The Parable of the Dragnet - Matthew 13:47

Is all about Matthew 22:14a, "Many are called"

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. 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.” Matthew 13:47-50

I have read this parable and heard excellent commentaries on the subject. The focus of this parable seems to be more on prophecy that will be taken place at the end of the age - judgment day. Today I would like to focus on the dragnet, itself.

A dragnet purpose is to pull out of the water everything in its path. It is particularly made with lead as weight attaches on one side of the net and floaters at the other end. Before modern practice in the fishery industries, the dragnet was designed to draw fish to shore. According to The Wiki Bible Project:

"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 similar diameter as the head rope, but attached to it would be stone weights. These weights would ensure that the foot rope is closest to the bottom, thus stretching the net between the head and foot rope. While these are the basic components of the fishing net, the configuration of nets was different due to different methods of fishing.[1] "

A dragnet picks up fish, crabs, shrimp, etc. It also picks up coral from the seabed, boots, bottles, scraps metal and virtually everything in its path.

Today, bottom-trawling (dragnet) is an industrial fishing method where a large net with heavyweights dragged across the seafloor, scoops up everything in its path – from the targeted fish to the incidentally caught centuries-old corals. Bottom trawls are used in catching marine life that lives on the seafloor, like shrimp, cod, sole and flounder. It is highly effective in destroying all life at the bottom of the sea floor.[2]

Using a dragnet is a method of fishing, which has no discrimination toward anything that is in its path. It will scope out anything and everything. The catch is sorted out only when it is pulled onshore just as the parable of the dragnet describes.

Therefore, what was Jesus' teaching about? Is it about how He will reign? Is it all about judgment day and its timing or is it about something else? Personally, I think the importance should be placed more toward on the dragnet as it is indiscriminately dragging across the seafloor than sorting at the end time. The dragnet is about (1 John 2:2) more particularly the last part of the verse:

"And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world."

It is about Matthew 22:14a?

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

The dragnet is the gospel preached to the whole world without discrimination of nations, races, cultures, classes and intellectual statues. It is about the gospel spread worldwide to all sinners. The Gospel of salvation is available to all human souls without prejudice such as the dragnet drag everything out of its path. The good, the bad, the ugly, none is omitted. So when someone asks you how could God's gospel be available to all mankind even to those who are isolated due to an autocratic government such as  North Korea and Saudi Arabia? I reply that God is acting as a dragnet no matter what opposes to the gospel.

Such as the parable of the sower in (Matthew 13:1) explains, as people react differently to the Gospel, some accept God gift of life through Jesus and some reject it. Nevertheless, at the end of the parable of the dragnet, God's angels will sort the wicked (those who reject Christ) from the just (those who accepted Jesus). 

The parable of the dragnet is similar to the parable of about a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, (Matthew 22:1).

"And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’

But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”  Matthew 22:1-14

The dragnet is similar to those servants who went out into the highways and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. The man who did not have on a wedding garment is treated in the same way as the wicked in the parable of the dragnet where angels separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire.

“For many are called, but few are chosen,” describes precisely a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.

God grace and mercy is offered to the whole world, with no exception, without prejudice and discrimination as describes in these verses…

"And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world." 1 John 2:2

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life," John 3:16.

If you are not saved, you will be cast into the furnace of fire. If saved, the kingdom of God is your heritage and birthright, (John 3:3). You are called to be a son of God, king (governor) and priest (teacher) with Jesus the King of kings and Priest of priests. Sins separate us from our destiny. Jesus paid the price with His own life to restore us. All you need to do is to accept Him by believing that He is the Son of God that He died for your sins and resurrected from the dead. Confess Jesus as Lord who did the work for the  forgiveness for your sins, which is repentance[3]. In return, you will be embedded with the presence of God's presence in you through the Holy Spirit. Welcome to the family of God.

Please take the time to read this article titled, "To become a Christian, that is easy, First & Final Step...all you need to do is to Believe[4]." 

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[1]The Wiki Bible Project

[2] Marine Conservation Institute

[3] Repentance Is A Must

[4]http://www.simplicityinthegospel.com/p/simplicity-in-gospel.html