Christ teaches from a boat : a miraculous draught of fishes

St Luke Chapter V : Verses 1-11

Contents

• Luke v. 1-11.  Douay-Rheims (Challoner) text & Latin text (Vulgate).
• Annotations
  
• Further Notes (from the Catena Aurea)
• Douay-Rheims 1582 text

Luke v. 1-11.

They filled both the boats, so that they were almost sinking.
J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.

1 And it came to pass, that when the multitudes pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Genesareth,

Factum est autem, cum turbae irruerunt in eum ut audirent verbum Dei, et ipse stabat secus stagnum Genesareth.

2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

Et vidit duas naves stantes secus stagnum : piscatores autem descenderant, et lavabant retia.

3 And going into one of the ships that was Simon's, he desired him to draw back a little from the land. And sitting he taught the multitudes out of the ship.

Ascendens autem in unam navim, quæ erat Simonis, rogavit eum a terra reducere pusillum. Et sedens docebat de navicula turbas.

4 Now when he had ceased to speak, he said to Simon: Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

Ut cessavit autem loqui, dixit ad Simonem : Duc in altum, et laxate retia vestra in capturam.

5 And Simon answering said to him: Master, we have labored all the night, and have taken nothing: but at thy word I will let down the net.

Et respondens Simon, dixit illi : Præceptor, per totam noctem laborantes nihil cepimus : in verbo autem tuo laxabo rete.

6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a very great multitude of fishes, and their net broke.

Et cum hoc fecissent, concluserunt piscium multitudinem copiosam : rumpebatur autem rete eorum.

7 And they beckoned to their partners that were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they were almost sinking.

Et annuerunt sociis, qui erant in alia navi, ut venirent, et adjuvarent eos. Et venerunt, et impleverunt ambas naviculas, ita ut pene mergerentur.

8 Which when Simon Peter saw, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying: Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

Quod cum vidisset Simon Petrus, procidit ad genua Jesu, dicens : Exi a me, quia homo peccator sum, Domine.

9 For he was wholly astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken.

Stupor enim circumdederat eum, et omnes qui cum illo erant, in captura piscium, quam ceperant :

10 And so were also James and John the sons of Zebedee, who were Simon's partners. And Jesus saith to Simon: Fear not: from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

similiter autem Jacobum et Joannem, filios Zebedæi, qui erunt socii Simonis. Et ait ad Simonem Jesus : Noli timere : ex hoc jam homines eris capiens.

11 And having brought their ships to land, leaving all things, they followed him.

Et subductis ad terram navibus, relictis omnibus, secuti sunt eum.

Annotations

 

   6. they enclosed a very great multitude of fishes—for Peter had said, “At Thy word I will let down the net.” Behold here the fruit and reward of obedience. Jesus did this—

    1. In order that by providing them with food, He might prepare them for their vocation and ministry. I have chosen you to be My disciples, make not excuse that ye must work for your livelihood as fishermen. Behold this miraculous draft of fishes, and believe that I am able to provide you with all things necessary for life more easily and more abundantly than ye are able to provide them yourselves.         2. To teach from this miracle, that they were soon to become successful fishers of men.

    7. And they beckoned to their partners that were in the other ship,—because from joy and wondering astonishment they were unable to speak.

    10. Fear not (be not lost in astonishment, from henceforth you are to be fishermen in a higher sense of the word), from henceforth thou shalt catch men. ζωγρῶν from ζωγρέω, which means—

    First, to hunt or catch some living thing, hence the Arabic translates it, from henceforth thou shalt be a fisherman, for thou shalt fish for and take men. Thou, Peter, shalt catch men, not by wounding and disabling them, as wild animals are taken; but as fish which are unhurt by the net, so thou shalt catch men not by violence or force, but through the power and operation of the spirit.

    Secondly (if we derive the word from ζῶν and ἐγρομαι or ἐγείρω), to quicken, or recall to life. Hence S. Ambrose (Hexam., lib. v. cap. vi.) “Thou shalt be a life-giver to men;” and the Syriac, “Thou shalt be a fisher of men, to recall them to life.” Fishermen, indeed, catch fish to provide themselves with food, but thou, O Peter, art to become a fisher of men, not to destroy them, but to give them life by raising them from the death of sin unto the life of righteousness, for like as fish taken from the water die, so men caught by thee become dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, and, in a sense, as fish are assimilated by those who feed on them, so do those who are inclosed in the Gospel net, become in very truth members of Christ. Figuratively, the ship of Peter is the Church, the [visible] head of which is Peter and his successors. The Pope is therefore the chief fisherman to whom the words of Christ apply, “Thou shalt catch men.” It is the duty, therefore, of the Roman Pontiff directly and by means of others to convert the heathen, as the early occupants of the see of Rome converted the Roman people and sent apostolic men to preach the word of life to heathen lands.

    Thus S. Gregory sent Augustine to convert the English people.

    S. Ambrose observes, that some men, e.g., the martyrs, like fish, are taken by the hook; others, i.e., the body of the faithful, by the net, and adds, “Nets are the means whereby the Apostles catch men, for nets do not destroy but preserve what they take, and bring to the surface that which is floating below.”

    Nets are called in Latin “retia,” because they are retentive “retinentia,” of that which they have taken.—Gloss.

Additional Notes from the Catena Aurea of St Thomas Aquinas

    1. BEDE. The lake of Gennesaret is said to be the same as the sea of Galilee or the sea of Tiberias; but it is called the sea of Galilee from the adjacent province, the sea of Tiberias from a neighbouring city. Gennesaret however, is the name given it from the nature of the lake itself, (which is thought from its crossing waves to raise a breeze upon itself,) being the Greek expression for “making a breeze to itself.” (quasi a γιννάω et ἀὴρ.) For the water is not steady like that of a lake, but constantly agitated by the breezes blowing over it. It is sweet to the taste, and wholesome to drink. In the Hebrew tongue, any extent of water, whether it be sweet or salt, is called a sea.

    2. And saw two ships standing by the lake: BEDE. Now mystically, the two ships represent circumcision and uncircumcision. The Lord sees these, because in each people He knows who are His, and by seeing, i.e. by a merciful visitation, He brings them nearer the tranquillity of the life to come. The fishermen are the doctors of the Church, because by the net of faith they catch us, and bring us as it were ashore to the land of the living.

    6. and their net broke. AUGUSTINE. (ut sup.) Now the circumstance of the nets breaking, and the ships being filled with the multitude of fishes so that they began to sink, signifies that there will be in the Church so great a multitude of carnal men, that unity will be broken up, and it will be split into heresies and schisms.

    BEDE. The net is broken, but the fish escape not, for the Lord preserves His own amid the violence of persecutors.

    7. and they came. AMBROSE. But the other ship is Judæa, out of which James and John are chosen. These then came from the synagogue to the ship of Peter in the Church, that they might fill both ships. For at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, whether Jew or Greek.

    BEDE. Or the other ship is the Church of the Gentiles, which itself also (one ship being not sufficient) is filled with chosen fishes. For the Lord knows who are His, and with Him the number of His elect is sure. And when He finds not in Judæa so many believers as He knows are destined to eternal life, He seeks as it were another ship to receive His fishes, and fills the hearts of the Gentiles also with the grace of faith.

     BEDE. But the filling of these ships goes on until the end of the world. But the fact that the ships, when filled, begin to sink, i.e. become weighed low down in the water; (for they are not sunk, but are in great danger,) the Apostle explains when he says, In the last days perilous times shall come; men shall be lovers of their own selves, &c. (2 Tim. iii. 1, 2.) For the sinking of the ships is when men, by vicious habits, fall back into that world from which they have been elected by faith.

    8.  he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying: Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA. For calling back to his consciousness the crimes he had committed, he is alarmed and trembles, and as being unclean, he believes it impossible he can receive Him who is clean.

Douay-Rheims : 1582 text

1. AND it came to paſſe, when the multitudes preſſed vpon him to heare the word of God, and him ſelf ſtood beſide the lake of Geneſareth.

2. And he ſaw two ſhips ſtanding by the lake: and the fiſhers were gone downe, and waſhed their nets.

3. And he going vp into one ſhip that was Simons, deſired him to bring it back a litle from the land. And ſitting, he taught the multitudes out of the ſhip.

4. And as he ceaſed to ſpeake, he ſaid to Simon: Launch forth into the deep, and let looſe your nets to make a draught.

5. And Simon anſwering,ſaid to him: Maiſter, labouring al the night, we haue taken nothing; but in thy word I wil let looſe the net.

6. And when they had done this, they incloſed a very great multitude of fiſhes, and their net was broken.

7. And they beckned to their fellowes that were in the other ſhip, that they ſhould come and help them. And they came and filled both ſhips, ſo that they did ſinke.

8. Which when Simon Peter did ſee, he fel downe at IESVS knees ſaying: Goe forth from me, because I am a ſinful man, O Lord.

9. For he was wholy aſtonished and al that were with him, at the draught of fiſhes which they had taken.

10. In like manner also Iames and Iohn the ſonnes of Zebedee, who were Simons fellowes. And IESVS said to Simon: Feare not; from this time now, thou ſhalt be taking men.

11. And hauing brought their ſhips to land, leauing al things they folowed him.

 

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The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.