Like a drag net

A dragnet (see internet link)

Methods of Fishing

       As mentioned fishing methods have not changed much over the years. Despite a great increase in technology the basic fishing methods of ancient times still exists today. Most of what technology has been able to do for fishing is to improve on the ancient methods. Except for the use of dynamite (which is illegal in most areas) today's fisherman is subject using similar tactics to gain the targeted species of fish they are after. These tactics can be divided in to three main areas; netting, spearing and using a hook and line.

Netting fish is and has always been one of the best ways to fish commercially. It is possible to catch a great amount of fish in a relatively short amount of time. There are three main components of a net; the head rope, the netting, and the foot rope. The head rope or “lead” rope is a thicker rope at the top of the net that usually has cork attached in order that this would be the rope closest to the surface of the water. From the head rope the net itself is attached. This net can vary in size depending on the targeted species of fish. A much smaller mesh net would be required to catch sardines, whereas a larger mesh would be used for larger species of fish. This netting material would be composed of smaller diameter line weaved in such a way to make many small squares. At the bottom of this mesh netting would be attached the foot rope. The foot rope would be of a similar diameter as the head rope, but attached to it would be stone weights. These weights would ensure that the foot rope would be the rope at was the closest to the bottom, thus stretching the net between the head and foot rope. While these are the basic components of a fishing net the configuration of nets was different due to different methods of fishing.

       One of the oldest methods in which we see all three basic components of a net is that in the use of the dragnet. As Burge writes: “The dragnet was the most ancient form, dating from the third millennium B.C. in Egypt.”1 The dragnet would start from the shore and be taken out by boat and than turned to go parallel with the shore for a bit and than back to the shore. Nun describes the dragnet as being “made of netting shaped like a long wall, 250 to 300 meters long, 3 to 4 meters high at it’s “wings” and 8 meters high at the centre. The foot-rope is weighted with sinkers, and the head-rope has cork floats. The dragnet is spread a hundred meters or more from the shore and parallel to it, and hauled toward the shore with towing lines consisting of sections of ropes tied together. These are attached to each end and hauled in by a team of 16 men for large nets, or a smaller team for smaller nets.”2 This method of fishing required the use of a least one boat and many men to help haul in the net. Some Biblical occurrences of this method are found in: , , , , and .

There is no way for a fish to escape a dragnet

A dragnet does not distinguish a type of fish form another. It’s the job of the fishermen to separate the fish that will be sold from the ones that have no use in the market. The angels will separate the righteous form the wicked, and true believers from false believers.

The conversation about worth and self-worth is a hot topic today. We are told we shouldn’t judge people. What if all that people are aiming to accomplish in life were wrong?

The small and the great will be judged. Their worth will not be measured by their success in this world, or their place of honor by human standards (Lazarus and the rich man).

Who does Jesus say I am? Revelation warns the church against a false self-view. God is able to see at the very core of who we are. God will measure our worth.

The righteous one will judge the world