Augustine of Hippo, on Luke 5:1

“And it came to pass, that when the multitudes pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Genesareth,”

“(de Quæst. Ev. 1. 2. c. 2.) From which ship He taught the multitude, for by the authority of the Church He teaches the Gentiles. But the Lord entering the ship, and asking Peter to put off a little from the land, signifies that we must be moderate in our words to the multitude, that they may be neither taught earthly things, nor from earthly things rush into the depths of the sacraments. Or, the Gospel must first be preached to the neighbouring countries of the Gentiles, that (as He afterwards says, Launch out into the deep,) He might command it to be preached afterwards to the more distant nations.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.