Parable Of The Net: Good And Bad Fish: A Story from Jesus
Parable of the Net Bible Verse - Matthew 13:47 - 50 ESV
The Parable Of The Net Story By Jesus
My dear little friends, gather close around me, here by the beautiful Sea of Galilee. Can you feel the warm sun on your faces and hear the gentle waves splashing on the shore? I love to sit here and watch the boats, just like the ones your fathers and grandfathers use every day.
Fishing in Galilee: A Daily Adventure
Do you see those men over there, pulling in their big, heavy nets? That is how many families here in our land of ancient Israel make their living. From the time the sun peeks over the mountains in the morning, until it dips down low in the evening, they are busy at work.
They throw their nets into the water, hoping to catch many fish for their families to eat and to sell in the busy markets of places like Capernaum, just down the road. This is how they feed their wives and their children, and how they buy what they need. It is hard work, but it is also a gift from God.
The Big Net and All the Fish
Now, listen closely, for I want to tell you a special story, a parable, about something very much like what we see happening right now. Imagine a fisherman, a strong man with calloused hands from pulling ropes, who throws a very, very big net into the sea. This net is called a dragnet, and it is so wide that it sweeps up everything in its path as it is pulled through the water (Holladay, 2005).
The net goes deep, deep down, and then the fishermen pull it, slowly, slowly, towards the shore. It gets heavier and heavier! What do you think is inside? Yes! Fish! But not just one kind of fish. Oh no! This big net gathers fish of every kind – long ones, short ones, shiny ones, silvery ones, big ones, tiny ones! It catches all sorts of things that live in the water.
Sorting the Catch: Good and Not So Good
When the net is full and heavy, the men pull it all the way onto the sandy beach. Phew! That's a lot of work! Then, they sit down, tired but happy, and begin to sort their catch. They carefully pick out the good fish, the ones that are tasty and clean to eat, and put them into big baskets or clay pots (Borowski, 2003). These are the fish they will take home for dinner or sell at the market.
But what about the other things? Sometimes, the net catches fish that are not good to eat, or perhaps they are too small, or even just old pieces of wood or weeds. Do they keep those? No! They throw away the bad ones, back into the sea or onto the shore, because they are not useful for the meal or for selling.
This is a very important part of their work, to separate the good from the bad. Why do they do this? Because they want to make sure only the best goes to their families and their customers. How do they know which is which? They know by looking at them, by touching them, by knowing what is good and clean according to our customs.
Parable of the Net Explained: What This Story Means for Us
My dear children, this story of the net is like the kingdom of heaven. . Right now, in the world, there are all kinds of people, just like all the kinds of fish in the net.
The people who choose to love and serve God are called the righteous. They obey the Word of God. They do good things – they are kind, they share their toys, they help their friends, they listen to their parents and to God. These are like the good fish.
But on the other hand, there are people choose do not love and serve God. They love Satan and obey him. They do not obey the Word of God. They are the sinners. They are unkind, hate other people, bully others and make them cry. These are the fish that the fishermen cast back into the sea.
The Parable Of The Net Is About The End Of The World
Boys and girls, one day, at the end of the world, God will send His angels. They will separate the sinners from the righteous just like the fishermen separate the good fish from the bad fish.
The angels will carefully separate the people. They will gather the righteous who love, serve and obey God into His wonderful, eternal kingdom, where there is great joy and happiness.
On the other hand, they will cast the sinners into the lake of fire which will burn forever and ever. There they will weep, cry and grind their teeth because of the pain.
Visit this page to learn how you can become righteous and receive eternal life.
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Other parables about the end of the world.
Questions You Might Have
Q: What is a parable? A: A parable is a special story that Jesus told to help people understand important lessons about God and how we should live.
Q: Why did the fishermen throw some fish away? A: They threw away the fish that were not good to eat or too small, because they only wanted the best and clean fish for their families and to sell.
Q: What does "kingdom of heaven" mean? A: It means God is King over everything in the heaven and earth. Those who love, serve and obey the Word of God are the righteous. However, those who do not love, serve and obey God are the sinners. They will be judged and cast into the lake of fire at the end of the world.
Q: How can I be a "good fish"? A: You can be a "good fish" by confessing that you are a sinner, turning away from your sins and obeying the Word of God. As a child of God you will choose to be kind, share, help others, listen to your parents, and love God with all your heart.
Let's Choose Righteousness!
Conclusion
So, my little ones, remember the story of the big net. Just like the fishermen carefully chose the good fish, God will gather only the righteous into His eternal kingdom. Every day, you can choose to be a good fish! Will you try your best to be kind and loving today? I know you can!
Where We Learned More
Borowski, O. (2003). Daily life in biblical times. Society of Biblical Literature.
Holladay, J. S. (2005). Fishing. In K. L. Barker & H. W. M. Van der Loos (Eds.), The New Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible (Vol. 2, pp. 466-468). Abingdon Press.
Matthew 13:47-50. (2016). The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Crossway Bibles.
