The Call of Discipleship

Luke 5:1-11: The Call of the First Disciples – According to Luke

In our passage today from Luke 5:1-11, we find Jesus teaching a crowd by the Lake of Gennesaret (another name for the Sea of Galilee). He steps into Simon Peter’s boat, teaches from it, and then instructs Peter to let down the nets for a catch. Although Peter initially protests, because of a fruitless night of fishing, he obeys Jesus’ command. The result is an overwhelming catch of fish, which astonishes Peter and his companions, James and John. We read that Peter falls to his knees, confessing his unworthiness, “Away from the Lord, for I am a sinful man” but Jesus reassures him: “Do not be afraid; from now on you will catch people.” The story ends with Peter, James, and John leaving everything to follow Jesus.

In comparison to the other Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 4:18-22 and Mark 1:16-20), Luke’s account of the call of the first disciples is more elaborate and dramatic. Matthew and Mark provide a simple, almost abrupt, narrative of Jesus walking by the sea, calling them as fishermen, and their response is immediately to follow him. In Luke, the miraculous catch of fish becomes a pivotal moment, drawing attention to Jesus’ authority and evoking a profound response from Peter. 

This passage highlights a number of important themes in Luke’s Gospel. 

Firstly it highlights the authority of Jesus,  that there is something powerful at work in and through Jesus. Peter recognises that he is in the presence of greatness… but more than that, for in and through Jesus, he senses the presence and work of God, hence his response, “Away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man”

Luke’s Gospel in various ways emphasizes the fact that there is something powerful and unusual at work in and through Jesus and it is true of this passage as well. 

Secondly, this passages highlights Luke’s focus on the poor and humble. 

Peter’s reaction is striking: “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” This response highlights a theme in Luke: Jesus’ concern for the humble and those who feel unworthy. Peter’s confession reflects a key aspect of discipleship in Luke: an awareness of one’s own shortcomings paired with a readiness to respond to God’s call. Luke’s Gospel often portrays Jesus engaging with those who are marginalized or self-aware of their need for grace. And in this passage, it is Peter who recognises his own imperfections in the presence of Jesus. He becomes self-aware… aware of his own need for grace, like the story of the prodigal son later on in Luke and also like the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax collector. Pharisee in his prayer self-righteously thanks God that he is not like this scumbag tax-collector. In contrast the tax collector in the parable can’t even look up to heaven and simply prays, God be merciful to me a sinner. For Luke, discipleship begins when we become aware of our own shortcomings and our need for grace. 

Thirdly this passage highlights Luke’s understanding that the call to discipleship as a radical commitment and transformation. Luke’s account makes the disciples’ response feel weighty and momentous. The phrase, “They left everything and followed him,” (Matthew and Mark only mention they left their nets and followed). This speaks to the total commitment and transformation that discipleship requires according to Luke. Luke consistently emphasizes the cost and seriousness of following Jesus (e.g., Luke 9:23; 14:26-33).

Fourthly, the passage helps us to begin to glimpse at another important theme in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus’ mission and inclusivity.  The idea of “catching people” reflects a key aim of Luke’s Gospel: the expansive mission of Jesus and his disciples to gather people into the Kingdom of God to catch people in the fishing net of God’s Love.  This theme aligns with the emphasis on the good shepherd who goes looking for lost sheep as well as the Father of the Prodigal son (only found in Luke’s Gospel) who waits with patience for his lost son to come home, and then leaves the party to try and convince the elder son to join them.  The God of Luke’s Gospel is a God whose desire is to draw all his children and lost sheep back to himself. 

Fifthly, the passage highlights that it is God’s Initiative in calling the unworthy. Peter’s sense of unworthiness contrasts with Jesus’ call and his reassurance to Peter: “Do not be afraid; from now on you will catch people.”  This reflects a central aim of Luke’s Gospel: to show that God’s grace reaches out to the humble and unworthy, calling them to participate in his mission.

Sixthly the passage also highlights the Importance of faith and obedience in Luke’s Gospel.
Peter’s willingness to let down the nets despite his skepticism demonstrates the faith and obedience that Luke highlights throughout his Gospel. It is not blind faith but faith that comes through encountering Jesus’ authority and responding to him. Sometimes we need to put out into deep water in order to make a catch? What could that mean for each of us individually?  What could that mean for us as a church? 

I perhaps wish to close this reflection by taking us back to  verse 4 where Jesus says to Peter, 'Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch'.

Lastly,  the passage highlight Luke’s theme of the abundance of life in God’s Kingdom.  The miraculous catch of fish symbolizes the abundance of God’s Kingdom. It suggests that the life that Jesus points us to is meant to be a life overflowing in grace and blessings. These a themes that a motif Luke develops in later in parables like the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) where the father throws a great party when his son comes home, as well as the parable of the great wedding banquet where the king instructs his servants to go out an invite anyone and everyone to the wedding banquet. (Luke 14:15-24).

What theme or image from the text speaks  to you today either as a challenge or as a comfort?