Matthew 4 vs Luke 5:6?

Question

In Matthew's narrative the first call of the disciples does not involve a miraculous catch of Fish but in Luke's narrative the disciples somehow catch a lot of fish after Christ direction.

Matthew 4:18-20 NASB

Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 And He *said to them, “[i]Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of people.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.

Luke 5:6 NASB

And when they had done this, they caught a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to tear;

How can we understand this difference?

Answer 1

One event or two?

The timing of the event/s is complicated by the fact that Matthew and Mark place it after the arrest of John the Baptist, while Luke does not mention John's imprisonment until chapter 7. On the other hand Matthew and Mark place the event immediately after Jesus' temptation in the wilderness, while Luke first recounts stories of Jesus earliest ministry in Capernaum, including a visit to Simon Peter's home, the first mention of Peter in Luke's Gospel.

But we do not need to resolve the question of whether this was one event or two, in order to understand the most important difference in the two accounts. Matthew and Mark use it to emphasize the faith of the disciples to "leave their nets" and follow Jesus. (Matthew 4:20) Luke uses it as an analogy to witnessing: by casting their nets deeper they receive a greater harvest.

Luke's key point: the Message is Universal

This reflects Luke's attitude that the Christian mission must not be limited to the shallow areas near the shore (close to home), as compared to Matthew's report that Jesus sent his disciples only to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Matthew 10:6) By casting their nets deeper, the disciples not only get more fish but more varieties, symbolizing the universality of the Christian message.

Thus, whether it was the same event or not, we can understand that Mark and Matthew's account emphasizes the idea of leaving behind one's former life to follow Christ, while Luke's emphasizes the theme of casting a deep symbolic net, farther into the sea, in order to win the greatest number and variety of people to God.

Answer 2

They are quite clearly different events. Peter drops to Jesus' knees and says he is a sinful man, Luke 6. He asks Jesus to depart, but Jesus does not.

Peter had faltered, having already forsaken all, Matthew 4, and had returned to fishing. But he caught nothing. Without the Lord, he can do nothing.

Jesus comes, without rebuke, and uses the boat to preach. Then gives him all the fish he can cope with. But fish is not what Peter really wants.

Thus is Peter given another opportunity to follow fully.

This is recorded by Luke, the evangelist whose aspect of Jesus is a matter of grace and salvation.

Answer 3

The event described in Matthew and in Mark is a record of Jesus' first call of these disciples to follow him. The event in Luke occurred later, as the context of passage shows.

¹ And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, ² And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

³ And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

⁴ Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. ⁵ And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. ⁶ And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. ⁷ And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

⁸ When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. ⁹ For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: ¹⁰ And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

¹¹ And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. (Luke 5:1-11, KJV)

Notice that in the beginning of this chapter, Jesus is already teaching a large crowd of people. This was early in his ministry, but not before having called his disciples. In verse 4, Jesus commands Simon, and in verse 5, we see Simon (Peter) calling Jesus "master." This shows he was already following Jesus as a disciple.

Verse 11 gives the biggest clue as to the significance of Jesus' renewed call to these disciples: "...they forsook all, and followed him." Prior to this event, they were still trying to support their families with their fishing business, even though they considered themselves Jesus' disciples. This miracle proved to them that they could trust Jesus completely, and need not worry any further that they or their families might lack anything necessary. It was only at this point that they "forsook all" to follow him.

The supernatural catch of fish was certainly a miracle. But the story of the wine at the marriage in Cana (John 2), at which the disciples were also in attendance, demonstrates that this catch of fish came well after they had begun to follow Jesus.

¹ And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: ² And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. ³ And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. . . . ¹¹ This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. (John 2:1-3, 11, KJV)

The miracle in Cana is the first one Jesus performed, and his disciples were there to see it. They had already been called, they simply had not yet forsaken all to follow him completely. It was not until they saw the miracle of the catch of fish, one that they understood well, being fishermen, that they were truly won over to full loyalty to Jesus.

Conclusion

Matthew and Luke address two separate events: The event recorded in Matthew took place earlier than the event addressed in Luke.