Friday, September 30, 2011
Matthew 13:47-49 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 ...
LIKE A DRAGNET
This parable is very similar to that of the tares in which Jesus reminds us it is not our duty to judge our brothers in the faith but only to look at our own heart.
It is significant that Jesus never indicates the fish are all a part of the kingdom, but merely that they are brought together by the kingdom. We can see even in our life how the preaching of the word brings together many different people. People of different color to be sure, but also people of different character, people of different interest, people of different station, people of different views, and whatever else a man may use to classify and differentiate people is included in Jesus many different "kinds." There are some types of nets that are made to catch only certain types of fish, but the net Jesus speaks of here gathers together everything in its path no matter any distinction that may exist.
So it is that Jesus would have us do also in our kingdom work. To be sure the work of the kingdom and the preaching of the word will bring in many different kinds. There may even be hypocrites alongside the believers. But what is that to us? We cannot read the hearts of others (rather we react according to a person's outward confession). So the Lord leaves the job of sorting the fish to the angels at the end of the day, our job is simply to catch whomever we can.
And what a wonderful thing it is that it is God who judges and not we. For if it were left to us, who among us would not be forced to condemn himself as well? Yet as John so beautifully puts it, "For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things" (1 John 3:20). And what does God say, "and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).
