Discussion Peter's Fishing Business?

Was Peter very poor?


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GoldenKingGaze

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In Mark 4:38-40 Jesus was sleeping inside the boat. He had a pillow and was sleeping comfortably, not awakened by rain or waves. It gives the impression he was inside the boat and that it was a large boat. Taking sides with poverty stricken disciples, and religion, this boat is portrayed as being very small and simple in films. Was this so?

Peter was under Roman taxation as well. Jesus and all the Hebrews inherited land under Moses' Law.

Was Peter and Jesus... really poor?

Was Peter's fishing boat just a four meter boat?
 

dqhall

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In Mark 4:38-40 Jesus was sleeping inside the boat. He had a pillow and was sleeping comfortably, not awakened by rain or waves. It gives the impression he was inside the boat and that it was a large boat. Taking sides with poverty stricken disciples, and religion, this boat is portrayed as being very small and simple in films. Was this so?

Peter was under Roman taxation as well. Jesus and all the Hebrews inherited land under Moses' Law.

Was Peter and Jesus... really poor?

Was Peter's fishing boat just a four meter boat?
The Romans collected taxes. The chief priests collected tithes and a two drachma tax to maintain the Herodian temple in Jerusalem (Matthew 17:24). Matthew was a tax collector. Peter’s fishing revenue was not 100% profit. Someone working all night in a fishing boat was not independently wealthy, but working class.
 
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Hazelelponi

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The Romans collected taxes. The chief priests collected tithes and a two drachma tax to maintain the Herodian temple in Jerusalem (Matthew 17:24). Matthew was a tax collector. Peter’s fishing revenue was not 100% profit. Someone working all night in a fishing boat was not independently wealthy, but working class.

But working class always has more than one level to it. In the U.S. "working class" can make anywhere from poverty level to 100,000 a year or more. Master Plumbers, RN's, Electricians - that's all working class, and things like experience, owning your own business versus working for someone else and level of technical skill can all make huge salary differences.

I wouldn't look at a master plumber as someone who is struggling, especially these days when even stay at home mom's are finding ways to bring in income to the home as well, something I'm sure many Jewish women also did back in the day, since it's mentioned in the Bible.

Peter was a small business owner who was savvy, (night fishing is the best time to not only catch fish, but hide some of what your bringing in from Roman tax collectors - not that this later is mentioned, but its likely)

He worked, but was not likely to have been facing a lot of financial hardship, though with taxes I'm sure it felt difficult at times, especially on days or times the catch was small. But I'd say he supported his family well, all things considered for that day and time.

I'd say Peter owned something similar to the modern seiner, not a little dingy. The Bible said "let down your nets" so we know he wasn't hand-casting, that implies seiner I think.

Just my guess anyway.
 
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BeyondET

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In Mark 4:38-40 Jesus was sleeping inside the boat. He had a pillow and was sleeping comfortably, not awakened by rain or waves. It gives the impression he was inside the boat and that it was a large boat. Taking sides with poverty stricken disciples, and religion, this boat is portrayed as being very small and simple in films. Was this so?

Peter was under Roman taxation as well. Jesus and all the Hebrews inherited land under Moses' Law.

Was Peter and Jesus... really poor?

Was Peter's fishing boat just a four meter boat?
well scripture say in the stern, could mean under like open space under the decking or in the stern part of the boat which is the back of a boat.
 
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GoldenKingGaze

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Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” (Acts 3:6)
Yes, Peter had no silver. I think he gave up his fishing business to follow the Master. The women and others funded them. By Pentecost, their funds must have been depleted.

The style of missions they used at that time, was going out in twos, with one shirt and a wallet that would last. During the difficult time of Roman tyranny.

After Pentecost, they were led by the Spirit much more dynamically.
 
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lismore

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Yes, Peter had no silver.

Things seem to have reversed. Peter had no silver and gold, but he could say to a crippled man 'pick up your mat and walk!'. He didn't need to promote himself, place ads or sell trinkets:

“People brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.” (Acts 5:15-16)

In our day we can see 'Healing Ministries' where the leader has mansions, private jets, had built up tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars in the bank but when pushed to document his 'healings' cannot present even one.

Paul, though poor made many rich. Sadly in these last days many self appointed apostles are rich making many poor.

God Bless :)
 
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hislegacy

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In Mark 4:38-40 Jesus was sleeping inside the boat. He had a pillow and was sleeping comfortably, not awakened by rain or waves. It gives the impression he was inside the boat and that it was a large boat. Taking sides with poverty stricken disciples, and religion, this boat is portrayed as being very small and simple in films. Was this so?

Peter was under Roman taxation as well. Jesus and all the Hebrews inherited land under Moses' Law.

Was Peter and Jesus... really poor?

Was Peter's fishing boat just a four meter boat?

No. He had a house, wife, mother in law living at the home and the home was large enough for a large crowd to gather in.
 
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Jesus and the Disciples were not poor, nor destitute:

Example:

Mark 6:And they said to Him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?”​

They didn't say that there was not enough money to feed the 5,000 plus women and children. They asked if Jesus wanted to spend 200 denarii.

A Denarii was equivalent to a days wages. - bring that into todays currency. 15.00 an hour X 8 hours = 120.00 x 200 days = $24,000

The disciples are Jesus if he wants to spend an equivalent of $24,000 our of their treasury.

Does not sound poor to me.
 
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hislegacy

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Paul, though poor made many rich. Sadly in these last days many self appointed apostles are rich making many poor.

Who did Paul make rich? Are you conflating money with health?
 
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RDKirk

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In Mark 4:38-40 Jesus was sleeping inside the boat. He had a pillow and was sleeping comfortably, not awakened by rain or waves. It gives the impression he was inside the boat and that it was a large boat. Taking sides with poverty stricken disciples, and religion, this boat is portrayed as being very small and simple in films. Was this so?

Peter was under Roman taxation as well. Jesus and all the Hebrews inherited land under Moses' Law.

Was Peter and Jesus... really poor?

Was Peter's fishing boat just a four meter boat?

You threw Jesus into the question, which makes it two questions.

Peter had a business. He had a good sized boat (as others have given evidence). He had a house in which he was caring for a wife and her mother.

Peter was not poor at the point he met Jesus.

But by that time, Jesus had apparently left His own family business for His itinerant ministry. Scripture tells us He had no home of His own and no possessions other than what He wore on His back.

At some point during that time, Peter appears to have given up his business as well, so that by the time of Pentecost, he had no possessions of his own either. Paul leads us to believe that Peter was supporting himself and his wife on the donations of the faithful.
 
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Tom 1

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In Mark 4:38-40 Jesus was sleeping inside the boat. He had a pillow and was sleeping comfortably, not awakened by rain or waves. It gives the impression he was inside the boat and that it was a large boat. Taking sides with poverty stricken disciples, and religion, this boat is portrayed as being very small and simple in films. Was this so?

Peter was under Roman taxation as well. Jesus and all the Hebrews inherited land under Moses' Law.

Was Peter and Jesus... really poor?

Was Peter's fishing boat just a four meter boat?

The same kind of lifestyle still continues in parts of the world, on some Greek islands with similarish equipment until quite recently, for example. It's a hard life, and there isn't much money in it.
 
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RDKirk

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Jesus and the Disciples were not poor, nor destitute:

Example:

Mark 6:And they said to Him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?”​

They didn't say that there was not enough money to feed the 5,000 plus women and children. They asked if Jesus wanted to spend 200 denarii.

A Denarii was equivalent to a days wages. - bring that into todays currency. 15.00 an hour X 8 hours = 120.00 x 200 days = $24,000

The disciples are Jesus if he wants to spend an equivalent of $24,000 our of their treasury.

Does not sound poor to me.

They may have been speaking ironically.

However, we do know that what money Jesus and the Twelve had was from the contributions of the wider group of disciples. Maybe they could have called upon someone like Joanna or Susanna to supply the money, but I suspect they were speaking ironically and not seriously suggesting they attempt even to find enough bread to feed the crowd.
 
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GreekOrthodox

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The same kind of lifestyle still continues in parts of the world, on some Greek islands with similarish equipment until quite recently, for example. It's a hard life, and there isn't much money in it.

Reminded me about this joke:

An American banker met a Greek fisherman and saw several large tuna fish in his boat and complimented the Greek on the quality of his fish and asked, "How long does it take to catch them?" The Greek replied: "Only a little while."

The American then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Greek said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs. The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

The Greek fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play cards with my friends, I have a full and busy life."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats.

Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution.

You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Athens, then London and eventually New York where you will run your expanding enterprise."

The Greek fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?" To which the American replied, "15-25 years."

"But what then?" The American laughed and said that's the best part. "When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."

"Millions ... Then what?" The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play cards with your friends."
 
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Tom 1

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Reminded me about this joke:

An American banker met a Greek fisherman and saw several large tuna fish in his boat and complimented the Greek on the quality of his fish and asked, "How long does it take to catch them?" The Greek replied: "Only a little while."

The American then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Greek said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs. The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

The Greek fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play cards with my friends, I have a full and busy life."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats.

Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution.

You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Athens, then London and eventually New York where you will run your expanding enterprise."

The Greek fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?" To which the American replied, "15-25 years."

"But what then?" The American laughed and said that's the best part. "When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."

"Millions ... Then what?" The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play cards with your friends."

I've come across that somewhere before, but I can't place it.

Samuel Delaney's short story 'dog in a fisherman's net' is a good read. It's based on the years he spent living in small communities in Greece, in the mid 20th C.
 
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They may have been speaking ironically.

No - not if you read it in context.

Remember they were in a desolate place and the people needed to be fed that night. To think they had time to go to another city and fundraise is really not good exegesis.
 
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