And having brought their ships to land, leaving all things, they followed him.
και καταγαγοντες τα πλοια επι την γην αφεντες απαντα ηκολουθησαν αυτω
12 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 18 commentaries
But mark their faith and obedience. For though they were eagerly engaged in the employment of fishing, yet when they heard the command of Jesus, they delayed not, but forsook all and followed Him. Such is the obedience which Christ demands of us; we must not forego it, even though some great necessity urges us. Hence it follows, And having brought their ships to land.
For calling back to his consciousness the crimes he had committed, he is alarmed and trembles, and as being unclean, he believes it impossible he can receive Him who is clean, for he had learnt from the law to distinguish between what is defiled and holy.
He does not mention Andrew by name, who however is thought to have been in that ship, according to the accounts of Matthew and Mark. It follows, And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not.
Matthew and Mark here briefly state the matter, and how it was done. Luke explains it more at large. There seems however to be this difference, that he makes our Lord to have said to Peter only, From henceforth thou shalt catch men, whereas they related it as having been spoken to both the others. But surely it might have been said at first to Peter, when he marvelled at the immense draught of fishes, as Luke suggests, and afterwards to both, as the other two have related it.
Or we must understand the event to have taken place as Luke relates, and that the others were not then called by the Lord, but only it was foretold to Peter that he should catch men, not that he should no more be employed in fishing; and hence there is room for supposing that they returned to their fishing, so that afterwards that might happen which Matthew and Mark speak, of. For then the ships were not brought to land, as if with the intention of returning, but they followed Him as calling or commanding them to come. (Matt. 4:20, Mark 1:18.) But if according to John, Peter and Andrew followed Him close by Jordan, how do the other Evangelists say that He found them fishing in Galilee, and called them to the discipleship? Except we understand that they did not see the Lord near Jordan so as to join Him inseparably, but knew only who He was, and marvelling at Him returned to their own.
Or, Peter speaks in the character of the Church full of carnal men, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man. As if the Church, crowded with carnal men, and almost sunk by their vices, throws off from it, as it were, the rule in spiritual things, wherein the character of Christ chiefly shines forth. For not with the tongue do men tell the good servants of God that they should depart from them, but with the utterance of their deeds and actions they persuade them to go away, that they may not be governed by the good. And yet all the more anxiously do they hasten to pay honours to them, just as Peter testified his respect by falling at the feet of our Lord, but his conduct in saying, Depart from me.
But the Lord did not depart from them, shewing thereby that good and spiritual men, when they are troubled by the wickedness of the many, ought not to wish to abandon their ecclesiastical duties, that they might live as it were a more secure and tranquil life. But the bringing their ships to land, and forsaking all to follow Jesus, may represent the end of time, when those who have clung to Christ shall altogether depart from the storms of this world.
When Christ commanded to let down the nets, the multitude of the fishes taken was just as great as the Lord of the sea and land willed. For the voice of the Word is the voice of power, at whose bidding at the beginning of the world light and the other creatures came forth. At these things Peter wonders, for he was astonished, and all that were with him, &c.
Say thou also, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord, that God may answer, Fear not. Confess thy sin, and the Lord will pardon thee. See how good the Lord is, who gives so much to men, that they have the power of making alive. As it follows, From henceforth thou shalt catch men.
But mystically, those whom Peter takes by his word, he claims not as his own booty or his own gift. Depart, he says, from me, O Lord. Fear not then also to ascribe what is thy own to the Lord, for what was His He has given to us.
Now they have completely devoted themselves to Him.
What prompts the question is why, as the apostles gazed at the fishing boats that had returned, the Savior offered Peter not the knowledge he possessed, but rather that which was entirely unfamiliar to him. In the boat, He Himself offers forgiveness, appearing as trembling fish, symbolizing a multitude of souls to be restored to life, whereas typically, boats merely transport people without reviving them or continuing their journey; instead, they find themselves gripped by fear at that moment. Observe that this vessel is not just the one entrusted to Peter, but signifies the Church entrusted to the apostle for leadership. This is indeed the ship that does not destroy lives, but rather brings them back to life, lifting them above earthly burdens as if from turbulent waters. Just as a wicker basket holds fish that have been rescued from the depths, so the Church revives those who have been liberated from their empty pursuits. I affirm that within the Church, the lost are renewed.
Peter was astonished at the divine gift, and the more he feared, the less did he now presume; as it is said, When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
This especially belongs to Peter himself, for the Lord explains to him what this taking of fish means; that in fact as now he takes fishes by the net, so hereafter he will catch men by words. And the whole order of this event shews what is daily going on in the Church, of which Peter is the type.
But the Lord allays the fears of carnal men, that no one trembling at the consciousness of his guilt, or astonished at the innocence of others, might be afraid to undertake the journey of holiness.
Who were those individuals who, upon hearing the words "Fear not, from hence shall ye catch men," drew their boats to the shore, and subsequently abandoned everything to follow Jesus Christ? These included Peter and his brother Andrew, along with James and John, the sons of Zebedee. This is clearly illustrated in the accounts of the Evangelists Matthew and Mark, who recount that Christ encountered them by the Sea of Galilee and called out, "Come ye after Me, and I will make you fishers of men." They left the water behind and followed Him (Matthew 4:19-20; Mark 1:17-18). However, there are three challenges present in this narrative.
The first challenge arises from the naming of the location: both Matthew and Mark state that "Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee," while Luke describes Him as standing by the "lake of Gennesaret" (Matthew 4:18; Mark 1:16; Luke 5:1-2). The second challenge pertains to the inconsistency of their actions; both Matthew and Mark indicate that the Lord found them casting their nets into the sea, whereas Luke asserts that they had left their boats and were washing their nets. The third challenge concerns the absence of a miracle: neither Matthew nor Mark recount the spectacular catch of fish.
The first issue can be resolved by recognizing that the Sea of Galilee is also called the Lake of Gennesaret, presenting two names for the same body of water. The second issue can be explained by noting that there were additional fishermen, including hired hands, working with Peter and the sons of Zebedee (Mark 1:20). Some of these individuals were washing their nets in preparation for catching fish, despite having labored all night with no success. The third issue has a broader resolution, as it is clear that many details omitted by Matthew and Mark are addressed by Luke and John. Matthew, like Mark, highlights the divine calling of the Apostles and their enthusiastic response. Their devotion was indeed profound, surpassing even that of the Prophet Elisha, who, when called by Elijah, first stated, "I will honor my father" and then followed in his footsteps (1 Kings 19:20). In contrast, these divine Apostles left everything behind—boats, villages, companions, family, and their father Zebedee—to walk in the way of Jesus Christ.
To this, a reassuring response was given: “Fear not; henceforth thou shalt catch men.” The Savior, as always in His teachings, drew upon the deeper meaning of the situation at hand. Nearby in the boat lay a catch of lively fish, recently lifted from the waters, whose agitation was beginning to calm—anticipating the eternal peace of death. From this moment on, this flawed individual, washed clean, redeemed, and sanctified, was to engage in a higher calling, pursuing those who, ensnared by the net of the Gospel, would not perish but have everlasting life. Additionally, his brother and fellow workers were to be transformed into "fishers of men."
"Bringing the boats to the land": these fishing vessels were quite lightweight, and after their work was done, they were occasionally brought ashore to prevent damage from the waves crashing against the rocks. The phrase used by the Evangelist, "having brought the boats out," is a general statement summarizing this action; however, the Evangelist Mark provides additional detail, noting that James and John departed, leaving their father with the workers in the boat, which, as indicated, was not brought ashore. "Followed him": to follow someone signifies the act of becoming a disciple of that individual (see note on Matthew 4:20). Ultimately, the Lord later designated them as apostles (see Lk. 6:13 and parallels).
The initial action of Christ the Savior in Capernaum was to invite Simon, Andrew, and the sons of Zebedee to follow Him. While walking along the lakeshore, the Lord noticed two boats that had been left by fishermen; some were washing their nets, while others were repairing them. One of the boats belonged to Simon and his brother Andrew, and the other, positioned a bit farther away, belonged to Zebedee, who was working alongside his laborers and his sons, James and John. As the crowds followed Jesus, eager to hear His teachings, He stepped into Simon’s boat, asked him to move away from the shore, and began instructing the people from the vessel.
After concluding His lesson, He instructed Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon replied, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless, at Your word I will let down the net.” The less Simon anticipated success in his fishing endeavor, the more remarkable the miracle became, as the Lord had prepared these fishermen for their future role, revealing that all their previous struggles could be transformed through His command. When Simon complied, they captured an astonishing number of fish, to the point where their nets began to tear. They signaled for help from their partners in the other boat, who came to assist, and together they filled both boats with fish until they began to sink. This extraordinary catch left Simon and those with him not just in awe, but in fear. Other miracles they had witnessed did not affect them as profoundly as this one, which involved their direct engagement. Overwhelmed, Simon fell at Jesus’ feet and exclaimed, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” In response to this deep acknowledgment of sin, the All-Knowing One offered words of reassurance and a call to a significant mission: “Do not be afraid; from now on you will catch men,” and He addressed Simon’s partners with the same invitation: “Come, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” The fishermen responded immediately, as noted by St. Philaret of Moscow, “with swift determination, full readiness, and consistency, not hesitating for a moment.” They brought both boats to land, leaving everything behind to follow the Lord Jesus, with James and John even parting ways with their father Zebedee.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 11 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS