Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 5:7
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.
7. they beckoned ] It is one of the inimitable touches of truthfulness in the narrative that the instinct of work prevails at first over the sense that a miraculous power has been exerted.
unto their partners ] The word used is metochois, meaning fellow-workers.
in the other ship ] St Luke uses the Greek word heteros for ‘another of two,’ much more frequently and with stricter accuracy than the other Evangelists.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
They beckoned – They gave signs. Perhaps they were at a considerable distance, so that they could not be easily heard.
Their partners – James and John. See Luk 5:10. The following remarks of Dr. Thomson (The Land and the Book, vol. ii. p. 80, 81) will furnish a good illustration of this passage. After describing the mode of fishing with the hand-net and the dragnet, he adds: Again, there is the bag-net and basket-net, of various kinds, which are so constructed and worked as to inclose the fish out in deep water. I have seen them of almost every conceivable size and pattern. It was with some one of this sort, I suppose, that Simon had toiled all night without catching anything, but which, when let down at the command of Jesus, inclosed so great a multitude that the net broke, and they filled two ships with the fish until they began to sink. Peter here speaks of toiling all night; and there are certain kinds of fishing always carried on at night. It is a beautiful sight. With blazing torch the boat glides over the flashing sea, and the men stand gazing keenly into it until their prey is sighted, when, quick as lightning, they fling their net or fly their spear; and often you see the tired fishermen come sullenly into harbor in the morning, having toiled all night in vain. Indeed, every kind of fishing is uncertain. A dozen times the angler jerks out a naked hook; the hand-net closes down on nothing; the drag-net brings in only weeds; the bag comes up empty. And then again, every throw is successful – every net is full; and frequently without any other apparent reason than that of throwing it on the right side of the ship instead of the left, as it happened to the disciples here at Tiberias.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 7. They beckoned unto their partners] Had not these been called in to assist, the net must have been broken, and all the fish lost. What a pity there should be such envious separation among the different sects that profess to believe in Christ Jesus! Did they help each other in the spirit of Christian fellowship, more souls would be brought to the knowledge of the truth. Some will rather leave souls to perish than admit of partners in the sacred work. It is an intolerable pride to think nothing well done but what we do ourselves; and a diabolic envy to be afraid lest others should be more successful than we are.
They – filled both the ships] Both the boats had as many as they could carry, and were so heavily laden that they were ready to sink. As one justly observes, “There are fish plenty to be taken, were there skilful hands to take, and vessels to contain them. Many are disputing about the size, capacity, and goodness of their nets and their vessels, while the fish are permitted to make their escape.” Did the faithful fishers in both the vessels in these lands (the established Church, and the various branches of the dissenting interest) join heartily together, the nations might be converted to God; but, while the ridiculous disputes for and against particular forms last, there can be no unity. Were men as zealous to catch souls, as they are to support their particular creeds, and forms of worship, the state of Christianity would be more flourishing than it is at present. But the wall of separation is continually strengthened, each party fortifying it on his own side.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And they beckoned unto their partners,…. Zebedee, and his two sons, James and John; Lu 5:10 who were at some distance from them, probably lay at anchor near the shore, not having put out to sea when the other vessel did, and so were not within call; but they were obliged to make signs to them, and beckon with their hands to come to them:
which were in the other ship; mentioned in Lu 5:2 which lay by the shore:
that they should come and help them; take up the net, and take the fish out of it:
and they came and filled both the ships; with the fishes they took out of the net, as full as they could hold, and which they were not well able to carry:
so that they began to sink; or “were almost immersed”, as Beza’s ancient copy, and another manuscript, with the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions read; the vessels were so heavy laden, with the vast quantity of fish that was taken, that they were just ready to sink with their burden.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
They beckoned (). Possibly they were too far away for a call to be understood. Simon alone had been ordered to put out into the deep. So they used signs.
Unto their partners ( ). This word , from , to have with, means participation with one in common blessings (Heb 3:1; Heb 3:14; Heb 6:4; Heb 12:8). While (verse 10 here of James and John also) has the notion of personal fellowship, partnership. Both terms are here employed of the two pairs of brothers who have a business company under Simon’s lead.
Help them (). Second aorist middle infinitive. Take hold together with and so to help. Paul uses it in Php 4:3. It is an old word that was sometimes employed for seizing a prisoner (Lu 22:54) and for conception (con-capio) by a woman (Lu 1:24).
So that they began to sink ( ). Consecutive use of and the infinitive (present tense, inchoative use, beginning to sink). An old verb from . In the N.T. only here and 1Ti 6:9.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
They beckoned [] . The word originally means to nod assent, and so, generally, to make a sign. They made signs because of the distance of the other boat; hardly, as has been suggested, because they were too much amazed to speak.
Help [] . Lit., take hold with. Compare Phi 4:3. Began to sink [] . Only here and 1Ti 6:9, of drowning men in destruction. From buqov, the depth. Wyc., thy were almost drenched.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And they beckoned unto their partners,” (kai kateneusan tois metochois) “And they nodded, made motions for help to their fishing fellow-laborers,” partners, perhaps James and John, who also were fishermen by trade, nearby. They motioned to them to come over and help them and share their reward, Exo 23:5; Pro 18:24.
2) “Which were in the other ship,” (en to herro polop) “Who were in the other of the’ two boats,” Luk 5:2. Fishermen are accustomed to communicate by motioning to one another in communication, a trait necessary in good fishermen and hunters.
3) “That they should come and help them.” (tou elthontas sullabesthai autois) “That they should come out to help them,” come to their rescue, as neighbors in need, to help bear their load, to help land all the fish, Gal 6:2. For here “a friend in need was a friend indeed,” for blessing and burden sharing, Gal 6:2.
4) “And they came and filled both the ships,” (kai elthan kai eplesan amphotera ta. ploia) “And they came and they filled both boats,” with fish from the nets as friends help friends in distress, Pro 18:24.
5) “So that they began to sink.” (hoste buthizesthai auta) “So that they were beginning to sink,” from the weight of the catch or haul of fishes, Eph 3:20.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(7) Their partners, which were in the other ship.These are named in Luk. 5:10 as James, and John, the sons of Zebedee.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Beckoned Made signal to the other ship, whose distance was too great for voice to reach.
They came With their ship. They aided in pulling in the seine, and took a share of the fishes into their ship and returned to their own side of the cove. There they got out of the ship and commenced to repair their nets upon the beach, until Jesus, passing further on, comes and gives them, too, their call.
Filled both the ships The light skiffs it seems could hardly hold as much as the seines! But miraculous power, perhaps, gathered in more than the nets; just as the divine aid in the conversion of souls does more than the human means.
Began to sink Probably the one-sided dip came near to swamping the boats; the beginning to be merged was arrested by the righting. Compare the plenteousness of the Lord’s miracle, Joh 2:6, where see our note. Trench refers to a shoal of mackerel, at Brighton, in 1808, so great that the net could not be brought in, and fishes and net remained in the sea together.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And they beckoned to those associated with them in the other boat, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.’
Excitedly they beckoned to those associated with them in the other boat, James and John and their crew, for them to come and help them, and when they came they filled both boats to the brim until the gunwales were almost under water. They had never carried so much fish before. ‘Began to sink’ is not to be taken too literally. The point is that they were so low in the water because of the huge amount of fish that they seemed to be in danger of sinking. But they were far too capable to actually allow the boats to sink.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
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.
Ver. 7. Filled both the ships ] Here the dumb fishes do clearly preach Christ to be the Son of God.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
7. ] They beckoned , on account of the distance; or perhaps for the reason given by Euthym [47] : .
[47] Euthymius Zigabenus, 1116
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 5:7 . , they made signs, beckoned, here only in N. T. ( , Luk 1:62 ); too far to speak perhaps, but fishers would be accustomed to communicate by signs to preserve needful stillness (Schanz). : this verb with dative occurs in Phi 4:3 = to help one. , with infinitive = tendency here, not result. , to sink in the deep ( ), here only in O. or N. T. in reference to a ship; in 1Ti 6:9 in reference to rich men.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
in. Greek. en. App-104. Not the same as in verses: Luk 5:18, Luk 5:19.
other = different = another of two. See App-124.
began to sink = are now sinking.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
7.] They beckoned, on account of the distance; or perhaps for the reason given by Euthym[47]: .
[47] Euthymius Zigabenus, 1116
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 5:7. , beckoned) as being at a distance, and for the sake of modesty [so as not to shout in the presence of the Lord]. They wished help, since a fish, when taken, has such eagerness to escape; however, that eagerness is not increased by a cry [therefore it was not to avoid frightening the fishes that the fishermen did not cry]. The net, no doubt, was broken in the upper end of it, where it was made fast. The fishes saw the net, the ship, the men, and felt themselves pressed on every side: therefore a cry on the part of the fishermen would have had no new (particular) advantage above a gesture, beckoning, to their partners.-, partners) For they were , associates in fishing, Luk 5:10. Often, among the members of one society or family, there may be many pious men.-, to sink) They were being sunk low in the waters by the weight of the fishes.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
that they should: Exo 23:5, Pro 18:24, Act 11:25, Rom 16:2-4, Gal 6:2, Phi 4:3
Reciprocal: Mal 3:10 – that there Luk 5:10 – partners Joh 13:24 – beckoned 2Co 8:23 – is my
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7
The loss of the fish was prevented by the help of their partners in the business. Began to sink means the weight of the fish caused the boats to begin lowering, not that they were being submerged as yet.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Luk 5:7. Beckoned. Probably on account of the distance; not from amazement, as some of the Fathers have thought Fishermens signals require little explanation.
Their fellows, i.e., the sons of Zebedee (Luk 5:10). Not necessarily partners.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 7
Began to sink; to sink near to the water’s edge, so as to be in danger of being overturned.