MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN-THE SEVEN PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM. Matt. 13:1-57

October 8, 2019

Key: SCHAFF: “When the Lord open his mouth, we should open our ears and hearts”

THE PARABLE THE NET.  Matt. 13:47-50

This parable is similar to that of the tears of the field, there Satan was the active agent; here is a mixture of ‘every kind’, the good, the bad, the useful, the useless, which will be separated at the end of the age. In all Christ sees the true children of the true kingdom who at the end, are to “shine forth as the sun’.

  1. Matt. 13:47-48 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: which, when it was full, they drew to the shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.”
  2. ‘The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net’ a drag-net or seine in modern English of the Greek word. Here, he means that something is true of the Messianic reign which resembles the case of the whole of this parable. The comparison is this case is to the whole story, as declared by Christ in vv 49,”so shall it be at the end of the world”
  3. ‘Gathered of every kind’, not probably species and thus symbolizing the different races of mankind (Theophyl, Meyer), but every kind as of value, both the useful and the useless. The bad, the spoilt, same word used in Matt. 7:17; 12:33. 
  4.  Just as we said in the parable of the tears, “the field is the world” not “the field is the church”. Neither the net, nor the sea represent the “visible Church”. There biblical injunctions to discipline in the Church. 1Cor. 5:4, Matt. 18:17, Tit. 3:10-11, 2Thess. 3:14, Rom. 16:17, 2Jn. 8-11. Bad and good cannot be allowed to coexist in the church if known and detected.
  5. The account of Jn. 6:22-71 may best explain the application of this parable. There were unspiritual crowds who were following Jesus, many reckoning themselves as disciples, though they were not. In Jn. 6:60-71, the disciples stayed with Him while others left. However, according to this parable, the bad will live on in the world during the gradual development of His reign, until His second coming, then the separation and punishment will take place.
  6. Matt. 13:49-50 is same as in Matt. 13:40-42 of the tears of the field, and they shall gather out of the kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity” This will begin from the second coming of Christ till the final judgment. The supper of the Great God Rev. 19:17-21, the doom of the Anti-Christ, the false prophet and Satan Rev. 19:20-21, Rev. 20:1-3 they will both be cast into the lake of fire. Death, hell Rev. 20:14-15 and all those who disobey the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Rom. 2:4-11. 2Thess. 1:4-6, Rev. 21:8; 22:15.