Luke 5:7

5:7 Their partners in the other boat were James and John, who with their father Zebedee were business partners with Peter (see 5:10; Mark 1:19-20) and Andrew (see Mark 1:16). • both boats were filled with fish: This dramatic miracle confirmed Jesus’ authority over the forces of nature.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk 5:7. Κατένευσαν, beckoned) as being at a distance, and for the sake of modesty [so as not to shout in the presence of the Lord]. They wished help, since a fish, when taken, has such eagerness to escape; however, that eagerness is not increased by a cry [therefore it was not to avoid frightening the fishes that the fishermen did not cry]. The net, no doubt, was broken in the upper end of it, where it was made fast. The fishes saw the net, the ship, the men, and felt themselves pressed on every side: therefore a cry on the part of the fishermen would have had no new (particular) advantage above a gesture, beckoning, to their partners.—μετόχοις, partners) For they were κοινωνοὶ, associates in fishing, Luk 5:10. Often, among the members of one society or family, there may be many pious men.—βυθίζεσθαι, to sink) They were being sunk low in the waters by the weight of the fishes.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 5:7 . κατένευσαν , they made signs, beckoned, here only in N. T. ( ἐνένευον , Luk 1:62 ); too far to speak perhaps, but fishers would be accustomed to communicate by signs to preserve needful stillness (Schanz). συλλαβέσθαι αὐτοῖς : this verb with dative occurs in Phi 4:3 = to help one. ὥστε , with infinitive = tendency here, not result. βυθίζεσθαι , to sink in the deep ( βυθός ), here only in O. or N. T. in reference to a ship; in 1Ti 6:9 in reference to rich men.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 7. They beckoned unto their partners] Had not these been called in to assist, the net must have been broken, and all the fish lost. What a pity there should be such envious separation among the different sects that profess to believe in Christ Jesus! Did they help each other in the spirit of Christian fellowship, more souls would be brought to the knowledge of the truth. Some will rather leave souls to perish than admit of partners in the sacred work. It is an intolerable pride to think nothing well done but what we do ourselves; and a diabolic envy to be afraid lest others should be more successful than we are.

They - filled both the ships] Both the boats had as many as they could carry, and were so heavily laden that they were ready to sink. As one justly observes, "There are fish plenty to be taken, were there skilful hands to take, and vessels to contain them. Many are disputing about the size, capacity, and goodness of their nets and their vessels, while the fish are permitted to make their escape." Did the faithful fishers in both the vessels in these lands (the established Church, and the various branches of the dissenting interest) join heartily together, the nations might be converted to God; but, while the ridiculous disputes for and against particular forms last, there can be no unity. Were men as zealous to catch souls, as they are to support their particular creeds, and forms of worship, the state of Christianity would be more flourishing than it is at present. But the wall of separation is continually strengthened, each party fortifying it on his own side.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(7) Their partners, which were in the other ship.—These are named in Luk_5:10 as “James, and John, the sons of Zebedee.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. they beckoned] It is one of the inimitable touches of truthfulness in the narrative that the instinct of work prevails at first over the sense that a miraculous power has been exerted.

unto their partners] The word used is metochois, meaning fellow-workers.

in the other ship] St Luke uses the Greek word heteros for ‘another of two,’ much more frequently and with stricter accuracy than the other Evangelists.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And they beckoned unto their partners,.... Zebedee, and his two sons, James and John; Luk 5:10 who were at some distance from them, probably lay at anchor near the shore, not having put out to sea when the other vessel did, and so were not within call; but they were obliged to make signs to them, and beckon with their hands to come to them:

which were in the other ship; mentioned in Luk 5:2 which lay by the shore:

that they should come and help them; take up the net, and take the fish out of it:

and they came and filled both the ships; with the fishes they took out of the net, as full as they could hold, and which they were not well able to carry:

so that they began to sink; or "were almost immersed", as Beza's ancient copy, and another manuscript, with the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions read; the vessels were so heavy laden, with the vast quantity of fish that was taken, that they were just ready to sink with their burden.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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

Ver. 7. Filled both the ships] Here the dumb fishes do clearly preach Christ to be the Son of God.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They beckoned - They gave signs. Perhaps they were at a considerable distance, so that they could not be easily heard.

Their partners - James and John. See Luk 5:10. The following remarks of Dr. Thomson (“The Land and the Book,” vol. ii. p. 80, 81) will furnish a good illustration of this passage. After describing the mode of fishing with the “hand-net” and the “dragnet,” he adds: “Again, there is the bag-net and basket-net, of various kinds, which are so constructed and worked as to inclose the fish out in deep water. I have seen them of almost every conceivable size and pattern. It was with some one of this sort, I suppose, that Simon had toiled all night without catching anything, but which, when let down at the command of Jesus, inclosed so great a multitude that the net broke, and they filled two ships with the fish until they began to sink. Peter here speaks of toiling all night; and there are certain kinds of fishing always carried on at night. It is a beautiful sight. With blazing torch the boat glides over the flashing sea, and the men stand gazing keenly into it until their prey is sighted, when, quick as lightning, they fling their net or fly their spear; and often you see the tired fishermen come sullenly into harbor in the morning, having toiled all night in vain. Indeed, every kind of fishing is uncertain. A dozen times the angler jerks out a naked hook; the hand-net closes down on nothing; the drag-net brings in only weeds; the bag comes up empty. And then again, every throw is successful - every net is full; and frequently without any other apparent reason than that of throwing it on the right side of the ship instead of the left, as it happened to the disciples here at Tiberias.”

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The other ship was probably at such a distance from them, that they could not be heard, had they called out to them; and this also is another proof of the greatness of the miracle, that though the other ship was fishing in the same place, though a little removed, they could catch nothing. (Maldonatus) --- This also shews that Peter was to call in other co-labourers, and that all were to come into Peter’s ship. (St. Ambrose, in Luc.)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

7. Beckoned—Made signal to the other ship, whose distance was too great for voice to reach.

They came—With their ship. They aided in pulling in the seine, and took a share of the fishes into their ship and returned to their own side of the cove. There they got out of the ship and commenced to repair their nets upon the beach, until Jesus, passing further on, comes and gives them, too, their call.

Filled both the ships—The light skiffs it seems could hardly hold as much as the seines! But miraculous power, perhaps, gathered in more than the nets; just as the divine aid in the conversion of souls does more than the human means.

Began to sink—Probably the one-sided dip came near to swamping the boats; the beginning to be merged was arrested by the righting. Compare the plenteousness of the Lord’s miracle, Joh_2:6, where see our note. Trench refers to a shoal of mackerel, at Brighton, in 1808, so great that the net could not be brought in, and fishes and net remained in the sea together.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. κατένευσαν. It is one of the inimitable touches of truthfulness in the narrative that the instinct of work prevails at first over the sense that a miraculous power has been exerted.

τοῖς μετόχοις, ‘fellow-workers.’

ἐν τῷ ἑτέρῳ πλοίῳ. St Luke uses ἕτερος for ‘another of two,’ much more frequently and with stricter accuracy than the other Evangelists.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7.] They beckoned, on account of the distance; or perhaps for the reason given by : μὴ δυνάμενοι λαλῆσαι ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκπλήξεως καὶ τοῦ φόβου.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. κατένευσαν τοῖς μετόχοις. Possibly because they were too far off for a call to be heard. The other boat was still close to the shore (ver. 2), for Simon alone had been told to put out into deep water. The verb is freq. in Hom., and occurs in Hdt. and Plato, generally in the sense of “nod assent, grant.” Here only in N.T. Euthymius. suggests that they were too agitated to call.

Here and Heb 1:9 (from Psa 44:8) we have μέτοχος as a subst. Comp. Heb 3:1, Heb 3:14, Heb 3:6:4, Heb 3:12:8: and see T. S. Evens on 1Co 10:16-18 in Speaker’s com. “As distinguished from κοινωνός (ver. 10; Heb 10:33), which suggests the 4 idea of personal fellowship, μέτοχος describes participation in some common blessing or privilege, or the like. The bond of union lies in that which is shared and not in the persons themselves” (Wsctt. on Heb 3:1). For συλλαβέσθαι in the sense of “assist” comp. Php 4:3. In Class. Grk. the act. is more common in this sense. For ἦλθαν see on 1:59.

ἔπλησαν ἀμφότερα τὰ πλοῖα ὥστε βυθίζεσθαι αὐτά. For ἔπλησαν see on 1:15; ἀμφότεροι is another favourite word (1:6, 7, 6:39, 7:42; Act 8:38, Act 19:16, Act 23:8); not in Mk. or Jn.“They filled both the boats, so that they began to sink”: comp. διερήσετο. The act is used 2 Mac. 12:4 of the sinking of persons; by Polybius (2:10, 5) of the sinking of ships; and 1Ti 6:9 of sending down to perdition. Nowhere else in N.T.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They beckoned [κατενευσαν] . The word originally means to nod assent, and so, generally, to make a sign. They made signs because of the distance of the other boat; hardly, as has been suggested, because they were too much amazed to speak.

Help [συλλαβεσθαι] . Lit., take hold with. Compare Phi 4:3. Began to sink [βυθιζωσθαι] . Only here and 1Ti 6:9, of drowning men in destruction. From buqov, the depth. Wyc., thy were almost drenched.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.