Luke5

Jesus calls Simon Peter, James, and John after a miraculous catch of fish, promising they will catch men. He then demonstrates His divine authority by cleansing a leper and forgiving the sins of a paralytic, healing him despite the skepticism of religious leaders. Following this, Jesus calls Levi, a publican, and teaches about His mission to call sinners to repentance, using parables about new wine and old wineskins to explain His new covenant.

The Miraculous Catch and Call of Peter

1
Now while the multitude pressed on him and heard the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. ​
2
He saw two boats standing by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
3
He entered into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. ​
4
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch.” ​
5
Simon answered him, “Master, we worked all night, and took nothing; but at your word I will let down the net.” ​
6
When they had done this, they caught a great multitude of fish, and their net was breaking.
7
They beckoned to their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. They came, and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.
8
But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Yeshua’s knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord.” ​
9
For he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had caught;
10
and so also were Jacob and Yochanan, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Yeshua said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will be catching people alive.” ​
11
When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything, and followed him. ​

Jesus Cleanses a Man with Leprosy

12
While he was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man full of leprosy. When he saw Yeshua, he fell on his face, and begged him, saying, “Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean.” ​
13
He stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, “I want to. Be made clean.” Immediately the leprosy left him. ​
14
He commanded him to tell no one, “But go your way, and show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing according to what Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.” ​
15
But the report concerning him spread much more, and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.
16
But he withdrew himself into the desert, and prayed. ​

Jesus Heals a Paralytic and Claims Authority to Forgive

17
On one of those days, he was teaching; and there were Pharisees and teachers of the Torah sitting by, who had come out of every village of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was with him to heal them. ​
18
Behold, men brought a paralyzed man on a cot, and they sought to bring him in to lay before Yeshua.
19
Not finding a way to bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his cot into the midst before Yeshua. ​
20
Seeing their faith, he said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” ​
21
The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” ​
22
But Yeshua, perceiving their thoughts, answered them, “Why are you reasoning so in your hearts?
23
Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you;’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk?’ ​
24
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (he said to the paralyzed man), “I tell you, arise, and take up your cot, and go to your house.” ​
25
Immediately he rose up before them, and took up that which he was laying on, and departed to his house, glorifying God.
26
Amazement took hold on all, and they glorified God. They were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today.”

The Call of Levi (Matthew)

27
After these things he went out, and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and said to him, “Follow me!” ​
28
He left everything, and rose up and followed him.
29
Levi made a great feast for him in his house. There was a great crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining with them. ​
30
Their scribes and the Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?” ​
31
Yeshua answered them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. ​
32
I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” ​

Questions About Fasting and the New Way

33
They said to him, “Why do Yochanan’s disciples often fast and pray, likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink?” ​
34
He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast, while the bridegroom is with them? ​
35
But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast in those days.” ​
36
He also told a parable to them. “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old garment, or else he will tear the new, and also the piece from the new will not match the old. ​
37
No one puts new wine into old wine skins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. ​
38
But new wine must be put into fresh wine skins, and both are preserved.
39
No man having drunk old wine immediately desires new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’” ​

Study Notes for Luke 5

Verse 1

The Lake of Gennesaret is another name for the Sea of Galilee. Jesus taught from the shore, but the crowd pressed in, prompting him to find a better vantage point.

Verse 3

Jesus used Simon’s boat as a natural pulpit, allowing his voice to project over the water to the large crowd. This demonstrates Jesus’ practical method of teaching and his initial interaction with Simon.

Verse 4

Jesus commands Simon to launch out into the deep, setting up a test of obedience that would lead to a dramatic demonstration of divine power over nature.

Verse 5

Simon addresses Jesus as 'Master' (Epistata), a title unique to Luke that emphasizes Jesus' authority as an overseer or commander. Peter’s obedience, despite his professional experience suggesting the effort was futile, is crucial.

Verse 8

Peter’s response to the miracle is one of profound awe and conviction of sin, typical of Old Testament encounters with the Holy God (e.g., Isaiah 6). The miracle revealed not just power, but divine holiness.

Verse 10

This is the vocational application of the miracle. The massive, impossible catch symbolizes the future success of the apostolic mission, drawing people (like fish) into the kingdom.

Verse 11

This verse marks the definitive call of Peter, James, and John. Their immediate abandonment of their livelihood highlights the radical and total commitment required for discipleship.

Verse 12

Leprosy was a severe skin disease that rendered a person ritually unclean and socially ostracized (Lev. 13). The man’s plea shows faith in Jesus’ ability, asking only about his willingness.

Verse 13

By touching the leper, Jesus intentionally violates purity laws, demonstrating that his holiness and power overcome impurity, rather than being contaminated by it.

Verse 14

Jesus instructs the man to follow the Mosaic ritual (Lev. 14) to be declared clean by the priest. This provided official confirmation of the healing and validated Jesus’ actions to the religious authorities.

Verse 16

Luke frequently emphasizes Jesus’ practice of prayer, especially after intense ministry or before major events, demonstrating his human dependence on the Father.

Verse 17

This verse marks the first time Luke explicitly notes the presence of religious opposition (Pharisees and doctors of the law) who have gathered from across the region to scrutinize Jesus’ ministry.

Verse 19

This detail emphasizes the immense faith and resourcefulness of the friends, who literally broke through architectural barriers to bring their friend to Jesus.

Verse 20

Jesus addresses the man’s spiritual need first. He connects physical healing to the greater spiritual reality, claiming an authority only God possessed.

Verse 21

The religious leaders correctly identify the claim: forgiving sins is blasphemy if done by anyone other than God. Jesus deliberately provokes this challenge to reveal his true identity.

Verse 23

Jesus poses a rhetorical question: physical healing is visible and verifiable, thus harder to fake, but spiritual healing is greater. By performing the verifiable miracle, he proves his unseen authority to forgive.

Verse 24

The title 'Son of man' is Jesus' preferred self-designation, emphasizing both his humanity and his divine, Messianic authority drawn from Daniel 7, particularly the power to judge and forgive.

Verse 27

Tax collectors (publicans) were despised by Jews because they worked for Rome and often extorted their own people, making them social and religious outcasts. Levi is identified as Matthew in parallel accounts (Matt. 9:9).

Verse 29

Levi immediately responds to his call by hosting a feast, inviting his professional associates ('publicans and sinners') to meet Jesus, demonstrating the transforming power of the call.

Verse 30

The Pharisees found Jesus’ association with known sinners scandalous, as it violated their strict codes of ritual purity and separation.

Verse 31

This statement is Jesus’ central defense of his ministry to the marginalized, defining his mission as seeking out those who recognize their spiritual sickness, not the self-righteous.

Verse 32

Jesus clarifies that his purpose is not to affirm those who believe they are already righteous, but to bring sinners to repentance, which is the foundational purpose of the Gospel.

Verse 33

The question concerns the differing spiritual practices of Jesus’ disciples compared to those of John the Baptist and the Pharisees, who observed frequent, voluntary fasts.

Verse 34

Jesus identifies himself as the Bridegroom, an Old Testament image for the Messiah. His presence is a time of joy and celebration, making fasting inappropriate.

Verse 35

This is a veiled reference to Jesus’ future suffering, death, and ascension. Only after His physical absence (when the Bridegroom is 'taken away') will fasting become a practice of discipline and spiritual longing.

Verse 36

The parables of the garments and the wineskins illustrate that Jesus' new covenant ministry cannot be merely patched onto the old legalistic framework of Judaism.

Verse 37

New wine continues to ferment, creating pressure that old, stiff leather wineskins cannot withstand, causing them to burst. The new life of the Gospel requires a new structure and spiritual approach.

Verse 39

This verse, unique to Luke, provides a somber conclusion, noting the human tendency to prefer the familiar comfort of the 'old way' (the established religious tradition) over the radical, challenging newness of Jesus’ teaching.

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