Luke 5. 1-11 A fishing miracle. Galilee Lake is harp shaped, 13 by 8 miles. High hills give a beautiful setting; wind funnelling through them causes sudden violent storms. It is in a dip in the Earth's surface c700 feet below sea level with a tropical climate. The Lake had several names, Chinnereth (OT), Tiberias and Gennesarat in NT times when there were 9 towns around it, each having 15,000+ population. Each Gospel has a similar story but different in time and detail; see Mt.4; Mk.1; Jn.21. Jesus sat to teach in a boat away from the shore so that there was maximum visual and acoustic advantage. Only Luke (v 5) uses Gr.epistata - master to be obeyed; denoting authority but not rabbi. Peter reluctantly threw out the net. What did a carpenter know about fishing? He had been cleaning nets and was tired. He fished at night, not in sunlight except in the shallows. It was a lake full of fish. Peter probably knew every inch of the lake. There was overwhelming surprise at the huge catch. Simon addressed Jesus as 'Lord' expressing holiness of which he was afraid - it created moral agony. His reaction was an echo of the OT (Gen.18.24; Job 42.6; Ex.20.19; Isaiah 6.5) should we react as Isaiah and Peter did? Can we share their feelings? Are we aware of the awful holiness of God? Now Peter is to catch men, alive (Gr zogreo), his first great commission as an evangelist. Here he would receive his second great commission (Jn.21)

Vv17-26 Controversy with the Pharisees. Returning from the Exile, Jews thought deeply about their past failure as a nation and about what was important in the future. Greatness as a political nation was past; so they would concentrate on 'keeping the Law'. It started with Nehemiah but they became paranoid about it - it became an obsession. It was important that Jesus was watched; Pharisees from Jerusalem had come. Houses had flat roofs; some had tiles and gave easy access via outside staircase; through twigs and marl (wattle & daub). Four men set an example in taking a friend to Jesus. Is illness caused by sin? Jesus implies so and forgave him. Did He do so at any other time? Why did He do so now?

Jesus showed God's authority (Gr.exousia) power and authority from His Father, which the disciples would also have (John 20.23). Contrast the approach by the friends with the leprous man. Jesus alone uses 'Son of Man' (80 times) except Stephen (Acts 7.56). People watching the healing were very surprised; Moffatt uses 'incredible'. Religious Jews stumbled because Jesus did the unexpected; he broke down 'hedges' that they had put round the Law. They stumbled because He worked contrary to their interpretation of the Law. May we not stumble? Do we prefer a nicely structured set of beliefs? When God does things differently, packaged religion and secure tradition are upset. Luke's is the only Gospel that tells us that the man went away praising and glorifying God. What authenticates our witness?