The Parable of the Net

Intro:

Context:

At this point in Jesus’ ministry he has gained lots of popularity. We see in Matthew 13:2 that great crowds followed him to hear his teaching. At this point Jesus starts speaking in Parables. He tells his disciples why he does this which is contrary to the popular belief that parables make it easier for people to understand things about the kingdom of heaven. Although parables did use everyday things to bring spiritual truths to light parables also had a purpose of keeping truth away from people who really did not care to know and follow what Jesus was requiring of them. Jeusus understood that the more understanding a person had of spiritual truths, the more wrath/judgment they would reap on themselves so this was an act of mercy. A parable is a physical truth that reveals a spiritual truth to the one who wants to know.

Now with this being said Jesus went on a Parable rampage. He talks about the different types of soil people can have when receiving the message the kingdom of God, even weeds that grow among the wheat and kept that way until time of harvest. Jesus shifts to talking about how the kingdom of heaven is great treasure and like a pearl whose value is like no other- alluding to the fact that the kingdom of God with worth searching for and giving everything up for.

then we get to our parable today- the parable of the net:

“again” this is a transition word of the list of parables and truths that Jesus is walking his disciples through. We know that Jesus is now going to repeat a spiritual concept again using a different word picture/ parable

“the kingdom of heaven”

you can even use “the kingdom of God”, Jesus talked a lot about the kingdom of heaven throughout his ministry. The kingdom of heaven is spiritual and directly relates to a person who submits to Gods authority and allows God to be the Lord of their life. Repentence is the essential part of being part of the kingdom of God. You are not part of the kingdom of God if you have not repented and submitted to God as Lord.

“like a net thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind ”

the nets used in the 1st century were large and require multiple fisherman to operate. they would have weights on one side and floats on another allow for the net to spread out in the water once thrown. this would allow the net to collect as many fish as possible before the fishermen gathered the net back.

the net represent the gosepl and how it is thrown out into the world/ spread throughout the world with no distinction- it is for anyone who believes. Romans 10:12

“when it was full, men drew is ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad...”

fishermen in the 1st century would wait for the net to be full and at just the right time pull the net ashore and start to sort the good fish from the bad fish.

when it was full is essential to what we are learning about. God in his great mercy is waiting to poor out his judgment until the day of wrath. He has shown us mercy that he waits for the kingdom of God to “be full” according to scripture no one except the father knows when the day will come when the kingdom of God is full or in other words that there is no more people who will repent and believe in the gospel.(Mark 13:32) and it is because God does not want anyone to perish that he waits for the day of judgment 2 Peter 3:9 - to be clear this does not mean everyone will be saved. just like the fishermen who draw their nets into shore knowing there is more fish in the sea, God the father will initiate the day of Judgment when he know the gospel message has reach as many as it can and been received by the people who are going to receive it.

“so it will be at the end of the age..”

end of the age- this is a time in the future that includes the second coming of Jesus Christ and complete the “earthly age” that we are in now and ushers in the age to come- eternity. the end of the age will include a final judgment of humanity and for the believer this is the completion of their salvation- glorification-> where we are finally taken away from the presence of sin once and for all.

“the angels will come to and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace”

angels by definition are messengers/agents of God’s will. We know from teaching of Jesus including the passage at hand that angels will be involved with the final judgment of humanity. According to revelation 14 angels will be directed on what to do when it comes to sorting out humanity. angels will be in charge of gathering the elect/saved peoples and also removing the ungodly from among them.

“separate”

how will we know what group will be separated into? we must first understand the groups and the condition of humanity

romans 3:23 is clear: FOR ALL have sinned or in other words for all are EVIL and fall short of the glory of God. so all humans are evil. we are all doomed to the fiery furnace. there is nothing we can do in and of ourselves to avoid the final judgment. we are evil.

so who is righteous? no one. romans 3:11 is very clear NONE is righteous no NOT ONE.

so what does this mean? all humanity are doomed to hell despite any of the good or even bad deeds they do? yes.

BUT GOD- we know from John 3:16 that GOd so loved the world that he sent his son ( to die and resurrect) that whoever (any human on the planet) believes ( confess with their mouth that Jesus is lord and believes in their heart that GOd raises them from the dead you will be saved) in HIM (Jesus is our righteousness that his righteous life becomes our life) shall not perish ( will be saved and be counted as righteous) but have eternal life ( will live in peace with God forever).

so who is evil - anyone who does not put their faith in Jesus and submit to his lordship in their life.

so who is righteous anyone who puts their faith in Jesus and summits to his lordship in their life.

there will be no distinction - there will be no exception. GOd is perfect so we to have to be perfect and Jesus did this for us 2,000 years ago because he knew we could not do it for ourselves.

“ throw them in to the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”

this is another word for HELL. if we get to the end of time and you are found to not have given you life to christ you will be guilty on all accounts. you are evil apart of christ. and you will be separated into the “ evil” category and thrown into hell for all of time. the imagery of a fiery furnace/ weeping and gnashing of teeth is to quit literally depict pain, anguish remorse, and misery. this will be a never ending suffering for anyone who has not placed their trust in the Lord.