In Matthew 13, Jesus gave several illustrations that he used to declare the nature of God's kingdom. God's kingdom was people ruled by God. These subjects in God's kingdom were "called out" from the rule of Satan to the rule of God. These subjects want God to be in charge of who they are and what they do.
Our kingdom concepts of today are quite likely to be based on our theological perspectives. The kingdom concepts of Jesus' Jewish audiences were quite likely to be based on "real life situation" experiences. The political situations in their world were formed by the existence of kingdoms. Just like us today, those political realities affected their daily existence. The kingdoms of their world had for centuries [since the end of the Babylonian captivity] made it impossible for Israel to exist as an autonomous kingdom. A common Israelite expectation was the restoration of their physical kingdom. Their kingdom expectations did not include God ruling all people who accepted His rule. They thought in terms of God restoring the physical nation of Israel. Jesus' teachings sought to expand their kingdom expectations.
Jesus presented God's kingdom in contrast to the physical kingdoms known to first century people. He used parables to emphasize basic differences. God's kingdom was compared to a field. A good man sowed good seed and his enemy secretly sowed weeds in the same field (Matthew 13:24-30). The kingdom includes both good and evil people. God's kingdom was compared to a mustard seed. A tiny beginning would grow to an enormous existence (Matthew 13:31, 32). God's kingdom would be like yeast. It would experience enormous growth through the believer's influence on a world in rebellion to God (Matthew 13:33). God's kingdom would be like a treasure accidentally discovered but valued (Matthew 13:44). God's kingdom would be like a searched for discovery. The discoverer so prized his find that he made great sacrifice to obtain it (Matthew 13:45, 46).
There certainly were similarities between God's kingdom and the kingdoms those people knew. Just as certainly, there were differences in God's kingdom and the physical kingdoms they knew. Jesus attempted to expand Jewish kingdom concepts by contrasting God's kingdom [in basic ways] to the physical kingdoms they knew. Those contrasts included having an enemy determine some basic realities within God's kingdom; a small beginning that grew; growth by influence rather than growth by power; becoming a subject in God's kingdom through accidental discovery OR through searching [by choice, not by conquest].
Then Jesus gave this kingdom parable in Matthew 13:47-50: Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The kingdom would attract people who were loyal subjects and people who rejected God's rule in their lives.
In one aspect of its existence, God's kingdom is compared to a dragnet. The typical method for fishing in the clear waters of the Sea of Galilee was by net. The water was so clear that fish were netted in the dark. Because fish have no eyelids to protect their eyes from bright light, they seek the shadows in day light. In the Sea of Galilee, the fish went deep in the day. At night fish came near the surface. Using a net after dark was the common approach to fishing in that body of water. Remember, fishing was an essential occupation, not a form of recreation.
It is quite important to understand that Jesus discussed a survival occupation, not a recreational pursuit. The war against starvation was waged daily in many of these people's lives. Eating fish contributed to survival. Fishing was an occupational career. Knowing how to catch a lot of fish quickly was essential.
Being "caught" in God's net as a "good fish" definitely is essential to spiritual survival.
Netting was a means of catching a lot of fish quickly. However, netting also had a flaw. Israelites could not eat any and every kind of fish. They were only allowed to eat fish classified as "clean" (Leviticus 11:9-12). As a result, the fishing occupation included the responsibility of sorting the fish as well as catching the fish. For a devout Jew in the fish catching business, he had only one market for his catch--Jewish people. Some of the fish or water creatures caught in the net could not be sold. These must be thrown away.
To grasp the force of this parable to Jesus' disciples [these "fishers of men"], we must understand that only the "clean fish" could be sold and eaten. For a devout Jewish fisherman, sorting was as essential as catching.
Note these things. First, a net catches indiscriminately. It captures both good and bad fish. Second, the sorting process was essential. The good fish were placed in containers, and the bad fish were thrown away. Third, the sorting process was compared to the "end of the age," or what Christians commonly refer to as the final judgment.
Sorting was necessary because the net caught indiscriminately. The net's function was to catch, not to sort.
Focus one: people in God's kingdom have different motives. Only one basic motivation is appropriate for being in the kingdom--the desire to let God rule "my" life. Yet, there are those within the kingdom who have other motives: "it makes 'good business sense' to be in the kingdom;" "I can exploit the kingdom's compassion to achieve personal quests;" "I can use the kingdom as opportunity to achieve power and control;" "the kingdom provides me access to the kind of people I wish to reach." Inferior, destructive motives commonly involve materialistic objects, personal deficiencies, or a hunger for power. Be very aware that God's kingdom [as it exists on earth] always will include people who are not motivated by an inner desire to be ruled by God. Since the kingdom always contains people in every stage of spiritual development, motives apparent to divine eyes may not be apparent to human eyes.
Not everyone in God's kingdom has as a motivation the desire to allow God to rule his/her life. To God, the motivation is as important as the deed. For illustrations, see Matthew 6:1-18.
Focus two: God's angels, not humans, are in charge of the separation. The kingdom is the net, not the angels. The net's purpose is to gather. The angel's purpose is to separate. When humans decide who can and cannot be caught by the net, or when humans decide God's mission for them is to serve as sorters, humans create massive problems. Human eyes do not see hearts. Only divine eyes see motives.
By God's decision and appointment, sorting is a divine process, not a human process. The angels were appointed to sort. The net was appointed to catch.
Focus three: the separation occurred after the net was pulled ashore. God's judgment occurs when physical existence comes to an end. Only the divine can separate the righteous from the wicked. Only God knows who serves Him from the motive that desires God's rulership.
The sorting occurs after the net completed its work. There is never to be a period on this earth when the kingdom is not seeking to bring people to God. Please, do not take the parable/analogy too far. The kingdom has numerous basic objectives. Not all of them are defined by a net--any more than they are by a field , a mustard seed, or yeast.
Unfortunately, some humans who declare themselves to be servants of God adopt "sorting criteria" that were not given by God. Often Christians use cultural criteria, or social criteria, or economic criteria, or educational criteria, or racial criteria, or preference criteria, or personal past criteria, or present environment criteria, or "horrible background" criteria, or "unforgivable past behavior" criteria to determine who is righteous and wicked, who is in the kingdom or out of the kingdom. God's purpose for the kingdom is to serve as God's net, not as a divine courtroom.
It is much too easy to adopt human criteria for defining faithfulness. It is much too easy for human criteria to stress human concerns instead of divine concerns.
It seems the overwhelming temptation of the "called out" is to become judges. Read Ephesians 4:29. The context is Paul's comparison of "before conversion" and "after conversion" values and behavior. In contrasting the character and behavior of the Christian with his/her pre-Christian character and behavior, Paul said concern shifted to the desire to encourage others. The Christian wants to use his/her words to meet other's needs, to give grace to those who hear. They want to encourage, not discourage.
When God rules an individual, he/she seeks to be an encourager, not a sorter. He/she uses his/her words to deify rather than to discourage or destroy.
Read 2 Timothy 2:24-26. Paul knew his death was in the immediate future. He was "passing the torch" to Timothy, encouraging him. "Those who oppose are opposing God, not you. The power for redirection lies in God, not you. Redirection will occur by their choice, not yours." Those ruled by God are encouragers. The God who gave us Jesus Christ works through those He rules to encourage.
Faith and redirection occur when the person wishes to escape evil, not when someone who knows the person wants him/her to escape evil. If a person rejects God, we must not react as if he/she rejected us.
Thought Questions:
Observation: The kingdom is not limited to today's typical concept of the church. When John and Jesus taught about the nearness of God's kingdom (Matthew 3:2; 4:17), they each taught Israelites living under a kingdom political system. In Israel's thinking, the kingdom's coming and the restoration of Israel as a kingdom were synonymous. Jesus told them to extend their expectations. Consider Matthew 8:10-12. Our concepts must not make Israel's mistake.
The positive must include the understanding that anyone can be in the kingdom.
The negative must include the understanding that there will always be evil people in the kingdom.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 8