Parable of Drawing in the Net
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The Parable of the Drawing in the Net was given by Jesus in the New Testament (Matthew). It is the last parable given by Jesus in chapter 13.
In his parables Jesus spoke of hell and judgment almost as much as the kingdom of heaven. This is no rare exception, but one of many other parables in which he deals with the eventual "sorting out" of souls at the end of days.
From Matthew 13:47–53 (NIV):
- "Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- "Have you understood all these things?" Jesus asked. "Yes," they replied.
- He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old."
Another version of this parable appears in the Gospel of Thomas (Patterson-Meyer translation):
- And he said, "The person is like a wise fisherman who cast his net into the sea and drew it up from the sea full of little fish. Among them the wise fisherman discovered a fine large fish. He threw all the little fish back into the sea, and easily chose the large fish. Anyone here with two good ears had better listen!"
