Was peter naked while fishing?

[Radagast]

At that time it was common practice for one of the fishermen in a boat to get into the water to work the nets, and that man was naked.

Says who? A Jewish man would at least be wearing a loincloth.

And apart from the Jewish sense of modesty, tossing nets around while naked would risk a rather serious injury.

 

[Archivist]

Says who? A Jewish man would at least be wearing a loincloth.

Wrong. "It was common for the fisherman who was doing the diving to be naked as swimming suits were not on the market yet." For the complete article see Fishing in the Bible and the Ancient Near East, available at THE WIKI BIBLE PROJECT / Fishing in the Bible and the Ancient Near East

And apart from the Jewish sense of modesty, tossing nets around while naked would risk a rather serious injury.

If you read the article I referenced you would know that the type of net used would not have caused such an injury.

 

[icxn]

Can I offer a spiritual meditation on the text? At least it will draw our attention to something more beneficial than the current... fishy state of affairs (IMO, of course):

The sea is this life, which is characterized by ignorance and wallowing in sin. The fish are the people outside the Church, which of course is the boat, and the net symbolizes the apostolic preaching. If we take Peter’s outer garment to mean moral perfection*, to take it off can be understood as a condescension towards those being ‘fished’ by him: I’m thinking of Paul’s saying “To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” (1 Cor. 9:22) ) Or perhaps it means the inevitable stripping of that perfect purity as a result of coming to contact with people that live in sin.

So while praiseworthy this condescension, because of the inevitable harm that comes from it, it does place one at a short distance away from Christ, two hundred yards to be precise, which is a symbol of things sensual. When the time comes to present oneself and the fish caught to Christ, Peter wraps it around his waist** (διεζώσατο) and swims to the shore. That is to say, he resumes the work of moral perfection, which is abstinence from everything sensual.

If we are indeed Christ's spiritual fish and wish to have breakfast with Him, we should imitate Peter, not just by freeing our mind from the will and the passions of the flesh, but also when fishing for meaning in the scriptural sea.

_________
* There are other ways to interpret it.
** The waist is where the power of the devil lies, in the loins and belly. (Job. 40:16).

 

[bugkiller]

Im just trying to get to the truth of the scripture i posted.

Ok, that leave me wondering why such a thing is important to you.

bugkiller

 

[bugkiller]

Slaves worked nude. Thats not exactly a ringing endorsement for nudity in the workplace. Slaves were treated like animals at times.

You are mistaking what I attempted to convey. The historical facts are slaves worked nude in Jesus' day. It is a fact that slaves were sold nude in America less than 200 years ago. I did not attempt to justify or promote nudity in the work place. For other people here I am not promoting nudity at say Mickey D's either. I hope this clears the record and gets people on a healthy discussion track.

At the public bath houses of that day mixed nudity was the norm. That does not mean I promote mixed public bathing houses. I think your problem is a current westernized unhealthy view of nudity. This phobia also causes breast cancer.

bugkiller

 

[Radagast]

The historical facts are slaves worked nude in Jesus' day.

That's completely false. See, for example, the picture of Roman slaves I posted.

At the public bath houses of that day mixed nudity was the norm.

During Jesus' time, Rome was slowly transitioning from segregated to mixed bathhouses. Even many Romans felt that that was shocking. And Jews were much more conservative than Romans. Most Jews would avoid gymnasia precisely because of the nudity there.

 

[Radagast]

Fishing in the Bible and the Ancient Near East, available at THE WIKI BIBLE PROJECT / Fishing in the Bible and the Ancient Near East

Not a reliable source.

And even taking it at face value, it seems to me unlikely that a free-diving fishing method for a fisherman working alone in shallow water applies to a group of fishermen working together in a boat on a lake 140 ft deep.

 

[Archivist]

Not a reliable source.

First, you have provided nothing to support you claim that Peter was not naked. Before you claim that my source is not reliable perhaps you should provide supporting evidence of your own.

Second, if you read the source I provided, you know that it cites a 1980 article from the journal Novum Testamentum, a highly respected journal, in support. Is that respected journal also not reliable?

If you want another source, this is from the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia:

"The fishermen today usually work with their garments girdled up about their waists. Frequently they wear only a loose outer garment which is wet much of the time. This garment can be quickly removed by pulling it over the head, When occasion requires the fisherman to jump into the sea. If methods have not changed, Peter had probably just climbed back into the boat after adjusting the net for drawing when he learned that it was Jesus who stood on the shore. He was literally naked and pulled on his coat before he went ashore."

And even taking it at face value, it seems to me unlikely that a free-diving fishing method for a fisherman working alone in shallow water applies to a group of fishermen working together in a boat on a lake 140 ft deep.

They were fishing not only within sight of shore, but close enough that they could recognize Jesus, so they would not have been fishing in water that was 140' deep.

 

[Archivist]

That's completely false. See, for example, the picture of Roman slaves I posted.

Providing a picture of an ancient mosaic doesn't prove that Roman slaves didn't work in the nude. Whether slaves worked nude or not would have depended who owned the slaves and what the slaves did. A cook would most probably have worked clothed; a sex slave probably would have been naked much of the time. We do know that slaves were stripped naked at the time they were sold so that buyers could closely examine them.

During Jesus' time, Rome was slowly transitioning from segregated to mixed bathhouses. Even many Romans felt that that was shocking. And Jews were much more conservative than Romans. Most Jews would avoid gymnasia precisely because of the nudity there.

Which has nothing to do with the clothing that Jewish fisherman wore or did not wear.

 

[ToBeLoved]

I have heard it said, by some posters, that Peter fished in the nude. They cite this scripture below. However it says Peter took off his outer garment. But did Peter have under garments on under his outer garment?

John 21:7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.

Why would they bother to call it an “outer garment” if there was no inner garment?

 

[bugkiller]

Why would they bother to call it an “outer garment” if there was no inner garment?

Why is there such a need to discuss what is actually said? Is it to justify force some idea?

I note the KJV is not being used in this discussion. Why? Is it because of a preconceived idea needing support the KJV does not offer?

I can c&p all the necessary support that Peter was naked (without clothing as in undressed). The ( ) in the KJV does not mean:for he was naked" was added to the text.

bugkiller

 

[bugkiller]

That's completely false. See, for example, the picture of Roman slaves I posted.



During Jesus' time, Rome was slowly transitioning from segregated to mixed bathhouses. Even many Romans felt that that was shocking. And Jews were much more conservative than Romans. Most Jews would avoid gymnasia precisely because of the nudity there.

Ah so the Greek word gymnos does connote nude. That is what my lexicon says.

I will concede my point about Roman slaves at least for the moment. I think of slaves as common labor types, not teachers and accountants. However if you work for someone, technically you are a slave.

bugkiller

 

[ToBeLoved]

Why is there such a need to discuss what is actually said? Is it to justify force some idea?

I note the KJV is not being used in this discussion. Why? Is it because of a preconceived idea needing support the KJV does not offer?

I can c&p all the necessary support that Peter was naked (without clothing as in undressed). The ( ) in the KJV does not mean:for he was naked" was added to the text.

bugkiller

I think it is a valid point. What the verse says.

 

[bugkiller]

I think it is a valid point. What the verse says.

In which version?

bugkiller

 

[ToBeLoved]

In which version?

bugkiller

You quoted it in the OP. Maybe not a well thought out thread I guess.

 

[bugkiller]

You quoted it in the OP. Maybe not a well thought out thread I guess.

Wrong poster. I am not the OP. I am very familiar with the KJV which is not used in the OP.

bugkiller

 

[Radagast]

First, you have provided nothing to support you claim that Peter was not naked.

The word gymnos need not mean totally naked. It's up to you to prove that it means total nudity here.

 

[Archivist]

The word gymnos need not mean totally naked. It's up to you to prove that it means total nudity here.

And I have provided evidence showing that was how fishing was done. You have provided nothing. Your only argument is essentially “the word doesn’t necessarily mean totally nude therefore Peter wasn’t nude.” Proof please.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

I have heard it said, by some posters, that Peter fished in the nude.

I'll tell you one thing for sure
you want to be real careful when casting with that fish hook.
I saw one go through my friends ear.
After witnessing that, I always wear a catchers cup when I fish.
M-Bob

 

[Radagast]

I'll tell you one thing for sure
you want to be real careful when casting with that fish hook.
I saw one go through my friends ear.
After witnessing that, I always wear a catchers cup when I fish.
M-Bob

That was kind of my point. They were using nets instead of hooks, but things can get caught in nets. A powerful reason to wear at least a loincloth.