Luke 5:5

5 Shim`on answered, "We've worked hard all night long, Rabbi, and haven't caught a thing! But if you say so, I'll let down the nets."

Luke 5:5 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 5:5

And Simon answering said unto him, master
Or Rabbi, as the Syriac version renders it: he knew him to be the Messiah, the king of Israel, and a teacher sent from God:

we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing;
which carries in it an objection to what Christ advised and directed to: they had been fishing that "night", which was the best time for catching fish; and they had been at it all the night, and had "laboured" hard; and were even "fatigued", and quite wearied out; and what was most discouraging of all, their labour was in vain; they had caught "nothing":

nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net;
which showed faith in Christ, and obedience to him: thus the faithful preachers of the Gospel, sometimes labour and toil in the ministry of the word a great while, with little or no success; and are discouraged from going on, and would be tempted to leave off, were it not for the commission and word of command they have received from Christ, which they dare not be disobedient to; and for the word of promise he has given them, to be with them, on which they depend.

Luke 5:5 In-Context

3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Shim`on, and asked him to put out a little way from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Shim`on, "Put out into deep water, and let down your nets for a catch."

5 Shim`on answered, "We've worked hard all night long, Rabbi, and haven't caught a thing! But if you say so, I'll let down the nets."

6 They did this and took in so many fish that their nets began to tear.

7 So they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them; and they came and filled both boats to the point of sinking.