The Life of Christ

LESSON 5

SECTION 51

Lk. 5:1 Now it came about that while the multitude were pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret;

The Lake of Gennesaret was another title for the Sea of Galilee.

• The word “ Gennesaret ” is the Greek form of the Hebrew “ Chinneroth, ” the name of the Sea of Galilee commonly used in the Old Testament (Josh. 11:2).

• The word Chinneroth means “ harp, ” describing the shape of the Sea of Galilee.

• The event we are about to read was most likely the same incident that occurred in Mt. 4:17-20: From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 And they immediately left the nets and followed Him (Mt. 4:17-20).

• Luke now adds what Matthew failed to include:

Lk. 5:2 “…and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets.”

These fishermen attended to their nets, rather than join the crowd to hear the Word of God.

• The nets they used were called “ bag nets ”; they were like a big box made out of net that was lowered into the water with weights on the bottom and buoys on the top.

• It was then pulled behind the boat as it went, drawing into it the fish.

Apparently, these disciples had followed Jesus off and on for a while but had since returned to their work, having not yet been called to “follow.”

• Up until now Peter had not been called to full time ministry.

• Most full-time callings are preceded by part-time service.

Lk. 5:3 And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the multitudes from the boat.

The reason He pushed out a little bit from the land was to create a natural sound system.

▪ Sound waves carry very easily over water.

In 1986 a fishing boat from the time of Jesus was discovered having been buried for hundreds of years on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee.

• It measured 26½ feet long, 7½ feet wide, and 4½ feet deep, made from oak and cedar.

• It could hold approximately one ton — five crewmembers and the catch, or ten crewmembers without a catch.

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