Ask Mr Bible

Two sets of brothers learned this, as recorded in Luke 5:1-11:

Four fishermen (Andrew, Peter, James, and John) had toiled all night without catching one single fish.  However, at Jesus’ command, Peter rowed out into the deep waters of the Galilean Sea and let down his nets.  Immediately they caught so many fish that their nets began to break due to the huge catch, which fish soon filled their boats.

SIGNIFICANCE

● This is the first of 4 miracles done upon the Sea of Galilee. 

●   It is the first of two miracles resulting in a supernatural catch of fish.  Note the contrasts and comparisons however:

1. The comparisons
a. On both occasions they had unsuccessfully fished all night (Luke 5:5; John 21:3).
b. On both occasions they obeyed Jesus’ command and were successful (Luke 5:5, 6; John 21:6).
c. On both occasions Simon Peter was the key figure (Luke 5:3-8; John 21:7-11).
 
2. The contrasts
a. On the first occasion the fishing net broke.  On the second it did not (Luke 5:6; John 21:11).
b. On the first occasion Jesus instructed Peter to “catch fish,” while on the second He would command him to “feed sheep” (Luke 5:10; John 21:15-17).

SPIRITUAL TRUTHS

● Peter would later fulfill Jesus’ two-fold command to catch fish and feed sheep.  Thus:

1. He caught fish!
“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41).

2. He fed sheep!
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 2:2-3).

“The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind” (1 Peter 5:1-2).

● It should be noted most of Jesus’ apostles were busy at work when He called them, as were the God-called Old Testament men.  Note:

1. Moses and David were tending sheep (Exod. 3:1-2; 1 Sam. 16:11).
2. Gideon was threshing wheat (Judges 6:11-12).
3. Elisha was plowing a field (1 Kings 19:19-21).
4. Amos was herding cattle and picking fruit (Amos 1:1; 7:14-15).
5. Matthew was collecting taxes (Matt. 9:9).
6. Andrew, Peter, James, and John were fishing (Luke 5:1-11).
7. Saul of Tarsus was arresting Christians in his misguided zeal as a Pharisee (Acts 9:1-6).

The intended lesson here seems obvious—God’s call upon a person is rarely (if ever) dependent upon his (or her) brain capacity, brawn, blue blooded history, or banking achievements, but rather just how busy that individual is at the time!

Abraham’s faithful servant had once given an eloquent testimony to this:

“And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren” (Gen. 24:27).

● Finally, it should be noted that these experienced fishermen did exactly what Jesus told them to do, even though it must have seemed unreasonable at the time.  King Solomon once wrote:

 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Prov. 3:5-6).

Note the record involved:

● The event in Genesis 35

“And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour. And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also. And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin. And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which [is] Bethlehem” (Gen. 35:16-19).

● The event in Luke 2

“And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:4-7).

Note the relationships involved:

● Both describe two mothers giving birth.

  It would be Rachel’s final birth.
  It would be Mary’s first birth.

● Both babies were boys.

● Both were born in Bethlehem.

● Both would bring sorrow to their mothers.

Rachel would die giving birth to her son.

Mary would later be grieved watching her son die.

“And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:34, 35).

“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home” (John 19:25-27).

● The names given to the first son would later apply to the second son.

Rachel called her infant son, Ben-oni, meaning, “son of my sorrow.”

Jacob however, called him Benjamin, meaning, “son of my right hand.”

Spiritually speaking, Jesus was later known as Ben-oni.

“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not” (Isa. 53:3).

Spiritually speaking, Jesus is now known as Benjamin.

“But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool” (Heb. 10:12, 13).

Who is this controversial candidate whose platform promises universal peace and justice?  Can He really deliver, or is this just some more political mumbo jumbo?  Can we trust Him?  Will He raise our taxes?  Here is His resume.  Read it and decide for yourself!

● His place of birth: Bethlehem (Lk. 2:4-7)

● The nature of His birth: Born of a virgin (Matt. 1:18-23)

● His own personal nature: Said to be both fully human and divine (Isa. 9:6)

● His father: The first person of the Trinity (Lk. 1:35; 2:49)

● His mother: A virgin named Mary (Lk. 2:7)

● His half-brothers: James, Joseph, Simon, Judas (Matt. 13:55)

● His half-sisters (Matt. 13:56)

● His famous ancestors: Abraham and David (Matt. 1:1)

● His first historical reference: The seed of the woman (Gen. 3:15)

● His overall occupation: Creator (Jn. 1:3), redeemer(1 Peter 1:18, 19), shepherd (Jn. 10:11), judge (Jn. 5:22), and prophet
(Matt. 13:57)

● His platform: Given in detail by the Sea of Galilee (Matt. 5-7)

● His temperament (Matt. 11:29, 30; 12:19, 20)

● His recent accomplishments: Healing the sick (Matt. 4:23, 24), raising the dead (Jn. 11:43, 44), feeding the hungry (Jn. 6:5-13), comforting the comfortless (Matt. 11:28)

● Place of death: Outside Jerusalem on a hill (Matt. 27:33)

● Manner of death: Crucifixion (Jn. 19:18)

● Age at death: Approximately 34 years old

● Place of resurrection: From a Garden Tomb (Jn. 19:41; 20:11-17)

● Place of ascension: The Mount of Olives (Acts 1:9-12)

● Current Activities: Serving as a Great High Priest in heaven, praying for His earthly followers (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; 9:24)

● Anticipated place of His return: The Mount of Olives (Zech. 14:4)

● Final assignment upon returning: To rule over all creation’s realm as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 11:15)

This brief resume has been prepared by the Third Person in the Trinity (the Holy Spirit), upon the approval of the First Person in the Trinity (the Father).  Its accuracy is thus assured!