The Dragnet

15, 16. (a) Summarize the illustration of the dragnet. (b) What does the dragnet represent, and to what aspect of Kingdom growth does this illustration allude?

¹⁵ More important than the number of those who claim to be disciples of Jesus Christ is the quality of those disciples. Jesus alludes to this aspect of Kingdom growth when he gives another illustration, one about a dragnet. He said: “Again the kingdom of the heavens is like a dragnet let down into the sea and gathering up fish of every kind.”​—Matt. 13:47.

¹⁶ The dragnet, which represents the Kingdom-preaching work, gathers fish of every kind. Jesus goes on to say: “When [the dragnet] got full they hauled it up onto the beach and, sitting down, they collected the fine ones into vessels, but the unsuitable they threw away. That is how it will be in the conclusion of the system of things: the angels will go out and separate the wicked from among the righteous and will cast them into the fiery furnace. There is where their weeping and the gnashing of their teeth will be.”​—Matt. 13:48-50.

17. The separating mentioned in the illustration of the dragnet refers to what time period?

¹⁷ Does this separating refer to the final judgment of the sheep and the goats that Jesus said would occur when he arrived in his glory? (Matt. 25:31-33) No. That final judgment will occur at Jesus’ coming during the great tribulation. By contrast, the separating referred to in the illustration of the dragnet occurs during “the conclusion of the system of things.”b This is the time in which we are now living​—the days leading up to the great tribulation. So how is a separating work taking place now?

18, 19. (a) How is a separating work taking place now? (b) What step must honesthearted ones take? (See also footnote on page 21.)

¹⁸ Literally millions of symbolic fish from the sea of humanity have been attracted to Jehovah’s congregation in modern times. Some attend the Memorial, others come to our meetings, and still others are happy to study the Bible. But do all of these prove to be genuine Christians? They may be “hauled up onto the beach,” but Jesus tells us that only “the fine ones” are gathered into vessels, which represent Christian congregations. The unsuitable are thrown away, eventually to be cast into a symbolic fiery furnace, denoting future destruction.

¹⁹ As with the unsuitable fish, many who once studied the Bible with Jehovah’s people have stopped studying. Some born to Christian parents have never really wanted to become footstep followers of Jesus. They have been unwilling to make the decision to serve Jehovah or after serving him for a while have ceased doing so.c (Ezek. 33:32, 33) It is imperative, though, that all honesthearted ones allow themselves to be gathered into the vessellike congregations before the final day of judgment and to remain in a place of safety.

Third, not all those who responded have proved themselves suitable. Some have been like the unsuitable fish in Jesus’ illustration.