Wondrous Catch of Fish on the Lake of Gennesaret

This miracle is found in the gospel of Luke in chapter 5, verses 1-11. Jesus was speaking to a group of people on the seashore near where Peter and his friends were returning from an all-night toil of trying to catch fish, but they had no success and were returning with no fish whatsoever. Jesus asked Peter if he could take him out a little from the shore so he could speak to the people. He later asked Peter to cast his net for a catch of fish. Peter reluctantly does so, and the number of fish he caught in his nets was so great, the boat nearly sank. This led to Peter recognizing that Jesus was, indeed, the Messiah for whom the Jews had been waiting.

Gennesaret is a small plain bordering the west shore of the Sea of Galilee between Capernaum and Magdala. The plain is about four miles long, running north and south along the seacoast, and up to about two miles wide. The name is also a small town in the area bearing the name Gennesaret. Some sources read “Gennesar.” Therefore, the sea was called by some Sea of Gennesaret rather than Sea of Galilee. The land here is level, rising gently from the level of the Sea of Galilee, which is 650 ft. below the Mediterranean Sea. Hills rise sharply on three sides. The main road from Capernaum to Tiberias runs through this area close to the seashore.

During the time of Christ, this plain was the garden spot of Palestine. The historian Josephus described this area as being beautiful and fertile with a climate ranging from hot to temperate. There were also several streams in this area providing plenty of water for irrigation. There was an abundance of wild trees and flowers, as well as important crops such as grapes, figs, olives, walnuts, rice, wheat, vegetables, and melons. The rabbis often spoke of this plain as “the Garden of God” and a “paradise.”

For Jesus to address large crowds and they hear him, it would suggest that Jesus was below the crowds and the crowds sat along the slope of the hillside. This is also why he often spoke from a boat slightly offshore. Sound waves are reflected off the surface of the water toward the shore because the sound waves are bent down back into the surface of the water and then reflected so the sound wave travels even farther. The sound waves hit the warm air above the lake, the upper part of the sound waves travels faster than the lower part, and so the wave gets bent downward back onto the surface of the water where it's then reflected back into the air--and the process repeats. When the sound waves arrive at the shore, the air at ground level is now warm (and the air above the ground is cooler). This makes the sound waves bend upward--up the hill. Thus, all the people seated or standing on the hillside can clearly hear what Jesus is saying. In addition, this area where Jesus spoke to them was away from the sounds of the nearby towns.

What was the purpose of this miracle? First, it seems likely Jesus knew Simon Peter would be there, so he picked this place not only for the better acoustics but for a specific person as well. Going into the boat also allowed Jesus to not be so pressed by the crowds and allowed him to use the water to help amplify his words for the people to hear better. Jesus also likely knew it would take something monumental to get Peter’s attention. It seems Peter tried to be polite, but he was also tired, so obeying Jesus’ request was irritating to him as he felt Jesus knew nothing about fishing whereas fishing was his specialty. He had toiled all night fishing with zero results. In Peter’s mind, he was likely asking himself what could Jesus possibly contribute to his fishing expertise?

It seems Peter and Andrew were in some type of alliance with Zebedee and his sons James and John. This allowed them to share resources as well as profits and even their debts. Jesus knew this and used this fact to get not only Peter’s attention but that of James and John as well.

While Peter obeyed Jesus’ request, he did not obey with much enthusiasm. Yet, Peter’s obedience brought in a surprise catch—more than Peter could have ever imagined. There were so many fish in their nets that both the boat of Peter and Andrew as well as the boat of James and John could barely contain the quantity of fish without sinking. This definitely got Peter’s attention and broke down his stone exterior and began to reach his heart. The amount of money this catch brought them likely was enough to sustain them for quite some time and allowed Peter, Andrew, James, and John to follow Jesus without adding undue hardship to their families.

This story is a bookend to the beginning and the end of Jesus’ ministry and to the relationship between Jesus and Peter. We see something similar in John chapter 21, verses 2-15. Peter’s ministry with Jesus started with a net full of fish and Jesus encouraged Peter again after his resurrection to let Peter know his ministry will and should continue. In both instances, the number of fish was indicative of something extraordinary happening. While the nets began to break this first time, the net held the second time, perhaps signaling Jesus was strong enough to care for them as the disciples continued to move forward. Also, this second time, Jesus had bread and fish already cooked for them. This likely caused the disciples to think about the times Jesus fed the multitudes and let them know Jesus could still sustain them and multiply their efforts.

I think Peter was somewhat like Paul in personality and Jesus knew something dramatic was needed to get his attention. Yet, once he had his attention, he was most loyal.

Jesus also knows what makes us tick and creates circumstances to get our attention to let us know he is there for us. Are you looking for these circumstances? Do so, and you will see how great our Lord is to provide for us, sustain us, and multiply our humble efforts. We serve such a great God!

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens