The story of the miraculous catch of fish in Luke 5: 1-11 is a vivid account of the calling of the first disciples. But according to one New Testament scholar who lived and worked in the Middle East for many years, we understand the story quite differently if we know how Galilee fishermen actually lived and worked.
Luke says Jesus got into Simon's boat and preached to the people from the water while they crowded around the shore – he had previously healed Simon's mother in law, so Simon owed him a favour. After he'd finished, he tells Simon to put off into deep water and let down the nets. Simon is tired after a night's fishing and doesn't want to do it; he agrees, but his mood is crotchety and sarcastic. They catch a great shoal of fish and need their partners in the other boat to help them land it.
In his book Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes (SPCK £12.99), Kenneth Bailey reflects on his personal knowledge of Galilee. Fishing takes place at night because that's when the fish come out; there's usually no point in doing it during the day. But they also congregate where streams of fresh water flow into the lake, sometimes underground, and provide oxygen-rich water the fish love. So Bailey suggests Jesus might have pointed to a new fishing ground in the lake where the fish were gathering. He notes that the men in Simon's boat "beckon to" their partners rather than calling them; the last thing they want is for everyone else to know what they've found as it is a valuable resource.
So one of the startling things about the story, and one that's often overlooked, is what it says about Jesus' attitude to money. Simon, Bailey suggests, knew that Jesus could have become very rich if he'd kept his knowledge to himself. But money wasn't at all important to him. By telling Simon where riches were to be found he effectively gave them away.
And of course the catch of fish has another message. Jesus spoke from the boat and was "fishing" for people. The fish Simon Peter caught, overflowing the boat and overwhelming the fishermen, were to be an emblem of the triumph of the gospel; today, millions of people know Christ as their saviour. As Luke records (verse 10), "Then Jesus said to Simon, 'Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men.'"
Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods
