Kingdom Parables Pt 5: The Dragnet

 

 

April 24, 2022               NOTES NOT EDITED

Kingdom Parables, Pt. 5:  The Dragnet

       Matthew 13:47-50

Series in a Sentence:  The Kingdom parables, especially the parable of
the “Dragnet” gives us a solemn warning about the coming judgment of God.                                                          

BIBLICAL BACKGROUND AND OBSERVATION

Summary of Lessons Learned in Kingdom Parables

* How the Seven Parables are Organized (1, 3, 2, 1)

* 1 – Introduction to the Mission of the Kingdom

   3 – Operation of the Inaugurated Kingdom
              (1) the environment of our mission is hostile

              (2) the environment of the church is a mixed community. The
                   church is part of the Inaugurated Kingdom, but
                   synonymous.  Only after the millennium will the
                   Kingdom of God be pure and perfect.

   2 – The Nature Of and  Entrance Into the Kingdom

   1 – The Summary Judgement and Consummated Kingdom

One more item related to the Biblical background of this passage would be helpful.  Let’s look at that word, “net,” translated “large net” in the CSB.

Three Types of Nets in the Bible

1.  diktyon (δίκτυον) – general term for a net (Mt. 4:20)

2.  amphiblestron (ἀμφίβληστρον) – casting net (Mt. 4:18)

3.  sagēnē (σαγήνη) – large draw net; dragnet (Mt. 13:47)

The word used here sagēnē referring to a large net that catches any and all types of fish that might be scoped into it.  The useful fish and the “trash fish” would be separated later.  God’s coming judgement will fall upon every person of every nation or tribe, young or old and all in between.

This text highlights three large themes in the Bible that all relate to the Coming End of the World, or the Consummation of God’s Kingdom.

1.  The SOVEREIGNTY of God (v47a)

“Again the Kingdom OF HEAVEN.”

Circle those words, “of heaven.” The key to understanding these Kingdom parables—indeed, the key to making sense of this present world at all—is to understand the Heavenly nature of God’s Kingdom.

The Kingdom is “Of” Heaven, Not Earth: Three Foundations

1  “Behind the Greek word for kingdom (basileia) lies the Aramaic term malkut, which Jesus may have used. Malkut refers primarily not to a geographical area or realm nor to the people inhabiting the realm but, rather, to the activity of the king himself, his exercise of sovereign power. The idea might better be conveyed in English by an expression such as kingship, rule, or sovereignty.” (Britannica)

2  Further, the Greek term, “basileia,” meaning kingdom cannot be understood apart from the term “basileus,” or king.  The rule of the king, his power and authority, is what makes a kingdom.  For Christians, the term the Greek terms “basileia and basileus” must be understood in light of the Hebrew terms, “malek, king, and malahk, to rule.” For Jews, and continuing for the New Testament, a kingdom was defined not by geography but by the authority of the king.

3  Still further, the Jewish underpinnings of the teaching of Jesus here must be understood in light of the Jewish concept of Yahweh’s absolute sovereignty over all the worldly kings and kingdoms.

Thus, at the foundation of what the term “kingdom of heaven” refers is the Absolute Sovereign reign of God.

Even now as we are in the “Inaugurated” Kingdom, when Jesus is physically absent, it is necessary to understand, He is still the King.  God is still sovereign over the affairs of men.  Proverbs 21:1^NIV reminds us:

The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.

ILLUS:  L.R. Shelton, SR.

The Doctrine of the Sovereignty of God is the basic doctrine, or the foundation doctrine, of all the teachings of God's Word. All other teachings of the Word of God have for their foundation the Sovereignty of God.

In short:  “God is a law unto Himself—an absolute law.”  The core problem with man’s sinful condition is that mankind has a false sense of “Who’s In Charge.” 

I remember  henpecked husband was advised by a psychiatrist to assert himself. "You don't have to let your wife bully you," he said. "Go home and show her you're the boss." The husband decided to take the doctor's advice. He went home, slammed the door, shook his fist in his wife's face, and growled, "From now on you're taking orders from me. I want my supper right now, and when you get it on the table, go upstairs and lay out my clothes. Tonight I am going out with the boys. You are going to stay at home where you belong. And another thing, before I go out do you know who is going to tie my bow tie?" "I certainly do," said his wife calmly, "the undertaker."

ILLUS:  An umpire named Babe Pinelli once called Babe Ruth out on strikes. When the crowd booed with sharp disapproval at the call, the legendary Ruth turned to the umpire with disdain and said, "There’s 40,000 people here who know that the last pitch was ball, tomato head." Suspecting that the umpire would erupt with anger, the coaches and players braced themselves for Ruth’s ejection. However, the cool headed Pinelli replied, "Maybe so, Babe, but mine is the only opinion that counts." Believers need to realize that God’s judgment is the only one that counts.  It is complete and final.  And for those who are not saved, God’s judgement is going to be horrible.

2.  The UBIQUITY of Evil (vv47b; 49b)

(CSB) ⁴⁷ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a large net thrown into the sea. It collected every kind of fish Then verse 48,  ⁴⁸ and when it was full, they dragged it ashore, sat down, and gathered the good fish into containers, but threw out the worthless ones.

Three Words:   “sea,” “every,” and “full”

  * sea:  equivalent to “world”. It is the “field” in other parables.  The sea was the lace of fearful evil “Leviathan,” a feared monster in Jewish lore.

  * “every and full” give a picture of an indistinquishable mass. There was no place in the net not bulging with fish,  They had to “drag” it to shore.

The word Ubiquity is equivalent “sea, every, and full.”  Ubiquity is state or capacity of being everywhere.  The full net represents a world overflowing with sin, bulging with evil.

All seven parable have an evil element

  *  The parables of the sower and different responses of the seed, the
      parable of the wheat and weeds (tares), and the twin parables of
      the mustard seed with different kinds of birds and the bread
      infiltrated with yeast can apply to the make up of any given
      church.  In the Inaugurated Kingdom no church is pure.

  *  In the summary parable of the Dragnet, the panorama of God
      working encompasses the entire world.  The sea extends the
      metaphor of a “mixed kingdom” of the church to encompass the
      entire world.

Evil is everywhere, and like the fish in the net, sin is of every kind imaginable. If someone from Sodom and Gomorrah were to vist America today, they would blush with shame over the fullness of our sinful depravity.  Our nightly news programs highlight depraved behavior that was not even hinted at in Sodom and Gomorrah.  The depravity has reached down into our elementary schools trying to snatch our youngest souls.  Nationwide T.V. news reported that a teacher recently teaching his young class, and I quote, “When the doctor decides at birth that you are a boy or girl, he is only guessing.”

Evil is “ubiquitous”—absolutely everywhere like a catch of fish in a dragnet cast into the huge “sea.” The net of evil has been filled up to the full and is about to burst at the seams.  So, what is the answer to the UBQUITY OF EVIL?

3.  The Reality of  JUDGMENT! (vv48a; 49-50)

Take note of the words in verse 48:  “when it [the net] was full.”

Now here’s where these seven parables come to a climax.

The Kingdom Inaugurated by Christ’s first coming will become the Kingdom Consummated, (Completed, “full”) by Christ’s Second Coming. 

Notice what Paul says about the first coming of Jesus Christ and the “fullness” of all the parameters necessary according to God’s plan:

Galatians 4:4 (ESV) ⁴ But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman.

Look also at Ephesians 1:7–10 (ESV)  ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, ⁸ which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight ⁹ making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ ¹⁰ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Notice the words, “unite . . . heaven and earth.”  This puts my mind back to the idea of the “Inaugurated and Consummated” Kingdom.  For now, the Kingdom of Heaven is incomplete.  There is a mixture of evil and good in both the world, and sadly, even the church.  When God’s “fires of judgement” fall upon this wicked world, the Kingdom of God on Earth will become Kingdom of Heaven.  God’s Kingdom will be purified by judgement like fire purifies gold or silver by burning off the dross.

Remember, we just said that one of the aspects of the teaching about the Judgement in the Parable of the Dragnet, is the UBIQUITY—or “fullness” of evil in our world.  When the measure of the Evil of the world reaches the fullness to which God has allowed, His judgment will be poured out in like measure—fully and completely—like catching fish in a huge dragnet.

In 1735 the great puritan preacher and once president of Princeton University, Jonathan Edwards, pointed to the connection between the measure of humanities sin and the pouring out of God’s judgement.  Edwards said,  “There is a connection between the measure of men’s sin, and the measure of punishment. When they have filled up the measure of their sin, then is filled up the measure of God’s wrath.”

The rebellion of mankind has been stoking the fire of God’s wrath for thousands of years.  It has never been hotter. The bowl of God’s wrath is about to be poured out upon the world.  The Dragnet of God’s judgement is about to be hauled in. 

Look at verses 49-50 (CSB):  ⁴⁹ So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out, separate the evil people from the righteous, ⁵⁰ and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

This is a horrible picture of what will happen to the “bad fish.”  They will be “thrown into the blazing furnace.”  I have experienced minor burns.  They were very painful.  I have read that severe burns cause some of the most horrific pain one could imagine. 

Now, consider such agonizing pain as “burning” being “eternal.”

Many may object:  but I don’t like a God that would send a person to hell forever.  Well, if a person ends up in hell it won’t be for God’s lack of warning or lack of mercy.

Literally, the message in regard to hell from God’s point of view is this:  “If you go to hell, it will be over my dead body.” 

That is literally what took place when Jesus died on the cross.  God takes no delight in the pain and punishment of sinners but His holiness demands sin be separated and His justice demands sin be punished. God layed His body on the line for sinners.

IF THI PARABLES WERE DISTILLED TO THEIR MOST FUNDAMENTAL MESSAGE IT WOULD BE A “WARNING”: 

1. God is sovereign and His will shall be accomplished.

2. Evil is ubiquitous and must be dealt with—and WILL be.

3. Judgment is a reality and we must prepare by accepting Jesus as

    our Lord and Savior.

Good fish or bad fish?  Which one are you?  When God sorts out souls on Judgement Day, will you be a “good fish, or a bad fish?” 

Now is the time to heed the warning of the Parable of the Dragnet.  The Net of Judgement is about to be hauled in and the catch laid at the feet of Jesus.  When you meet Jesus, He will either be Your Savior or Your Judge.  Now, it the time to prepare for Judgement Day.  Now is the time to heed the warning of the Dragnet.

Warren Wiersbe tells a story about the days of the Old West. There was a horse bolting down the road with a wagon hitched to it and little boy trapped on the wagon. A young man risked his life to catch the horse and stop the wagon, saving that little boy. 

Well, that little boy grew up to be a criminal and one day stood before a judge to be sentenced for a serious crime. The prisoner recognized the judge as that man who years before had saved his life. 

He pled for mercy based on that experience, but the words from the bench silenced his plea: “Young man, then I was your savior; today I am your judge, and I must sentence you to be hanged.”

One day Jesus Christ will return and say to rebellious sinners, “During that long day of grace, I was the savior and would have forgiven you. But today I am your judge.”


The Dragnet of Judgement will soon be hauled in and there will be no more opportunity to accept Jesus as the Savior.  But it’s not judgment day yet. There is still time to become a “good fish.”

Today is the day of salvation.

You will decide, today.