Neville Goddard on Luke 5:1-11 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read Luke 5 in context

Scripture Focus

1And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

2And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

3And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

4Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

6And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

7And 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.

8When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

9For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:

10And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

11And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

Luke 5:1-11

Biblical Context

Jesus teaches from a boat; Simon hesitates, then obeys to launch out into the deep. Their nets fill with fish, revealing a new purpose: they will catch men, and they forsake all to follow him.

Neville's Inner Vision

From Neville's vantage, the lake and the ships are inner conditions rather than places. As the crowd presses in, the scene calls you to notice how your own attention is gathered at the edge of awareness. When Jesus asks to thrust out a little from the land, it is a command to depart from the safe shore of certainty and descend into the deep of imagination, where images take form. Simon's reply—'Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net'—is the mental shift you can make now: you revise your apparent lack by choosing a new state. Cast your nets in that mood of faith, and the seemingly barren night yields a harvest beyond expectation—the catches overflow, the ships begin to sink, and a new sense of identity is born. The astonishment of those aboard marks the awakening to a broader life: you are not merely a fisherman but a consciousness capable of drawing men to truth. 'Fear not,' says the Master; the old self gives way, and from this moment you are called to a larger work, a life whose meaning streams from within.

Practice This Now

Imaginative act: Close your eyes and assume the state, 'I AM abundance now.' See yourself launch out into the deep, cast your nets of belief, and feel the abundance overflow as if gifts are ready to be hauled ashore.