3. How can understanding Jesus’ illustrations bring us benefits?

³ Jesus then applied Isaiah 6:9, 10, which described a people who were spiritually deaf and blind. We, though, need not be like that. If we understand and act on his illustrations, we can be very happy​—now and into the endless future. Jesus offers us this warm assurance: “Happy are your eyes because they behold, and your ears because they hear.” (Matthew 13:16) That assurance covers all of Jesus’ illustrations, but let us focus on the brief parable of the dragnet, recorded at Matthew 13:47-50.

An Illustration With Deep Meaning

 4. What did Jesus relate by way of illustration, as recorded at Matthew 13:47-50?

⁴ “The kingdom of the heavens is like a dragnet let down into the sea and gathering up fish of every kind. When it 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.”

 7. What was Jesus illustrating when he spoke of fish?

⁷ In line with that, the fish in this parable stand for humans. Hence, when Mt 13 verse 49 speaks of separating the wicked from the righteous, it refers, not to righteous or wicked marine life, but to righteous or wicked people. Similarly, Mt 13 verse 50 should not make us think of sea animals that weep or gnash their teeth. No. This parable is about the gathering of humans and their later separation, which is very serious, as the outcome shows.

 8. (a) What can we learn as to the outcome for the unsuitable fish? (b) In view of what was said about unsuitable fish, what can we conclude regarding the Kingdom?

⁸ Note that the unsuitable fish, that is, the wicked, will be cast into the fiery furnace, where they will have to weep and gnash their teeth. Elsewhere Jesus linked such weeping and gnashing to being outside the Kingdom. (Matthew 8:12; 13:41, 42) At Matthew 5:22 and Mt 18:9, he even mentioned “fiery Gehenna,” referring to permanent destruction. Does that not show how vital it is to get the meaning of this illustration and to act accordingly? All of us know that there neither are nor will be wicked ones in God’s Kingdom. Hence, when Jesus said that “the kingdom of the heavens is like a dragnet,” he must have meant that in connection with God’s Kingdom, there is a feature like a net let down to collect various sorts of fish.