Lesson 140: The Parable of the Drawnet

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INTRODUCTION. The parable of the drawnet is recorded only by Matthew. It is similar to the parable of the tares, yet there are differences. Both emphasize the judgment day and the ultimate separation of the good from bad. Jesus interprets for his disciples the parable of the tares and also gives a brief explanation of the parable of the drawnet.

The parable of the tares depicts the mixture of the good and bad in the kingdom and stresses patience until the harvest. The parable of the drawnet compares the kingdom to a dragnet cast into the sea, drawing every kind of fish. When the net is filled, it is drawn to shore and the separation of good and bad takes place. Just as the net could not and did not discriminate between the good and bad (both were gathered together), so we must not be selective in our efforts to teach and preach the gospel. In the judgment (when the net is filled) then the separation of the righteous and unrighteous will take place.

The drawnet is a large net sometimes as long as half a mile. The bottom is weighted with bits of lead and the top is supported with corks. At times the fisherman fastened one end of the net on shore, then pulled the other end with the boat in a semicircle back to the shore. Other times the net was drawn between two boats. When the fishermen returned to the shore, they sorted the fish, keeping the good and throwing back the bad.