and all obey his commands.

For another thing, there is a singular similarity between this miracle worked at the beginning of our Lord's ministry and another which we find him working after his resurrection at the end of his ministry, recorded by John. In both, we read of a miraculous catch of fish. In both, the Apostle Peter has a prominent place in the story. And in both, there is probably a deep spiritual lesson lying below the outward surface of the facts described.

We should observe in this passage our Lord Jesus Christ's unwearied readiness for every good work. Once more we find him preaching to a people who pressed upon him to hear the word of God. And where does he preach? Not in any consecrated building or place set apart for public worship, but in the open air, not in a pulpit constructed for a preacher's use, but in a fisherman's boat. Souls were waiting to be fed. Personal convenience was allowed no place in his consideration. God's work must not stand still.

The servants of Christ should learn a lesson from their Master's conduct on this occasion. We are not to wait until every little difficulty or obstacle is removed, before we put our hand to the plough, or go forth to sow the seed of the Word. We may often be lacking convenient buildings for assembling a company of hearers. We may often be lacking convenient rooms for gathering children to Sunday school. What then are we to do? Shall we sit still and do nothing? God forbid! If we cannot do all that we want, then let us do what we can. Let us work with such tools as we have. While we are lingering and delaying, souls are perishing. It is the slothful heart that is always looking at the hedge of thorns and the lion in the way. Proverbs 15.19 and 22.13

Where we are, and as we are, in season or out of season, by one means or another, by tongue or by pen, by speaking or by writing, let us strive to be ever working for God. But let us never stand still.

we should observe secondly in this passage what encouragement our Lord gives to unquestioning obedience we are told that after preaching he said to Simon launch out into the deep and let down the nets for a catch he receives an answer which exhibits in a striking manner the mind of a good servant master says Simon we have toiled all the night and have caught nothing Nevertheless, at your word I will let down the net."

And what was the reward of this ready compliance with the Lord's commands? At once we are told, when they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. We need not doubt that a practical lesson for all Christians is contained under these simple circumstances. We are meant to learn the blessing of immediate, unhesitating obedience to every plain command of Christ.

The path of duty may sometimes be hard and disagreeable. The wisdom of the course we propose to follow may not be apparent to the world. But none of these things must move us. We are not to confer with flesh and blood. We are to go straight forward when Jesus says, go. We are to do a thing boldly, unflinchingly, and decidedly when Jesus says, do it. We are to walk by faith and not by sight, and believe that what we don't see now to be right and reasonable, we shall see hereafter. So acting, we shall never find in the long run that we are losers. So acting, we shall find, sooner or later, that we reap a great reward.

we should observe thirdly in this passage how much a sense of God's presence abases man and makes him feel his sinfulness we see this strikingly illustrated by Peter's words when the miraculous catch of fish convinced him that one greater than man was in his boat we read that he fell down at Jesus' knees saying depart from me for I am a sinful man O Lord

In measuring these words of Peter, we must of course remember the time at which they were spoken. He was, at best, but a babe in grace, weak in faith, weak in experience, and weak in knowledge. At a later period in his life he would doubtless have said, abide with me and not depart. But still, after every deduction of this kind, the words of Peter exactly express the first feelings of man when he is brought into anything like close contact with God.

The sight of divine greatness and holiness makes him feel strongly his own littleness and sinfulness. Like Adam, after the fall, his first thought is to hide himself. Like Israel, under Sinai, the language of his heart is, Do not let God speak with us, lest we die. Exodus 20, verse 19.

Let us strive to know more and more, every year we live, our need of a mediator between ourselves and God. Let us seek more and more to realize that without a mediator, our thoughts of God can never be comfortable. And the more clearly we see God, the more uncomfortable we must feel. Above all, let us be thankful that we have in Jesus the very mediator whose help our souls require, and that through him we may draw near to God with boldness and cast fear away. Out of Christ, God is a consuming fire. In Christ, He is a reconciled Father. Without Christ, the strictest moralist may well tremble as he ponders his final destiny. Through Christ, the chief of sinners may approach God with confidence and feel perfect peace.

we should observe lastly in this passage the mighty promise which Jesus holds out to Peter do not be afraid from now on you will catch men that promise we may well believe was not intended for Peter only but for all of the apostles and not for all the apostles only but for all faithful ministers of the gospel who walk in the apostles steps It was spoken for their encouragement and consolation. It was intended to support them under that sense of weakness and unprofitableness by which they're sometimes almost overwhelmed. They certainly have a treasure in earthen vessels. 2 Corinthians 4, verse 7. They are men of like passions with others. They find their own hearts weak and frail, like the hearts of any of their hearers. They're often tempted to give up in despair and to leave off preaching.

But here stands a promise on which the great head of the church would have them daily lean. Do not be afraid. From now on, you will catch men. Let us pray daily for all ministers, that they may be true successors of Peter and his brethren, that they may preach the same full and free gospel which they preached, and live the same holy lives which they lived. These are the only ministers who will ever prove successful fishermen.

To some of them God may give more honor, and to others less. But all true and faithful preachers of the gospel have a right to believe that their labor shall not prove in vain. They may often preach the word with many tears and see no result of their labor. But God's word shall not return void. Isaiah chapter 55 verse 11 The last day shall show that no sincere work for God was ever wasted. Every faithful fisherman shall find his master's words made good. You shall catch men.