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Parable of The Drag Net
Matthew 13:47-50
47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.


Notes on Customs

      Fishing in Palestine was a common profession. Several of the apostles were fishermen and the calling of Christ was to follow Him and He would make them fishers of men. The methods of fishing were the same as it is today, by the use of hooks and nets. Hooks were made of either bone or bronze. One person using hooks did angling for fish, and it required much patience. There were three types of nets used in that day. First, is the hand net, used by one person and required skill, timing, and patience. Second, is a drag net, sometimes called the seine net. This net was usually weighted on the bottom and had floats on the top. The seine net was either dragged between two boats, or laid out by a single boat and drawn to land with long ropes. It took a united effort of several fishermen to use the drag net. It was hardly ever dragged along the bottom of the sea or lake. When the catch was made it would be hauled into the boats or ashore. Third, is the bag net, or basket net. One man in a boat normally used this net. It was lowered in deep water and slowly drawn up with its catch. This is most likely the type of net used by Simon, Peter, in Luke 5:4-9.

      In the lake of Gennesaret there are twenty-four different known species of fish. Unclean fish are all fish without scales, without fins, and the non-edible marine creatures, such as crabs, which were regarded as worthless. The catching of “every kind” of fish in one part of the lake is the most unusual feature of the text. “Kind” is species. To catch every species in the lake would have amazed the experienced fishermen of the twelve.


Points of the Parable

      The parables of the Tares and the Net are closely linked in content. Instead of good and bad seed, Jesus describes good and bad fish. He omits describing the period in which the fish were mixed together in the sea, and focuses solely on their catch and separation. Otherwise the messages and structures are remarkably the same. The closing verse of each parable is identical, with the same conclusion, “they will throw them into the fiery furnace; there will be the weeping and gnashing of teeth” (vv. 42 and 50). The Parable of the Tares was addressed to the multitude, while the parable of the Net is a lesson for the disciples. In the parable of the Tares the comparison is with the harvest. Here the Kingdom of God is not compared to a net, which catches good and bad fish, but the sorting out of the fish.


Given Interpretations

      1. This is the last of the series of parables in this chapter and concerns the close of the church age. This is made clear with the statement of Jesus in verse 49, “So shall it be at the end of the world.” We find that the term “world” is better expressed by the term “age.” When we view this scene as symbolizing the religious activity beginning with the apostles and ending with this age one is impressed with the potential number and variety of people who have been influence by the gospel net. The sea is not the church (local) but rather the world, of this church age.

      (This interpretation is correct in expressing the term “world” as “age”. The term “age” signifies a period of time. When we consider the magnitude of the final fate of those sorted it compels us to believe that all humanity, the culmination of man’s history is signified, and not just the period of time of the “church age.” The term “gospel net” is bewildering in this and other interpretations. A net is used to trap and snare its victims and then drags them to their fate. The gospel does not forcibly drag men but rather it draws them to God. Nor does the gospel gather the bad; it converts the bad to good. That is the power of the gospel, the word of God.)

      2. The gospel is compared to a net dragging along the bottom of a lake, and collecting all – good and bad. The gospel may be expected to do the same collecting; but in the end of the world, when the net is drawn in, the bad will be separated from the good: the one will be cast away, and the other saved. Our Savior never fails to keep before our minds the great truth that there is to be a day of judgment, and that there will be a separation of the good and evil. He came to preach salvation; and it is a remarkable fact, also, that the most fearful accounts of hell and of suffering of the damned, in the Scriptures, are from His lips.

      (This interpretation has the same problem as the first. The comparing of the gospel with the net - or having the net stand in place of the gospel - fails, for the two have no matching points of comparison.)

      3. The unnamed “they” who do the sorting of the fish correspond to the angels as God’s helpers. The net becomes a symbol for God’s ingathering of all people at the end of the age.

      The parable falls into three clearly delineated parts, corresponding to the three main characters and lessons of the passage.

      (1) VV 47,48a - describes the action of the dragnet, which stands for God who will come to judge his people on the last day.
      (2) VV 48b - describes the fate of the good fish, which stand for those God declares righteous, who are gathered together for further service and safekeeping.
      (3) Verse 48c - describes the fate of the rotten fish, which stand for the unredeemed, who are discarded as worthless.

      The conclusion in verses 49,50 develops only this last point, so emphasis must be placed on it. As with the parables of the wheat and tares and of the ten virgins this passage acts out a tragic plot.

      The word for “kind” is more commonly used for a “race” or “tribe” of people. An allegorical meaning for these details is thereby confirmed; the different kinds of fish stand for different nationalities of human beings.

      A common deduction from the reference to all kinds of fish is that Jesus’ disciples must preach to all people regardless of ethnic background. Jesus’ earlier command to his followers to become “fishers of men” (Mark. 1:17 pars.) gives this interpretation and aura of plausibility, but it overlooks the fact that all the action of the parable occurs at the time of the final sorting. No interval is described between the catch and the separation. The point must rather be that which the story of the judgment of the sheep and the goats elaborates (Matt. 25:31-46) no race or category of person will escape the final judgment. All will be sorted into one of two groups, those God accepts and those he rejects. Finally, while one must guard against too quickly “Christianizing” the interpretation of the parable (so that the good fish are only Christians rather than God’s people of all ages), one must avoid the opposite extreme of restricting exposition to Jewish categories.

      (Some good points are made in this interpretation. It is indeed implied that the “they” are the angels who come forth. The point of, “the fact that all the action occurs at the time of the final sorting and no interval is describes between the catch and separation” is well made. The “action” of the dragnet and not the dragnet itself describes the action of God at the time of His judgment is also well taken.
      But there are problems with other points given. It is true that the term kind is commonly used to mean families, tribes, or races, however, it is not limited to that definition. To say that the allegorical meaning is confirmed to stand for different nationalities is a horrible statement. Because then the reasoning concludes that races are bad (bad fish) or good (good fish). That some races are good and some races are bad and hence determines the fate of the sorting out on the basis of nationalities and not that of the individual merits of people before God. Tying together his statements the bad races are rotted nationalities. I feel certain that this author did not intend this view, but it is prejudicial in its nature. As a comment on his “rotten fish” (point 3) how could freshly caught fish be rotten? What made the fish bad was the type of fish they were. The term kind could stand for families if it is understood the families are of God and of Satan. However, that understanding is not given in the parable. The simpler meaning of “kind” is that of species and fits the action of the parable best.)


The Interpretation

      The kingdom of Heaven is compared to its coming and the sorting out of men gathered for their judgment. It concludes with the final destiny of all men. It categorizes all men into one of two classes, good or bad.

      The net and its action are simply presented as the fact of the gathering. The actual means, which God will employ to gather men, is not told.

      The ones who do the sorting cannot be men. While it is true that men can distinguish good fish from bad fish they cannot sort themselves out. The most assured evidence we have from scripture of the identity of the good is that of their having the seal of God on them. And men cannot see that seal and are not capable of carrying out the separation effectively. The sorting will be the sure judgment of God.

      The fact that a dragnet is employed establishes that many will be involved in the gathering and that it will be a rapid event. Not the slow patient method of using hooks or the limited capacity of the hand net or bag net.

      The lesson is that at the end, when the gathering of all men unto judgment comes, it will be swift, none will escape, and it is absolute. This lesson should not have come as a surprise to the disciples but it should have reinforced the urgency and crises of the lost upon them, and the need to preach the gospel to a lost generation.


The Application

      The parable is illustrative of the Last Judgment, a description of fact, and warning. None will escape or avoid this moment of separation and their destiny. The warning demands a response from both the “bad” and the “good.” For the “bad” it is to heed salvation and become one of the good. For the “good” it is a question of will you aid those in such jeopardy?

Next: Parable of The Importunate Widow and The Judge




This page last updated September 14, 2004 at 10:30am





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