Church Fathers Commentary Luke 5:1-3

"Now it came to pass, while the multitude pressed upon him and heard the word of God, that he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; and he saw two boats standing by the lake: but the fishermen had gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the boats, which was Simon`s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the multitudes out of the boat." — Luke 5:1-3 (ASV)

St. Ambrose of Milan: When the Lord had performed many and various kinds of cures, the crowd began to pay attention to neither time nor place in their desire to be healed. When evening came, they followed; a lake was before them, yet they still pressed on, as it is said, And it came to pass, as the people pressed upon him.

St. John Chrysostom: For they clung to Him with love and admiration and longed to keep Him with them. Who would depart while He performed such miracles? Who would not be content just to see His face and the mouth that uttered such things? He was admired not only for performing miracles, but His entire appearance was overflowing with grace. Therefore, when He speaks, they listen to Him in silence, not interrupting the flow of His discourse, for it is said, that they might hear the word of God. It follows, And he stood near the lake of Gennesaret.

The Venerable Bede: The Lake of Gennesaret is said to be the same as the Sea of Galilee or the Sea of Tiberias. It is called the Sea of Galilee from the adjacent province and the Sea of Tiberias from a neighboring city. Gennesaret, however, is the name given to it from the nature of the lake itself (which is thought to generate its own breeze from its crossing waves), being the Greek expression for "making a breeze for itself." For the water is not steady like that of a lake but is constantly agitated by the breezes blowing over it. It is sweet to the taste and wholesome to drink. In the Hebrew language, any body of water, whether sweet or salt, is called a sea.

Theophylact of Ohrid: But the Lord sought to avoid glory the more it pursued Him, and therefore, separating Himself from the crowd, He entered a boat, as it is said, And he saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

St. John Chrysostom: This was a sign of leisure, but according to Matthew, He finds them mending their nets. For so great was their poverty that they had to patch up their old nets, being unable to buy new ones. But our Lord was very eager to gather the crowds, so that no one would be left behind and all might see Him face to face. He therefore gets into a boat, as it is said, And he entered into a ship, which was Simon’s, and prayed him.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Notice the gentleness of Christ: He asks Peter. And notice the willingness of Peter, who was obedient in all things.

St. John Chrysostom: After performing many miracles, He begins His teaching again, and being on the sea, He fishes for those who were on the shore. Thus, it follows, And he sat down and taught the people out of the ship.

St. Gregory of Nazianzus: He condescended to all in order to draw a fish from the deep—that is, a person swimming in the ever-changing scenes and bitter storms of this life.

The Venerable Bede: Now mystically, the two boats represent circumcision and uncircumcision. The Lord sees these because He knows who are His among each people, and by seeing them—that is, by a merciful visitation—He brings them nearer to the tranquility of the life to come. The fishermen are the teachers of the Church, because with the net of faith they catch us and bring us, as it were, ashore to the land of the living. But these nets are at one time spread for catching fish, and at another time washed and folded. For not every time is suitable for teaching; at one time the teacher must speak, and at another time we must discipline ourselves. Simon's boat is the early Church, of which St. Paul says, He that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision. The boat is rightly called one, for among the multitude of believers there was one heart and one soul.

St. Augustine of Hippo: From this boat He taught the crowd, for by the authority of the Church He teaches the Gentiles. The Lord entering the boat and asking Peter to push out a little from the land signifies that we must be moderate in our words to the crowd, so that they are neither taught earthly things, nor do they rush from earthly things into the depths of the sacraments. Alternatively, the Gospel must first be preached to the neighboring Gentile countries, so that (as He later says, Launch out into the deep) He might then command it to be preached to more distant nations.