Luke 5:1 – 6:11

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Grace Coming to Meet the Sinner’s Need in Contrast with Law
Luke 5:1 – 6:11
 
Luke 5.
 
 

The Conversion of Simon Peter (5:1-11)

This would appear to be the same instance at we have in Matthew 4 and Mark 1, only Luke brings our more details as in characteristic of him. The Lord is no man’s debtor. He repaid Simon for the use of the boats. The Lord says “nets”, Peter says “net”. He is not prepared to receive the blessing, which is overwhelming. The Lord’s wisdom, grace, and power over the elements, brings Peter to a sense of his own sinfulness. Grace rebukes him. In grace, the fish are preserved in spite of the nets breaking and ships sinking. Jesus the only one who has dominion over the fish of the sea. Had to let the Lord know he had fished all night. Not just Master in the synagogue, but in Peter’s skilled craft. He works with us in our profession. When they had done all they could and were empty-handed, the Lord steps in. Grace exposed what the law hadn’t, Peter’s sinfulness. Yet grace calls Peter to follow. We need to be concerned with fish (gospel work) and with sheep (shepherding). Peter was the fisherman who became a shepherd!

CHAPTER 5
1 And it came to pass, as the crowd pressed on him to hear the word of God, that he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret: 2 and he saw two ships standing by the lake, but the fishermen, having come down from them, were washing their nets. 3 And getting into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, he asked him to draw out a little from the land; and he sat down and taught the crowds out of the ship. 4 But when he ceased speaking, he said to Simon, Draw out into the deep water and let down your nets for a haul. 5 And Simon answering said to him, Master, having laboured through the whole night we have taken nothing, but at thy word I will let down the net. 6 And having done this, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes. And their net broke. 7 And they beckoned to their partners who were in the other ship to come and help them, and they came, and filled both the ships, so that they were sinking. 8 But Simon Peter, seeing it, fell at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord. 9 For astonishment had laid hold on him, and on all those who were with him, at the haul of fishes which they had taken; 10 and in like manner also on James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, Fear not; henceforth thou shalt be catching men. 11 And having run the ships on shore, leaving all they followed him.
 

The Healing of a Leper (5:12-16)

Full of leprosy… an irremediable condition. This leper knew the Lord’s power, but he didn’t know the Lord’s grace; i.e. if He was willing. Probably the first human touch he had felt in a long time. He could have healed with the power of His word, but He touched him freely (handled him). The Lord was not defiled, but the man was cleansed.

12 And it came to pass as he was in one of the cities, that behold, there was a man full of leprosy, and seeing Jesus, falling upon his face, he besought him saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou art able to cleanse me. 13 And stretching forth his hand he touched him, saying, I will; be thou cleansed: and immediately the leprosy departed from him. 14 And he enjoined him to tell no one; but go, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing as Moses ordained, for a testimony to them. 15 But the report concerning him was spread abroad still more, and great crowds came together to hear, and to be healed from their infirmities. 16 And “he” withdrew himself, and was about in the desert places and praying.
 

Confrontations with the Pharisees (Four P’s of the Lord’s Ministry) (5:17 – 6:16)

Power to Forgive Sins – The Healing of a Paralytic (vv.17-26)

We have the sovereignty of God in healing the paralytic, but also the responsibility of man in that he was borne of four; “he saw their faith”.

17 And it came to pass on one of the days, that “he” was teaching, and there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, who were come out of every village of Galilee and Judaea and out of Jerusalem; and the Lord’s power was there to heal them. 18 And lo, men bringing upon a couch a man who was paralysed; and they sought to bring him in, and put him before him. 19 And not finding what way to bring him in, on account of the crowd, going up on the housetop they let him down through the tiles, with his little couch, into the midst before Jesus. 20 And seeing their faith, he said, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason in their minds, saying, Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who is able to forgive sins but God alone? 22 But Jesus, knowing their reasonings, answering said to them, Why reason ye in your hearts? 23 which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? 24 But that ye may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, he said to the paralysed man, I say to thee, Arise, and take up thy little couch and go to thine house. 25 And immediately standing up before them, having taken up that whereon he was laid, he departed to his house, glorifying God. 26 And astonishment seized all, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to-day.

Purpose to Call Sinners to Repentance – The Calling of a Tax Collector (vv.27-32)

Levi was his Jewish name, only called Matthew in Matthew, using the name he would be known among Gentiles. Other writers say he left all and followed, but Matthew wouldn’t say that of himself (humility). Morally leaves all, then rises. Physically he would rise, and leave. Tax gatherers loved money in order to put up with the horrible social stigma of being considered a traitor to their own people. Love for Christ displaced love of money. Call of discipleship demands full abandon. Luke frequently brings us into the homes. Calling a tax gatherer opened the floodgates… many come! Levi left all, but used “his own house”. He made “him” a feast… we can use what we have for the Lord. The most important part of Christian hospitality is love for the Lord. This might have gone a long way to smooth the transition of Matthew joining the group… they were all sinners whom Christ came to call. So are we.

27 And after these things he went forth and saw a tax-gatherer, Levi by name, sitting at the receipt of taxes, and said to him, Follow me. 28 And having left all, rising up, he followed him. 29 And Levi made a great entertainment for him in his house, and there was a great crowd of tax-gatherers and others who were at table with them. 30 And their scribes and the Pharisees murmured at his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with tax-gatherers and sinners? 31 And Jesus answering said to them, They that are in sound health have not need of a physician, but those that are ill. 32 I am not come to call righteous persons, but sinful ones to repentance.

Promise of a Change in Dispensations – Questions about Fasting (vv.33-39)

33 And they said to him, Why do the disciples of John fast often and make supplications, in like manner those also of the Pharisees, but thine eat and drink? 34 And he said to them, Can ye make the sons of the bridechamber fast when the bridegroom is with them? 35 But days will come when also the bridegroom will have been taken away from them; then shall they fast in those days. 36 And he spoke also a parable to them: No one puts a piece of a new garment upon an old garment, otherwise he will both rend the new, and the piece which is from the new will not suit with the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old skins, otherwise the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be poured out, and the skins will be destroyed; 38 but new wine is to be put into new skins, and both are preserved. 39 And no one having drunk old wine straightway wishes for new, for he says, The old is better. 

Privilege to Give Liberty from Law – Jesus’ Authority over the Sabbath (vv.1-11)

There are six instances of Jesus healing on the sabbath.

Disciples Plucking Grain (vv.1-5)

CHAPTER 6
1 And it came to pass on the second-first sabbath, that he went through cornfields, and his disciples were plucking the ears and eating them, rubbing them in their hands. 2 But some of the Pharisees said to them, Why do ye what is not lawful to do on the sabbath? 3 And Jesus answering said to them, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did when he hungered, he and those who were with him, 4 how he entered into the house of God and took the shewbread and ate, and gave to those also who were with him, which it is not lawful that any eat, unless the priests alone? 5 And he said to them, The Son of man is Lord of the sabbath also.

Healing a Man’s Withered Hand (vv.6-11)

6 And it came to pass on another sabbath also that he entered into the synagogue and taught; and there was a man there, and his right hand was withered. 7 And the scribes and the Pharisees were watching if he would heal on the sabbath, that they might find something of which to accuse him. 8 But “he” knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, Get up, and stand in the midst. And having risen up he stood there. 9 Jesus therefore said to them, I will ask you if it is lawful on the sabbath to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it? 10 And having looked around on them all, he said to him, Stretch out thy hand. And he did so and his hand was restored as the other. v.10 The old bottles of Judaism were not to be used to constrain grace. The right hand became like the left, normal.
 
11 But “they” were filled with madness, and they spoke together among themselves what they should do to Jesus. v.11 They were so angry that they lost their minds. The Lord did not lash out, He went to God in prayer all night (v.12).
 
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