Fishing for People
Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people." --Luke 5:10b Together we read Luke 5:1-11; it is Luke's version of Jesus calling the first of his disciples. The account is more detailed than what we read in Mark. We found it quite remarkable. In this version, Jesus is teaching a large crowd on the seashore. The crowd is "presing in on him to hear the word of God." There is a sense of urgency that is quite striking. Looking nearby, Jesus sees two empty fishing boats. The fishermen had gotten out of them and were cleaning their nets after a night of fishing. Jesus takes the opportunity to get into one of the boats, which belongs to Simon. He asks Simon to put out a little way from the shore, which the fisherman does. Sitting in the boat, Jesus teaches the crowds. When he finishes the lesson, he turns his attention specifically to