Luke 5:5 (ESV) … And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”
Teaching was over; it was time for fishing. No recreational fishing for these professionals. Back to daily work, but not ordinary daily work. That was completed for the night, because night was the best time to fish. Jesus called for overtime labor in the least productive time of day. Exercising his normal gift for immediate response, Simon Peter protested: “No more fruitless labor for us. We have already done a night’s work without anything to show for our efforts.”
Then Simon caught himself: “You are talking, Jesus. You are the Master. What you say, we will do.” Note that Master (Gr. epistata) was Luke’s word of address from the disciples to Jesus where other Gospels used “Rabbi.” Luke thus shows his aim toward a Gentile rather than a Jewish audience. The Master’s word takes precedence over human experience and human knowledge. Tough, experienced fishermen let Jesus show them when and where to fish. They had seen the power and authority of his ministry.[1]
The Lord always supersedes us. He superseded Peter in his command of the boat, which he had navigated since he was a lad. There is always a testing-point for the soul. Will you surrender the command and let Christ be captain? If so, in the teeth of great difficulties for fish are not caught generally in the glare of day he will fill your boat to the water’s edge. He does beyond all we asked or thought. - F. B. Meyer[2]
