PARABLE OF THE DRAGNET

Sir,

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and gathered fish of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth,” Matthew 13:47–50. Of all of the parables of Jesus, I would like to believe that the disciples could easily relate to this one because it uses an illustration from the fishing world, and as you know most of them were fishermen.

Nets

The fishermen during this time were using two kinds of nets. The first kind of net was called a casting-net; it was relatively small, circular with some weights around its edge. An individual could use it by himself. The fisherman would grasp the net in the centre and throw it over the surface of the water. Then it would sink rapidly, drawn down by the weights, covering the fish. When the net was pulled up, the weights would draw together at the bottom, trapping the fish within. But this is not the net referred to by Jesus in this parable. The other kind of net which Jesus is referring to in this passage is a drag-net, which is much larger. A group of fishermen would spread out the drag-net between two boats and would drag it toward the shore.

Jesus

By the time they reach the shore the net would have dragged all sorts of sea creatures. Then on the shore they could go through the catch, separating the good from the bad. This is the kind of net that is specifically referred to by Jesus. This particular form of fishing compares to the kingdom of God. So, what exactly does the image of fishermen using a dragnet tell us about the kingdom of God at the end of the age? Well, first of all, remem­ber that Jesus referred specifically to a dragnet, not to a casting-net.

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