Commentaries:
Adam Clarke
Depart from me; for I am a sinful man - ' , Go out from me, i.e. from my boat. Peter was fully convinced that this draught of fish was a miraculous one; and that God himself had particularly interfered in this matter, whose presence and power he reverenced in the person of Jesus. But as he felt himself a sinner, he was afraid the Divine purity of Christ could not possibly endure him; therefore he wished for a separation from that power, which he was afraid might break forth and consume him. It seems to have been a received maxim among the Jews, that whoever had seen a particular manifestation of God should speedily die. Hence Jacob seemed astonished that his life should have been preserved, when he had seen God face to face, Genesis 32:30. So the nobles of Israel saw God, and yet did eat and drink; for on them he had laid not his hand, i.e. to destroy them, though it appears to have been expected by them, in consequence of this discovery which he made of himself. See Exodus 24:10, Exodus 24:11 (note), and the notes there. This supposition of the Jews seems to have been founded on the authority of God himself, Exodus 33:20 : There shall no man see my Face and Live. So Moses, Deuteronomy 5:26 : Who is there of all flesh that hath heard the voice of the living God, speaking out of the midst of the fire as we have, and Lived? So Gideon expected to be immediately slain, because he had seen an angel of the Lord, and a miracle performed by him. See Judges 6:21-23. So likewise Manoah and his wife, Judges 13:22 : We shall surely Die, for we have Seen God. These different passages sufficiently show in what sense these words of Peter are to be understood.
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