If you are new to this series, I would like to welcome you. This is a series that we started this week to learn about the parables of Jesus. I did an overview where I broke down all the parables into various categories. You really need to check it out as it will help you understand where we are going.
If you have been following, welcome back and I do hope that you are learning along the way.
Today we will be looking at the parable of the fishing net. To be honest, I have never heard about this parable prior to this study. Just like the others, it is equally packed with lessons. This parable can be found in Matthew 13:47-50 and it reads;
“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. 48 When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. 49 That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, 50 throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
It starts with the word ‘again’ which makes us know that this isn’t the first parable of the kingdom. We have covered quite a few of these parables in this series which you can read here. For now, let’s see what the parable of the fishing net means.
Interpretation
This parable is similar to the parable of the weeds. The net represents the gospel. Just as the net is cast into the sea, so also is the gospel of Jesus Christ spread across the world. You will agree with me that not everyone that seems to be attracted to the gospel is willing to be led by it. We often say Christianity isn’t a physical thing but a spiritual connection with the Creator.
Inasmuch as this is correct, I am very careful when I hear this being said because I have come to realize that most people who say they are spiritual, aren’t referring to the kind of spiritual connection I identify with. Some readers of the Bible identify with something else. Some claim we are on the same page, however, the route they are taking to God, isn’t Jesus. So for me, when I hear spirituality, I often request some form of clarity.
The parable doesn’t just end by telling us that the net was filled with fishes. It goes on to tell us that the fishes were sorted.
Last week’s parable really got us hyped in a good way because we saw how precious we are in God’s eyes. Nothing can ever compare to the feeling we get the moment we realize how He sees us. That is gold! I find the transition from that to this parable drastic. Is almost like Jesus Christ wanted to remind us that He is the loving God of justice. Aha! We rejoice when we hear about His love. How often do we rejoice when we hear about His judgment!
Judgment day is coming my friend. Are we ready? Not all of us are on the same page. When the net is full, those He has appointed will do the sorting.
Just as the fishes caught in the net cannot tell when the net is full, so also we can’t. God determines when that net is full. This I why we have to make sure that we are always ready; for we don’t know the hour, minute or second when the Son of man will come.
We don’t do the sorting because we haven’t been assigned the role to judge. Instead of trying to figure out how the judgment will be done, let’s focus on doing on Father’s business while it is day, for night cometh when no man can work.
Next time week, we will be looking at the last parable of the Kingdom of God. Can you guess the name of the parable?
–Efua Uke is a United Kingdom-based mentor, blogger, and contributor to Ambo TV. This article originally appeared on her website Grace Over Pain. You can see the full article there.