E³ y 1. People. "Pressed upon Him."
z 2,3. Ships. Standing.
a 4-7. Miracle.
a 8-10. Effects.
z 11-. Ships. Landing.
y -11. Disciples. "Followed Him."
27 A.D.
Luke 5)
1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon Him (they were anxious) and heard the word of God, He (emphatic, to distinguish Him from the crowds) was standing beside the lake (Matthew, Mark and John call it "seas") of Gennesaret,
2 And saw two boats standing (i.e. at anchor) by the lake (at that time there was about 4,000 ships on the lake): but the fishermen were gone away from them (this call was not that of Mark 1:16-20. When the Lord said "Let us go",&c. [Mark 1:38], they perhaps did not go with Him, but returned to their ships. But from this 2nd call they never left Him. Don't go fishing without Christ!), and were washing their nets. (at the 1st call they were casting their nets)
3 And He entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and asked him that he would push off a little away from the land. And He sat down (the attitude of teaching. See 4:20), and was teaching the people out of the boat. (It was a natural amphitheater)
4 Now when He had left speaking, He said to Simon, "Push off into the deep, and let you down your nets (addressed to all) with a view to a haul." (Used of what is drawn, from Anglo-Saxon drag-an)
5 And Simon answering said to Him, "Master (a word peculiar to Luke, implying knowledge and greater authority than Rabbi, or Teacher), we have toiled all through the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless upon Your word I will let down the net." (Too many people pray this way, know it alls. When you pray, pray with faith)
6 And when they had this done, they enclosed a great shoal of fishes: and their net was begging to break.
7 And they beckoned to their partners, which were in the different boat, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the boats, so that they are sinking. (They were a little greedy)
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me; for I am a man a sinner (true conviction has regard to what one is, not to what one has done. Cp. Manoah [Judg. 13:22], Israel [Ex. 20:13], men of Beth-shemesh [1 Sam. 6:20], David [2 Sam. 12:13], Job [Job. 40:4; 42:2-6], Isaiah [Isa. 6:5]), O Lord." (Don't get caught in this condition)
9 For astonishment laid hold of him, and all that were united with him, at the haul of the fishes which they had taken:
10 And so was James also, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Fear not; from henceforth you shall be capturing [alive] men." (Used of taking captives. Here, in a good spiritual sense. Don't hit them over the head with the anchor. Let them nibble and draw them in)
11 And when they had brought their boats to land,
they let go all (this was their business), and followed Him. (They were impressed)
G Q¹ 5:12-26. Tour. Miracles.
R¹ 5:27-39. Disciples. Call of Levi.
Q² 6:1-11. Tour. Sabbaths.
R² 6:12-16. Disciples. Call of the 12.
Q³ 6:17-8:56. Tour. Healing and Teaching.
R³ 9:1-10-. Disciples. Mission of the 12, and return.
Q4 9:-10-17. Tour. Miracle.
R4 9:18-21. Disciples. Confession of Messiah.
Q¹ S 12-. A certain city.
T U -12-15. Miracle. Leper. "Lord".
V 16. Prayer.
S 17-. A certain day.
T V -17. Teaching.
U 18-26. Miracle. Paralytic. "Son of man."
12 And it came to pass, in His being in one of the cities, (probably one in which "most of His mighty works were done", namely Chorazin or Bethsaida. When named together these are always in this order. By comparing 5:18 and Mark 1:45 with 5:9, Matt. 9:10 and Mark 2:15, it seems clear that certain city was not Capernaum. The attemps to "touch" the Lord were all in that city or neighborhood [6:19. Matt. 9:20; 14:36. Mark 3:10; 6:56. Cp. 5:15]. Hence the city was probably Chorazin)
behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought Him, saying, "Lord (now being proclaimed as to His person: the King, Lord of all and yet [v.24] the Son of man. Cp. Matt. 8:2,6,8,20.), if (denoting a contingent probability) You will (he had no doubt, full of faith), You can make me clean." (The sick are healed: lepers are cleansed.)
13 And He put forth His hand, and touched Him, saying, "I will: be you made clean." And immediately the leprosy departed from him.
14 And He charged (a military word. Also used of a physician, "prescribe") him to tell no one (i.e. no one whom he may happen to meet): but [said] "go, and shew yourself to the priest (Lev. 14:1-32), and offer for your cleansing, according as Moses commanded (see Matt. 8:4), for a testimony to them." (The Church. You don't have to go to some meeting to be healed. When a healing takes place, pay attention to what is necessary and what is present to bring about a miracle)
15 But so much the more went there a report abroad concerning Him: and great multitudes kept coming together to hear, and to be healed by Him from their infirmities. (They will do it today if there is a good showman. This was not a sow. How many were healed? one!)
16 And He continued withdrawn Himself in the wilderness, and prayed. (the 2nd recorded occ. in Luke)
17 And it came to pass in one of the days,
as He was teaching, and there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem (Palestine was divided into the 3 districts [mountain, sea-shore, and valley]. Cp. Acts 1:8; 10:39): and the power of the Lord was present for Him a view to heal. (But miracle were few "because of their unbelief", Matt. 13:58. They were a bunch of non-believers)
U W b 18,19. The Paralytic. Brought.
c 20. Forgiveness. Declared.
X 21. Effect. Enemies Reasoning.
W c 22-24. Forgiveness. Bestowed.
b 25. The Paralytic. Healed.
X 26. Effect. People Glorifying.
18 And, behold, men carrying upon a couch (not the poor man's bed. John 5:10) a man which was paralyzed: and they sought means to bring him in, and to place him before Him.
19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in on account of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.
20 And when He saw their faith (why exclude the man himself, as is generally done?), He said to him, "Man, your sins have been forgiven you." (It pleases Him to do this. He didn't heal him here)
21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this Which speaks blasphemies? Who is able to forgive sins, but God alone?" (They thought they had Him)
22 But when Jesus well knowing their reasonings, He answering said to them, "What reason you in your hearts? (What are you thinking about?)
23 Whether is easier, to say, 'Your sins have been forgiven to you;' or to say, 'Rise up and walk?' (He calls their bluff)
24 But in order that you may know that the Son of man has authority upon earth to forgive sins, (He said to the sick of the palsy,) I say to you, 'Arise, and take up your couch, and go into your house.' "
25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed into his own house, glorifying God.
26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God, and were filled of fear, saying, "We have seen extra-ordinary things today."
R¹ Y 27. Levi. His call.
Z 28. His obedience.
Y 29. Levi. His feast.
Z 30-39. His instruction.
27 And after these things He went forth, and viewed with attention a tax-collector, named Levi (there can be no doubt about Levi and Matthew being different names for the same person [Matt. 9:9. Mark 2:14]. For similar changes, at epochs in life, cp. Simon and Peter, Saul and Paul, Matthew is an abbreviation of Mattathias = Gift of God, and he is so called after this. "Sitting" shows he was a custom-house officer), sitting at the toll office: and He said to him, "Follow Me." (He was one of God's elect. He didn't hold a tent meeting, no evangelistic meeting. God sends His elect to reach sinners. If you think you are so much better than them that you can't touch them, what good are you? How can God use you if you are too good to talk to a sinner to bring them up to your level? They are not aliens, they are brothers and sisters and need help.)
28 And he left behind all (even his money. Not the same word as "forsook" in v.11), rose up, and followed Him.
29 And Levi made him a reception (banquet) in his own house: and there was a great company of tax-collectors and of others that sat down in company with them.
Z A 30. Scribes and Pharisees. Question.
B 31,32. The Lord's Answer.
A 33. Scribes and Pharisees. Question.
B 34-39. The Lord's Answer.
30 But the scribes and Pharisees among them (referring to Galilean scribes, as distinguished from those in Jerusalem [Matt. 15:1]. Note the same distinction as to synagogues in Matt. 4:23; 9:35,&c.) murmured against His disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with the tax-collectors and sinners?" (Self-righteous hypocrites. Who is the bigger sinner?)
31 And Jesus answering said to them, "They that are in health (Gr. hugiainō, a medical word) need not a physician; but they that have themselves the sickly. (in an evil condition)
32 I have came not to call [self] righteous ones, but sinners with a to view repentance." (Got to the lost. You have to go out where the action is, don't be afraid to talk to the sinner. The truth may sting, but it will help. But use common sense. Do not put yourself in harms way)
33 And they said to Him, "Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make petitions (note this as distinguished from praying), and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but Yours eat and drink?" (Like ordinary people, without making it a part of their religion)
B C¹ 34,35. The Sons of the Bride-chamber. C² 36. Old and New Garments. C³ 37,38. Old and New Wine-skins. C4 39. Old and New Wine.
34 And He said to them, "You surely cannot make the sons of the bride-chamber fast (put for the bridal party), in the time when the bridegroom is with them, can you? (Do you want to fast at the wedding party? You need to divide the Word correctly)
35 But there will come days [for those], and when (as though the time for revealing the fact of His crucifixion had not yet come) the bridegroom shall be taken away from them (parallels Matt. 9:15 and Mark 2:20, implying a violent death; as "lifted up" in John 3:14), and then shall they fast in those days." (As they did [Acts 13:2,3])
36 And He spake a parable also to them that (for His coming and love); "No one [having tore a piece] from a new garment, puts it upon an old; if otherwise, the he will both tear the new, and the new will not harmonize with the old. (the real truth puckers them up. They are set in their ways)
37 And no man puts fresh made wine (see Matt. 9:17) into old wine-skins; else the fresh made wine will burst the wine-skins, and it will be poured out, and the wine-skins shall perish. (Fermentation expands. A little truth will make them explode)
38 But fresh made wine must be put into new wine-skins; and both are preserved.
39 No man also having drank old wine straightway desires fresh made: for he says, 'The old is good.' " (It is difficult for them to open up to the Word of God. They are set in traditions. It puckers them up when you try and teach about the false "Rapture" doctrine, "Easter" [a pagan festival and worship], instead of True Passover, April 3rd same time every year. And that Christ was conceived on Dec. 25th and was born on Sept. 29th, Feast of Tabernacles.)