The parable of the seine thrown into the sea is one of the parables of Jesus Christ about the kingdom of heaven , contained in the Gospel of Matthew . It tells about the catch of fish, after which everything caught was divided into good and bad:
 | Still like the Kingdom of Heaven to the net, thrown into the sea and capturing all kinds of fish, which, when filled, were pulled ashore and sat down, gathered good in vessels, and thrown out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age: the Angels will come out, and they will separate the evil from the midst of the righteous, and plunge them into the fiery furnace: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ( Matthew 13: 47-50 ) |  |
Theological interpretation
The parable tells of the Day of Judgment and the importance of leading a righteous life.
St. Theophylact of Bulgaria , discussing the parable, gives the following meanings given in the images:
- The “Nevod” is the teaching of the apostle fishermen, which is woven from signs and prophetic testimonies, because the apostles did not teach anything, they reinforced this with miracles and words of the prophets.
- “Pisces” are people of every kind: barbarians, Greeks, Jews, fornicators, publicans, robbers.
- "Filled Seine" - the end of the world.
- "Vessels" are eternal dwellings.
This parable is terrible, for it shows that if we believe, but do not have a good life, we will be cast into the fire. [one]
Archbishop Averky (Taushev) :
This parable has the same meaning as the parable of wheat and tares . The sea is the world, the net is the teaching of faith, the fishermen are the Apostles and their successors. "The Net" gathered from every kind: barbarians, Hellenes, Jews, fornicators, publicans, robbers. By the image of the shore and parsing of fish is meant the end of the century and a terrible judgment, when the righteous will be separated from sinners, like a good fish caught in a net, from a bad one ... It is important to note that in His sermons and parables the Lord Jesus Christ very accurately distinguishes the concept of the Kingdom of Heaven from concepts of the kingdom of God. He calls the Kingdom of Heaven that eternal blissful state of the righteous, which will be revealed to them in a future life, after the last Judgment. He calls the kingdom of God the society of those who believe in him and seek to do the will of the Heavenly Father. [2]
The Protestant theologian, Derek Prince , in the Foundations of Christ’s Teaching, quotes the following commentary on the gospel parable:
In this parable, a seine abandoned in the sea represents the gospel of the kingdom, proclaimed throughout the world. Fish of every kind caught in the net means all those who responded positively to the invitation of the gospel. This includes people of all kinds - both good and bad, both righteous and wicked. At the end of the century, angels, first of all, will separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them in the place of condemnation. Only after this, the good and righteous will receive eternal blessings and rewards with Christ. [3]
Notes
- ↑ St. Theophylact Bulgarian. Interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew
- ↑ Archbishop of Averky (Taushev). New Testament Scripture Study Guide (Link unavailable) . Date of treatment November 29, 2013. Archived December 29, 2010.
- ↑ Derek Prince. The book "Fundamentals of the teachings of Christ"