Image Details

National Gallery, London

“Do not be afraid; from now on, you will be catching people,” says Jesus to Peter in response to his sense of unworthiness and astonishment over his amazing catch, as depicted by Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640) in “The Miraculous Draught of Fishes.” After having preached to a shore-bound crowd from his boat on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus asks Peter to row into deeper waters and let down his nets for a catch. Though Peter and his employees had just returned empty-handed after a long night of fishing, with Jesus aboard they were able to fill their boats to the point of capsizing. “As soon as they had brought the boats to land, they left everything and followed him” in amazement (Luke 5:11). Apparently, Peter and Andrew were free to start and stop working whenever they pleased (see also John 21:1–3). The prosperity generated by their extended family’s fishing business must have enabled Peter and Andrew to abandon their work and follow Jesus.