LUKE 5

Jesus was at Lake Gennesaret (Sea of Galilee), teaching the word of God, "as the multitude pressed about Him." He got into Peter's boat and told Him to push Him out further onto the water. Then He taught the people. 

When He finished, He told Simon (Peter) to take His boat out into the deep and cast his fishing nets, but Peter told Jesus that they had fished all night and caught nothing. Nonetheless, he let down the net, and he caught so many fish that the net was breaking, and the boat was full of fish that it started to sink. Then Peter fell down at Jesus' knees and said: "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"

Jesus told Peter not to be afraid. "From now on you will catch men." After that, Peter, along with James and John, gave up their fishing and followed Jesus.

In another city, a man with leprosy fell down on his face before Jesus, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." Jesus touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." He told the man to not tell anyone, but to make an offering to the priest, as a testimony; however, word got out about Jesus, and many came to hear Him and be healed by Him.

Often, He went to pray alone in the wilderness. 

One day four men carried their paralyzed friend to see Jesus but could not enter the house where Jesus was teaching. Therefore, they climbed up onto the roof and lowered the man down through the tiling. Jesus saw their faith and forgave the man's sins. The scribes and Pharisees reasoned who could forgive sins but Jesus, and charged Him with blasphemy. 

Jesus asked them why they reasoned so, and said: "Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins." He said to the paralyzed man, " I say to you, take up your bed, and go to your house." (The man immediately obeyed, glorifying God.)

Next, Jesus called Levi (Matthew) the tax collector. And he followed Jesus. Matthew had Jesus over to dinner at his house, and other tax collectors and sinners were there to listen to Him. The scribes and Pharisees complained that Jesus ate with sinners. Jesus explained that "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

They also complained that Jesus' disciples did not fast like the Pharisees, and Jesus told them that they would not while the bridegroom was with them, but a time will come when the bridegroom will be taken away and then they will fast. 

Jesus explained in a parable that you do not put new wine into old wineskins or the new wine will break the old wineskin and new wine spilled. New wine is put into new wineskin that both are preserved. 

COMMENTARY

Like McGee said: "Every pulpit is a fishing boat, a place to give out the Word of God and attempt to catch fish." It reminds me of Moby Dick, chapter 8, when the men go to church to hear a sermon from the pulpit shaped like the bow of a ship! 

Whaleman's chapel pulpit

Notice how Peter is always putting his foot in his mouth, when he tried to argue with Jesus about putting his net into the sea again. How often do we argue with God about doing the right thing and obeying Him! 

Also notice how the net broke this time. But in the gospel of John, after Jesus' death and resurrection, He had told the men to let down their net into the water, and they caught such an abundance of fish, but the net did NOT break. However, in Luke 5, Jesus had not died or risen, yet, which is the gospel. "The net which will hold fish must be one that rests upon the death and resurrection of Christ." 

Peter fell at Jesus feet due to his lack of faith. Jesus had already called him to follow Him, but Peter went back to fishing fish because he wasn't very good at fishing for men. When we recognize our failures without Christ, He will use us in our weakness. Our weakness is His strength.

Regarding the parable of the wineskin: man prefers his old ways. He likes his old, easy religion that he is familiar with. It is warm and cozy and makes him feel good. But Jesus brought something new to mankind: the gospel. He did not come to mend the old garment or patch up the Law. He paid the penalty of our personal sins with His life on the cross. He rose from the dead so that He could place His robe of righteousness upon each and every one of us who comes humbly to Him. He gives us the new wine -- a new gospel that must be placed in the new wineskin of grace, not the old one of the Law. 

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18). 

credit: St. James LCMS