Matthew 13:47-53
Chapter 13
47
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a large fishing net lowered into the sea, catching all kinds of fish.
Parable of the Net
48
When the net is full, they pull it ashore. Then they sit down and separate the good fish into buckets, tossing away the bad ones.
49
That is how it will be at the end of time; the angels will go out to separate the wicked from the just
50
and cast the wicked into the blazing furnace, where they will weep and gnash their teeth.
51
The New and the Old
Jesus asked:
“Have you understood all these things?”
“Yes,” they replied.
52
So he said to them:
“Therefore, every teacher of the law who becomes a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who can produce from his store things both new and old.”
53
In the Synagogue at Nazareth
When Jesus finished these parables, he left that place.
Commentaries
Parable of the Hidden Treasure – Parable of the Fine Pearl – Parable of the Net.
The first two parables highlight the value of the kingdom of God, to which all other values must be sacrificed. The parable of the net emphasizes the outcome of the kingdom, just as the parable of the weeds has already shown us: fire will destroy the weeds and the rotten fish. Jesus did not hesitate to use this imagery, which was part of his culture and which Matthew wanted to preserve (5:22; 7:19; 13:30; 25:41). He does not intend to threaten or instill fear, but to emphasize the extraordinary importance of the gift being offered and the decisive nature of our response.
In the Synagogue at Nazareth.
The chapter ends in Nazareth, where Jesus goes to preach in the synagogue and faces misunderstanding and rejection. What he has shared in his parables is fulfilled among his own people: “they look but do not see, they listen but do not hear or understand” (13). His image as a prophet conflicts with his family’s humility and his role as a craftsman.