The Forum – July 10, 2016 – Parable of the Dragnet

“Dummmm! dumda-Dum-DUM!” So each episode of the TV police drama show Dragnet was introduced. Detectives would use a police dragnet to sweep through the city of LA and bring all kinds of people in to be investigated. Some of the would turn out to be good law-abiding citizens. Others were criminals and had be to put away from society. And so the Parable of the Dragnet brings in those who will be good or bad citizens of the kingdom. The bad are removed and punished.

Jesus had a three-dimensional powerpoint presentation with the sowers on the hillsides near by and the mustard tree in the field along a fence row and while in a boat He could point to other boats bringing in their catch and sorting out the good and bad from their nets. Many of those listening including some of His disciples were fishermen and well acquainted with fishing nets. The Sea of Galilee is believed to have been teaming with fish. Fish was a major part of the Jewish diet. The Mishnah has a plethora of recipes for preparing fish for meals. Even one of the gates of the Temple is called the “Fish Gate.”
Although the hook and line method of fishing was used in Galilee, the most effective means of commercial fishing was to use a large net which was weighted on the bottom with lead weights and on the top of the net, it was supported by floats. Two boats were used to encircle a large area and capture every fish, creature, trash, etc. This dragnet could corral a large catch of fish which would then need to be sorted.

• The Sea = World of Lost Sinners
In the previously studied parable the field was the world but in this parable the sea is the world. In the sea there are all sorts of fish. Both Jew and Gentiles and souls “of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nations” (Rev. 5:9). The net did not bring all the fish of the sea but gathered out of it some of every kind. The Kingdom is composes of all kinds of people and sinners.

Even in the Old Testament God’s fishermen were soul-winners. “Behold, I will send forth many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them” (Is. 19:8). When Jesus called His disciples He said, “from henceforth thou shalt catch men” (Lk. 5:10) and “follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men” (Mark 1:17). The mixed haul of fish both good and bad is not a negative reflection on the skill of the fishermen. The job of a fisher man is to catch fish. Likewise, the duties of the soul winner is not to judge which fish can come into the net. A fisher of men must proclaim the Gospel message to all the world. The Gospel is for all not just the select few.

Those taken by the dragnet in this parable do not represent all men but those specifically drawn in by the Gospel into the kingdom. All types of men and woman obey the Gospel. Like in the parable of the Sower all Christians have varying decrees of fruitfulness and faithfulness. Some last a life time while others fall back into world almost immediately.

All congregations are composed of good and faithful brethren and those who have denied the faith. There are men like Judas, or Demas, or Hymenaeus, or Diotrephes, as well as men like Aquila, James, and Barnabas. The church at Corinth with its immorality and carnal divisiveness. The churches of Galatia with Judaizing teachers of righteousness by the law. Five of the seven churches of Asia were plagued with idolatry, immorality, false teaching, loveless and smug complacency. The church at Laodicea was lukewarm, but they no doubt reasoned that they were not doing any great sins. Of course, mere church membership is no proof of Christianity.

Not all the fish in the net were worth keeping. Some would be too small. Others were considered unclean. The judgment under consideration is not corrective discipline. Instead it is speaking of the final judgment. Sometimes the contents of the net can not be sorted while it is being drawn. At other times the sorting takes place after the boats arrive back on the shore. The Judgment shall be with care. If the parable of the tares emphasizes the waiting, the parable of the net emphasizes the careful sorting.

Separation is a major theme of the parables. In The Parable of the Tares the separation is between wheat and tares. In the Parable of the Dragnet, the separation is between good and bad fish. The Parable of the Marriage Feast, the separation is between guests with and without a wedding garment. In the Parable of the Household, the separation is between good and evil servants. In the Parable of the Virgins, the separation is between wise and foolish virgins. In the Parable of the Talents, the separation is between profitable and unprofitable servants. In the Parable of the Sheep and Goats the separation is between faithful and the wicked.

The bad fish would be thrown out to have either rotted under the hot sun of Galilee or they were burned in a large fire. The oft-used expression in scripture, “cast away” or “cast out”, denotes a state condemnation: “cast out from the presence of God.”
Weeping speaks of remorse and sorrow. Gnashing of teeth speaks of frustration and hostility and anger. Jesus is speaking of the horrors of Hell. He spoke more on Hell than He did on Heaven. The greatness of salvation can only be realized when understanding the true cost of sin in Hell. Preaching salvation from sin is meaningless unless those who are lost in sin truly understand the serious consequence of sin. The cast-away fish of the parable are the “wicked,” and those who remove them are the “angels,” and the time is “the end of the world.” The purpose of the purging of the net is not redemptive,. The rejection is final. “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned” (John 15:6). “And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. “Then he cried and said, `Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame’” (Luke 16:23-24). “And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matt. 7:23).

The net or kingdom is now filled with all kinds of souls. Truly Judgment Day is coming. There are only two kinds of fish: good and bad. If one is not good he will not be cast into the fire and eternally rejected.