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The dragnet

Matt 13:47–50 · Later ministry in Galilee

Scripture

Matthew 13:47–50

gain, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 49So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 50And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

King James Version · public domain

Mateu 13:47–50

ërsëri, mbretëri’ e qiejvet gjan me një rrjetë që uhoth ndë dett, e mblodhi çdo farë gjëje; 48Edhe si umbush, e nxuarrë atë ndë buzë të detit, edhe ndenjtn’ e mblothnë të-miratë ndë enë, edhe të-ligat’ i hothnë jashtë. 49Kështu dotë jetë mbë të të-mbaruarët të jetësë; dotë dalën’ ëngjëjtë, e dotë ndajnë të-liqtë nga të-drejtëtë, 50Edhe dot’ i hedhën’ ata ndë furrët të zjarrit; atje dotë jetë të-qarët’ e të-kërcëlliturit’ e dhëmbëvet.

Kristoforidhi, Dhiata e Re Toskërisht 1879 · zotërim publik

In their own words

In the foregoing parables He has commended the Gospel preaching; now, that we may not trust in preaching only, nor think that faith alone is sufficient for our salvation, He adds another fearful parable, saying, Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net cast into the sea.

St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 47 (on Matthew 13:44–52) (Catena Aurea)

The Parable of the Dragnet (Matthew 13:47–50)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 47 (on Matthew 13:44–52) As preserved in the Catena Aurea, trans. J. H. Newman, 1841. Public domain. The fuller homily appears in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 10: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/200147.htm

On why this fearful parable follows the others, lest we trust in preaching or faith alone:

In the foregoing parables He has commended the Gospel preaching; now, that we may not trust in preaching only, nor think that faith alone is sufficient for our salvation, He adds another fearful parable, saying, Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net cast into the sea.

On how the dragnet differs from the sower and the tares, the bad fish being those of evil life:

Wherein does this parable differ from the parable of the tares? There, as here, some perish and some are saved; but there, because of their heresy of evil dogmas; in the first parable of the sower, because of their not attending to what was spoken; here, because of their evil life, because of which, though drawn by the net, that is, enjoying the knowledge of God, they cannot be saved.

On the severity of the sentence, and that here the angels do the separating:

And when you hear that the wicked are cast away, that you may not suppose that this punishment may be risked, He adds an exposition shewing its severity, saying, Thus shall it be in the end of the world; the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire, there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Though He elsewhere declares, that He shall separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; He here declares, that the Angels shall do it, as also in the parable of the tares.

St. Jerome (c. 347–420)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 13:47–50) Source: as preserved in the Catena Aurea of Thomas Aquinas, trans. J. H. Newman, 1841. Public domain.

On the net as the Old and New Testaments, cast by the apostle-fishermen into the sea of the world:

In fulfilment of that prophecy of Jeremiah, who said, I will send unto you many fishers, when Peter and Andrew, James and John, heard the words, Follow me, I will make you fishers of men, they put together a net for themselves formed of the Old and New Testaments, and cast it into the sea of this world, and that remains spread until this day, taking up out of the salt and bitter and whirlpools whatever falls into it, that is good men and bad.

On the sorting that waits for the end of the world:

For when the end of the world shall be come, then shall be shewn the true test of separating the fishes, and as in a sheltered harbour the good shall be sent into the vessels of heavenly abodes, but the flame of hell shall seize the wicked to be dried up and withered.

Patristic sources