The Parable of the Dragnet
Matthew 13:47-50
In this series about the kingdom parables, we learned some important perspectives about what the kingdom of God is like. We’ve learned that it’s in a small phase but is growing gradually over time. We’ve also learned that it’s worth every sacrifice and should be our number one priority, especially because God has pursued after us in the same sacrificial, fully devoted way.
Today, we’ll learn something more about God’s kingdom, and we’ll do so through a brief story about a dragnet, and this parable is Christ’s final kingdom parable. Do you what a dragnet is? The word dragnet may actually call to mind a television serious called “Dragnet” about police officers catching criminals and solving crimes in LA. But here, Christ is talking about a specific kind of net that fishermen use to catch fish.
When we read about fishing nets in the Bible, we usually envision what is called a “cast net.” The Zondervan Dictionary of Biblical Imagery says that this kind of net:
“was used to fish in the shallows near shore (Mark 1:16). It was a round net some twenty to twenty-five feet in diameter with weights tied around the perimeter. The fisherman would swing this net over his head to unfurl the net to its full diameter; he would then throw the net over the suspected location of the fish that would be trapped beneath it.
A second type of net was the dragnet. This net was also used along the shoreline but harvested fish from a much larger area. One end of this hundred-yard-long dragnet was pulled perpendicular to the shoreline by a boat. Floats on the top line of the net and weights on the bottom line of the net kept it oriented vertically as it was pulled through the water. One team of fisherman remained on shore and walked up the beach as the boat proceeded parallel to the shore with the net held taut between the two. Eventually the boat would turn back toward the shore, pulling the arcing net and the captured fish to shore.”
When fishermen use this sort of net, they hope to catch a lot of fish, but whether they want to or not, they also know that they may catch a lot of other things, too. Jesus acknowledges this when he explains how after the fishermen pull the net to shore, they sit down to sort through what they caught. He says that they “gathered some of every kind.” “Every kind” means all kinds of fish and whatever else is in the water. That’s why they would need to sort out the good fish into storage containers and then throw away “the bad” (which refers to all the other stuff they didn’t want to catch).
This scenario was a common one in Israel, especially up north in the Galilee region where Christ had lived from childhood to adulthood and from where most of his disciples were from, too. This was a normal scenario and there aren’t any strange or unusual details that Christ threw into the story for a teaching reason. Instead, he intended for this very normal situation to illustrate two very important facts about the kingdom of God.
Today God extends his kingdom to all people.
With this parable about the dragnet, Christ describes his kingdom today as being very broad and reaching to all kinds of people. In a very general sense, we need to acknowledge that God provides good and necessary blessings to all people, not only to those who believe on him. Notice what he said earlier in Matthew’s gospel, earlier in his teaching ministry on Earth:
He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matt 5:45)
From this we see that God provides sunlight and rain indiscriminately and universally to all people. He gives his goodness to all people as king of the world. He also possesses all authority over the world. Notice what he said later on in his teaching ministry:
Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (Matt 28:18)
So, from this we see that God rules and reigns over all people, not only his people. However, this does not mean that God endorses the sinful lifestyles and false religious beliefs of people who do not follow Christ anymore than fishermen value the inedible fish and other things they pull up in their nets. As this parable shows, what happens first is broad and all-encompassing, but what happens next is more selective and final.
At the end of this age, God will separate believers from nonbelievers.
Jesus says this:
So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matt 13:49-50)
In this explanation of the parable, we see Christ refer to a time call “the end of the age.” This phrase refers to the end of the world as we know it. It refers to a future time when this present world will be made entirely new and a time when nonbelievers will be separated from believers. This separation will happen at the future judgment of God.
God will oversee this judgment, but his angels will assist by doing the sorting. Jesus described the same thing in the earlier parable about the weeds and the wheat (Matt 13:39-43), so that means this is a very important point he wants us to realize.
At this judgment, people who have not believed on Christ will be declared guilty of sin and unbelief and will be cast into a place called “the Lake of Fire” (Rev 20:14; 21:8). Now, this is not an imaginary place or idea – it will be a real place that causes real and eternal punishment for sin. Christ uses this phrase “wailing and gnashing of teeth” other places in his teaching, too, and it describes the human response to serious suffering and pain.
It's important to know that at this judgment, the decision will be final. Scripture nowhere teaches that there is a midway point or transitional place called purgatory where we can somehow make up for our wrongdoings and unbelief in this life in order to eventually be saved from the Lake of Fire. This consequence will be immediate, final, and forever.
He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18)
Those who believe on Christ, however, will be welcomed into the eternal stage of the kingdom of God. This will occur on the world which God will make entirely new, free from all death, evil, and sin and this new life will last forever. This will be the final stage of the kingdom of God in which only believers live forever.
Now, know this, how should we respond to this parable? How should it change our hearts and minds and affect the way we live? I’m glad you asked! There are two answers to this question.
Get serious about fishing.
Now, I’m not a fisherman. Maybe you are and may you aren’t. But with this parable, Christ is not attempting to make you a fisherman, as in someone who catches fish. Instead, Christ is calling his people to a different kind of activity. Notice what he said to them at the beginning when he first called them to follow him.
He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matt 4:19)
What does this mean – to be fishers of men? It means that just as fisherman deliberately, intentionally seek to catch fish, and just as God deliberately, intentionally blesses all people, so we should deliberately and intentionally seek to bless and influence people so that they might experience the goodness of God and then come to faith in Christ. Does this effort and focus describe your life today?
Cast a wide net.
Another thing we should take away from this parable is this – that as we get serious about fishing for men, we should cast a wide net. What does this mean? It means that we should be generous and wide in our efforts to befriend people, bless people, and reach people for Jesus.
Our efforts as individual followers of Christ and as a church should be more like fishermen dragging a deep 300-ft. net along the shore, not just a fisherman casting a 25-ft. net over the side of his boat, and certainly not like a man holding a single rod and reel at the river’s edge hoping to catch a fish. As Jesus said later to his disciples, we are to “preach the gospel to everyone” (Matt 28:18-20).
[God] is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Pet 3:9)
The parable of the dragnet reveals two important perspectives about God’s kingdom. First, it shows us that God’s grace and rule extend broadly today, blessing all people—believers and nonbelievers alike—with His common goodness, much like a dragnet sweeping through the sea, gathering everything in its path.
Second, it points to a future reality at the end of this age, when God will separate the believers from nonbelievers, welcoming believers into His eternal kingdom while judging those who reject Him. Through this simple story, Jesus teaches that the kingdom is both inclusive in its reach and exclusive in its final outcome. It’s a call to recognize God’s patience now and His justice later, urging us to respond by living as faithful fishers of men, sharing the gospel widely until that day comes.
As we reflect on this parable, let it stir us to action in our lives. Jesus calls us to be "fishers of men," which means we can’t just sit back and wait for people to come to faith on their own. We need to get serious about sharing God’s love and truth with others, intentionally building relationships and showing His goodness through our words and actions. Think about your own circle – your neighbors, coworkers, or even strangers you meet. What are you doing to bless those people in your life, and what are you doing to connect with and bless even more people?
Cast a wide net of kindness and grace, trusting God to work in their hearts. This parable challenges us to step out of our comfort zones, to prioritize this mission, and to live with an urgency that reflects the eternal stakes Jesus describes. Ask yourself today: “How can I be more deliberate in pointing others to Christ?”
Discussion Questions
Life101
In this series about the kingdom parables, we learned some important perspectives about what the kingdom of God is like. We’ve learned that it’s in a small phase but is growing gradually over time. We’ve also learned that it’s worth every sacrifice and should be our number one priority, especially because God has pursued after us in the same sacrificial, fully devoted way.
Today, we’ll learn something more about God’s kingdom, and we’ll do so through a brief story about a dragnet, and this parable is Christ’s final kingdom parable. Do you what a dragnet is? The word dragnet may actually call to mind a television serious called “Dragnet” about police officers catching criminals and solving crimes in LA. But here, Christ is talking about a specific kind of net that fishermen use to catch fish.
When we read about fishing nets in the Bible, we usually envision what is called a “cast net.” The Zondervan Dictionary of Biblical Imagery says that this kind of net:
“was used to fish in the shallows near shore (Mark 1:16). It was a round net some twenty to twenty-five feet in diameter with weights tied around the perimeter. The fisherman would swing this net over his head to unfurl the net to its full diameter; he would then throw the net over the suspected location of the fish that would be trapped beneath it.
A second type of net was the dragnet. This net was also used along the shoreline but harvested fish from a much larger area. One end of this hundred-yard-long dragnet was pulled perpendicular to the shoreline by a boat. Floats on the top line of the net and weights on the bottom line of the net kept it oriented vertically as it was pulled through the water. One team of fisherman remained on shore and walked up the beach as the boat proceeded parallel to the shore with the net held taut between the two. Eventually the boat would turn back toward the shore, pulling the arcing net and the captured fish to shore.”
When fishermen use this sort of net, they hope to catch a lot of fish, but whether they want to or not, they also know that they may catch a lot of other things, too. Jesus acknowledges this when he explains how after the fishermen pull the net to shore, they sit down to sort through what they caught. He says that they “gathered some of every kind.” “Every kind” means all kinds of fish and whatever else is in the water. That’s why they would need to sort out the good fish into storage containers and then throw away “the bad” (which refers to all the other stuff they didn’t want to catch).
This scenario was a common one in Israel, especially up north in the Galilee region where Christ had lived from childhood to adulthood and from where most of his disciples were from, too. This was a normal scenario and there aren’t any strange or unusual details that Christ threw into the story for a teaching reason. Instead, he intended for this very normal situation to illustrate two very important facts about the kingdom of God.
Today God extends his kingdom to all people.
With this parable about the dragnet, Christ describes his kingdom today as being very broad and reaching to all kinds of people. In a very general sense, we need to acknowledge that God provides good and necessary blessings to all people, not only to those who believe on him. Notice what he said earlier in Matthew’s gospel, earlier in his teaching ministry on Earth:
He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matt 5:45)
From this we see that God provides sunlight and rain indiscriminately and universally to all people. He gives his goodness to all people as king of the world. He also possesses all authority over the world. Notice what he said later on in his teaching ministry:
Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (Matt 28:18)
So, from this we see that God rules and reigns over all people, not only his people. However, this does not mean that God endorses the sinful lifestyles and false religious beliefs of people who do not follow Christ anymore than fishermen value the inedible fish and other things they pull up in their nets. As this parable shows, what happens first is broad and all-encompassing, but what happens next is more selective and final.
At the end of this age, God will separate believers from nonbelievers.
Jesus says this:
So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matt 13:49-50)
In this explanation of the parable, we see Christ refer to a time call “the end of the age.” This phrase refers to the end of the world as we know it. It refers to a future time when this present world will be made entirely new and a time when nonbelievers will be separated from believers. This separation will happen at the future judgment of God.
God will oversee this judgment, but his angels will assist by doing the sorting. Jesus described the same thing in the earlier parable about the weeds and the wheat (Matt 13:39-43), so that means this is a very important point he wants us to realize.
At this judgment, people who have not believed on Christ will be declared guilty of sin and unbelief and will be cast into a place called “the Lake of Fire” (Rev 20:14; 21:8). Now, this is not an imaginary place or idea – it will be a real place that causes real and eternal punishment for sin. Christ uses this phrase “wailing and gnashing of teeth” other places in his teaching, too, and it describes the human response to serious suffering and pain.
It's important to know that at this judgment, the decision will be final. Scripture nowhere teaches that there is a midway point or transitional place called purgatory where we can somehow make up for our wrongdoings and unbelief in this life in order to eventually be saved from the Lake of Fire. This consequence will be immediate, final, and forever.
He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18)
Those who believe on Christ, however, will be welcomed into the eternal stage of the kingdom of God. This will occur on the world which God will make entirely new, free from all death, evil, and sin and this new life will last forever. This will be the final stage of the kingdom of God in which only believers live forever.
Now, know this, how should we respond to this parable? How should it change our hearts and minds and affect the way we live? I’m glad you asked! There are two answers to this question.
Get serious about fishing.
Now, I’m not a fisherman. Maybe you are and may you aren’t. But with this parable, Christ is not attempting to make you a fisherman, as in someone who catches fish. Instead, Christ is calling his people to a different kind of activity. Notice what he said to them at the beginning when he first called them to follow him.
He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matt 4:19)
What does this mean – to be fishers of men? It means that just as fisherman deliberately, intentionally seek to catch fish, and just as God deliberately, intentionally blesses all people, so we should deliberately and intentionally seek to bless and influence people so that they might experience the goodness of God and then come to faith in Christ. Does this effort and focus describe your life today?
Cast a wide net.
Another thing we should take away from this parable is this – that as we get serious about fishing for men, we should cast a wide net. What does this mean? It means that we should be generous and wide in our efforts to befriend people, bless people, and reach people for Jesus.
Our efforts as individual followers of Christ and as a church should be more like fishermen dragging a deep 300-ft. net along the shore, not just a fisherman casting a 25-ft. net over the side of his boat, and certainly not like a man holding a single rod and reel at the river’s edge hoping to catch a fish. As Jesus said later to his disciples, we are to “preach the gospel to everyone” (Matt 28:18-20).
[God] is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Pet 3:9)
The parable of the dragnet reveals two important perspectives about God’s kingdom. First, it shows us that God’s grace and rule extend broadly today, blessing all people—believers and nonbelievers alike—with His common goodness, much like a dragnet sweeping through the sea, gathering everything in its path.
Second, it points to a future reality at the end of this age, when God will separate the believers from nonbelievers, welcoming believers into His eternal kingdom while judging those who reject Him. Through this simple story, Jesus teaches that the kingdom is both inclusive in its reach and exclusive in its final outcome. It’s a call to recognize God’s patience now and His justice later, urging us to respond by living as faithful fishers of men, sharing the gospel widely until that day comes.
As we reflect on this parable, let it stir us to action in our lives. Jesus calls us to be "fishers of men," which means we can’t just sit back and wait for people to come to faith on their own. We need to get serious about sharing God’s love and truth with others, intentionally building relationships and showing His goodness through our words and actions. Think about your own circle – your neighbors, coworkers, or even strangers you meet. What are you doing to bless those people in your life, and what are you doing to connect with and bless even more people?
Cast a wide net of kindness and grace, trusting God to work in their hearts. This parable challenges us to step out of our comfort zones, to prioritize this mission, and to live with an urgency that reflects the eternal stakes Jesus describes. Ask yourself today: “How can I be more deliberate in pointing others to Christ?”
Discussion Questions
Life101
- How might the broadness of God’s kingdom affect our lives?
- What are some common responses to these realities?
- What would these responses reveal about us? (In our priorities, affections, etc.)
- What do you think it is about God’s nature that causes His kingdom to be broad?
- How should a broad perspective of the kingdom of God influence our lifestyles and choices?
- What is one detail from the text of the parable which motivates you to “go fishing for men?”
- What are some practical ways that a “wide net” approach would differ from a narrower one in making disciples? As an individual? As a church?
- How might the broadness of God’s kingdom affect our lives?
- What are some common responses to these realities?
- What would these responses reveal about us? (In our priorities, affections, etc.)
- What do you think it is about God’s nature that causes His kingdom to be broad?
- How should a broad perspective of the kingdom of God influence our lifestyles and choices?
- What is one detail from the text of the parable which motivates you to “go fishing for men?”
- What are some practical ways that a “wide net” approach would differ from a narrower one in making disciples? As an individual? As a church?
- In what ways should a church be inclusive? In what ways should a church be exclusive?
Posted in Sermon Manuscript
Posted in Kingdom of God, Parables, Evangelism, Outreach, Disciples, Discipleship, Judgment, Lake of Fire
Posted in Kingdom of God, Parables, Evangelism, Outreach, Disciples, Discipleship, Judgment, Lake of Fire
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3 Comments
When I was little and up through my teen years we called our dragnet a seine. It was only about 3-4 1/2 ft, high and 20-25 ft. long. We would wade into the shallow part of the river after dark and "seine for minnows." We would head upstream and when we reached the sandbar we'd pull up the seine and see what minnows or crawfish we had caught and pick them out to fish with the next day and throw everything else back in the river. I'm so glad God let me have these experiences. Our trailer on the Fox River was only about 3 miles from the town/village of Norway, Illinois where we went to Sunday school when we were there over a weekend.
What a beautiful story. God is so good to us and life in Christ is so rich. Thanks for sharing Diane. Wonderfully written.
That's a wonderful personal reflection that connects w/ the truth Christ teaches in this parable so well. Thanks for sharing this, Diane!
What a beautiful story. God is so good to us and life in Christ is so rich. Thanks for sharing Diane. Wonderfully written.