1 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,
2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
3 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.
4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
5 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.
6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
7 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.
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
10 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.
11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.
12 And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
13 And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.
14 And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
15 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.
16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
18 And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.
19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.
20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?
23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.
25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.
26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.
27 And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.
28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him.
29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.
30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
33 And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?
34 And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
35 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
36 And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.
37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.
Luke chapter 5 of the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible is a significant chapter that narrates key events in Jesus’s ministry. It is marked by the calling of the first disciples, the miraculous catch of fish, the healing of a leper and a paralytic, and the calling of Levi (Matthew). The chapter ends with a discourse on fasting. These episodes are not just historical narratives; they are also laden with profound theological and spiritual meanings, which this essay aims to elucidate.
The chapter begins with Jesus teaching the people by the Lake of Gennesaret. The crowd presses around him to hear the word of God. Jesus sees two empty boats at the water's edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. He gets into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asks him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught” (Luke 5:4). Simon, also known as Peter, responds that they have toiled all night and caught nothing but agrees to let down the nets at Jesus's word. They catch a great number of fish, so much that their nets break.
Simon Peter, astonished by the miracle, falls down at Jesus’s knees, confessing his sinfulness. Jesus responds, “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men” (Luke 5:10). This miracle signifies the divine power of Jesus, his lordship over nature, and his ability to provide abundantly. It also illustrates the disciples' initial resistance followed by obedience to Jesus’s words, leading to a miraculous outcome. The miraculous catch of fish symbolizes the future ministry of the disciples as "fishers of men," catching people for the kingdom of God through the proclamation of the Gospel.
The chapter then moves to the healing miracles of Jesus. First, a man full of leprosy comes to Jesus, falls on his face, and begs him, saying, “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean” (Luke 5:12). Jesus touches him and says, “I will: be thou clean” (Luke 5:13). Immediately, the leprosy leaves him. This incident shows Jesus's compassion and willingness to heal, breaking societal norms by touching a leper. It also demonstrates the power of faith in Jesus for healing.
The second miracle involves the healing of a paralytic. When Jesus is teaching in a house, some men bring a paralyzed man on a bed, seeking to lay him before Jesus for healing. Seeing their faith, Jesus forgives the man’s sins, leading to objections from the Pharisees and teachers of the Law. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, asks, “Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?” (Luke 5:23). He then heals the man, showing that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. This narrative underscores the correlation between sin and sickness and affirms Jesus's authority to forgive sins and heal.
The chapter continues with the calling of Levi, a tax collector, who leaves everything and follows Jesus. When Jesus dines at Levi’s house with tax collectors and sinners, the Pharisees and their scribes grumble at his disciples, questioning why Jesus eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus replies, “They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:31-32). This episode underscores the inclusive and merciful nature of Jesus's ministry, reaching out to the marginalized and sinful.
The chapter concludes with a discourse on fasting. When asked why his disciples do not fast like the disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees, Jesus uses the metaphors of the bridegroom, new cloth, and new wine to explain the incompatibility of the old religious practices with the newness brought by him. He asserts that as long as the bridegroom (Jesus) is with them, the guests (disciples) cannot fast. He also illustrates that no one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one or puts new wine into old wineskins. These metaphors signify the advent of a new era in Jesus, rendering the old practices obsolete.
In conclusion, Luke chapter 5 presents the narrative of Jesus's ministry, marked by miracles, healings, the calling of disciples, and teachings on religious practices. It illustrates Jesus's divine power, compassion, authority to forgive sins, inclusive ministry, and the newness he brings, challenging the old religious norms. These narratives invite readers to faith, obedience, repentance, and openness to the newness in Jesus.
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