Did Jesus Let the Fish Rot?

This past month I attended an interfaith service at Provo Canyon. Worshipping in the mountains is something I definitely need to be doing more often! The pastor gave a sermon by Michael K. Marsh from Interrupting the Silence. He talked about the miracle that Jesus performed in Luke 5. Simon Peter and the others were fishing with no luck. Jesus asked them to yet again put their nets into the Sea of Galilee. This time there were so many fish, the nets almost broke.

Then, according to Luke 5:11 (NIV):

So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

The pastor at the service said the fisherman left the fish to rot and joined Jesus.

At this point in the sermon, I wanted to raise my hand. “Wait a minute. Jesus provides so many fish that the nets can barely contain them, and then they just leave them on the shore to rot?” But I stayed silent. Y'all get to read what I had wanted to say.

I don’t think Jesus brought the fish out of the sea just to decay on the rocks nearby.

Here's why. Let’s look at two words in verse 11, “left” and “followed,” but let's look at them in Greek.

Left = ἀφέντες = aphentes = to send away, to release, to leave alone

Followed = ἠκολούθησαν = akoloutheó = to join as a disciple

Jesus was asking Simon Peter and the fishermen to quit their professions in order to become His disciple.

The fishermen weren’t the only ones who quit their professions. Jesus did too. He quit his job as a carpenter to be an itinerant rabbi, or a traveling rabbi. Itinerant rabbis often asked others to temporarily leave their professions and become their disciple. However, the fishermen likely didn't realize the long-term commitment Jesus was asking for. They wouldn’t be gone for a few months, as was normal, but for years. That’s a long time for a family to go without an income.

So, what really happened to the fish?

Maybe the large quantity of fish was preserved to provide a steady income for the fishermen’s families? Perhaps it was Jesus’ way of showing that the families would be cared for far beyond their imagination.

This story resonates with our struggles today. We chase success, but it often eludes us. We get discouraged and frustrated. Fortunately, when we turn to the Lord for help, He provides beyond our expectations. He doesn’t ask us to just simply walk away with our blessings. We are to recognize that our success ultimately comes from Him. We follow Him to show that we recognize our dependence upon Him.

In Romans 8:28 (KJV) we read:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

I believe all those fish were according to God's purpose. I just can’t believe they were abandoned to rot.

~Heather Ruth Pack

What Do You Think?

What do you think happened to the fish that day?

I posed this same question to the Times of Faith Facebook Discussion Group. Here’s what Karie C. said.

“I can’t imagine they were the only ones fishing that day. Having so many fish all at once, might have given Simon Peter the opportunity to bless others by giving this abundance away.”

I love this idea of Simon Peter and the others sharing their bounty with the other fisherman out on the sea that day.

What are your thoughts? Join our discussion group on Facebook and add your thoughts. To get approved to join, click the button below.

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Want to Read More?

Curious about what life as an itinerant rabbi was like? My article titled “Come Follow Me—A Simple Phrase” explores the role of an itinerant rabbi and how disciples followed one. The article is currently featured on the home page of the Times of Faith blog. To read the article, click the button below.

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Looking to Deepen Your Scripture Study?

I want to recommend the fantastic resource I used to write this month's newsletter: NET Bible which is a part of Bible.org.

This website allows you to easily see the original Hebrew and Greek words used in the scriptures, along with a clear and accurate translation. It's a great tool for gaining a deeper understanding of the text!

Want to learn more? I've created a quick 1-minute video showing you how to use the NETBible.org website.