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.
