Luke 5:5

5 And Simon answering said to him, Master, having laboured through the whole night we have taken nothing, but at thy word I will let down the net.

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 And getting into one of the ships, which was Simon's, he asked him to draw out a little from the land; and he sat down and taught the crowds out of the ship.

4 But when he ceased speaking, he said to Simon, Draw out into the deep [water] and let down your nets for a haul.

5 And Simon answering said to him, Master, having laboured through the whole night we have taken nothing, but at thy word I will let down the net.

6 And having done this, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes. And their net broke.

7 And they beckoned to their partners who were in the other ship to come and help them, and they came, and filled both the ships, so that they were sinking.

Footnotes

• [a]. 'One who is over others,' not 'teacher:' see ch. 9.33. Only used of Christ and only by Luke.