The miraculous Draught of fishes

To understand

A fishing-boat, men hauling a net overflowing with fish; the catch is exceptional, even “miraculous”.

In the background, a man is standing on the shore but so close to the water in this picture that one can hesitate. He is looking at the scene. One of the fishermen has just seen him and turns towards him.

When Jesus is standing on the shore, it is an illustration of St John’s narrative. The risen Christ appears and Peter recognizes him as if the catch were a sign.

One can sometimes see Peter step over the edge of the boat or walk along the shore to meet Jesus; hence a possible confusion with “Jesus walking on the Water”.

When Jesus is in the boat, it refers to Luke’s gospel. The emphasis bears less on Christ than on the catch whose fish swell the net that the men find it difficult to lift.

Not be confused with

 Quite a number of narratives in the Gospel take place on Lake Tiberias, a real interior sea with its storms, its boats and its fishermen, among them several apostles, Simon Peter in particular. All these representations have in common a fishing-boat on the lake.

The biblical narrative

The Gospel according to John, chapter 21

After his death and resurrection, “Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias” (21:1).

At night, the apostles go fishing but do not catch any fish; in the morning, Jesus whom they have not recognised, is on the shore.

Then Jesus said to them, Children, have you any food? They answered him, No. And he said to them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and you shall find some. They cast the net, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fish. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his fisher's coat, (for he was naked,) and threw himself into the sea.(John 21:5-7)

Another scene of a miraculous catch of fish is to found in the Gospel according to Luke,chapter 5.

And he got into one of the ships, which was Simon's… he said to Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

And Simon answering said to him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at your word I will let down the net.

And when they had done this, they inclosed a great multitude of fish: and their net broke. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. And Jesus said to Simon, Fear not; from now on you shall catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. (Luke 5:3-11)

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Further developments