Lotta Fish

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret [Galilee]. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. 

Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.”

When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon.

Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:1-11)

How large is the lake into which Jesus says to fish for and then catch men [and women]? Although this passage from Luke speaks of the Lake of Gennesaret or Galilee, Jesus’ “lake” is much larger.  It is almost limitless.  

The Holy City of the New Jerusalem to which Luke refers has each side measuring 12,000 stades.  A stade is very nearly a furlong meaning each side of the city is 1,500 miles long.  The total area of the “City” is 2,250,000 square miles!  According to a Bible footnote in Revelation, “The number [12,000] is symbolic: twelve (the apostles as leaders of the new Israel) multiplied by 1,000 (the immensity of Christians)." That’s a lot of fish!  That's a lot of men and women!

Note: It is about 2,800 miles from Washington D.C. to San Francisco.

Deacon David Pierce