The Encounter:
Jesus stood by the lake as the crowd pressed in to hear the word of God. He got into Simon’s boat, asked him to put out a little from the land, and taught the crowds from the boat (Luke 5:1–3).
The Divine Intervention:
When He finished speaking, Jesus instructed Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Though they had caught nothing all night, Simon obeyed Jesus’ word and let down the nets (Luke 5:4–5).
The Immediate Result:
They caught a great number of fish, so that their nets were breaking. They signaled their partners in the other boat to help; both boats were filled so that they began to sink (Luke 5:6–7). Simon Peter fell down at Jesus’ knees and spoke of his sinfulness; Jesus told him not to be afraid and declared that from then on he would be catching men. They brought their boats to land, left everything, and followed Him (Luke 5:8–11).
This sign displays Jesus’ sovereign authority over creation: the fish of the sea and the outcome of human work respond to His command. It also reveals His identity as more than a teacher—one whose holiness exposes sin and whose word calls sinners into discipleship and mission (“catching men”) under His direction (Luke 5:4–11).
Luke distinguishes ordinary fishing from Jesus’ command by using language of depth: “the deep” (Greek to bathos) points to deeper water where fishing was less typical after a fruitless night, highlighting the contrast between human limitation and the effectiveness of Christ’s word (Luke 5:4–5).
“And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.” — Luke 5:6
Answer the questions below. When you choose an option, you will see the result and an explanation.
1. What did Jesus instruct Simon to do after finishing speaking to the crowds?
2. What happened as a result of the catch of fish?