Lesson#32

RETURN TO SYLLABUS
THE PARABLES OF JESUS CHRIST
LESSON #32
THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD AND BAD FISH (MAT 13:47-50)

MEMORY VERSE: MAT 4:19-20

THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD AND BAD FISH (MAT 13:47-50)

READ MAT 13:47-50

THIS PARABLE IS SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE TARES AND THE WHEAT, BUT THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES. (LESSON #27)

REVIEW THE PARABLE OF THE TARES AND THE WHEAT

READ MAT 13:24-30 AND 36-43

THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THESE TWO PARABLES:

THE PARABLE OF THE TARES AND THE WHEAT	THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD AND BAD FISH
THE BAD TARES GROW ALONGSIDE THE GOOD WHEAT	THE BAD FISH ARE ALONGSIDE THE GOOD FISH
THE TARES AND THE WHEAT ARE SEPARATED AT THE END OF THE AGE	THE BAD FISH AND THE GOOD FISH ARE SEPARATED AT THE END OF THE AGE
THE ANGELS SEPARATE THE TARES FROM THE WHEAT	THE ANGELS SEPARATE THE BAD FISH FROM THE GOOD FISH
THE TARES ARE BURNED IN FIRE WHERE THERE IS WEEPING, WAILING, AND GNASHING OF TEETH	THE BAD FISH ARE BURNED WHERE THERE IS WEEPING, WAILING, AND GNASHING OF TEETH

THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD AND BAD FISH (MAT 13:47-50)

WHAT DOES THE NET REPRESENT?

JESUS SPOKE THIS PARABLE BY THE SEA OF GALILEE WHERE THE DISCIPLES WERE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE FISHING INDUSTRY THAT MANY INVOLVED THEMSELVES IN BEFORE JESUS CALLED THEM TO BE HIS DISCIPLES.
THE NET THAT WAS USED FOR FISHING AT THAT TIME WAS A LARGE, HAULING NET OF GREAT LENGTH, WEIGHTED BY A LEAD. THE NET DRAGGED THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE FOR THE PURPOSES OF GATHERING A LARGE MASS OF FISH AT ONE TIME.
THE NET REPRESENTS THE PERSUASION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BY THE PROCLAMATION AND PRESENTATION OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.

READ JOH 16:14

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?

THE WORD, GOSPEL, LITERALLY MEANS = GOOD NEWS.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS GOD WHO CAME TO EARTH AS A HUMAN BEING TO CARRY OUR SINS ON THE CROSS SO THAT WE MIGHT NOT HAVE TO PAY THE PENALTY FOR SIN, AND THEREFORE TO GIVE US ETERNAL LIFE.

THE WORD, GOSPEL, IS USED IN VARIOUS WAYS IN SCRIPTURE:

THE GOSPEL	THE SIGNIFICANCE	SCRIPTURE
#1 "THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST"	THIS PHRASE REFERS TO JESUS’ VIRGIN BIRTH, HIS INCARNATION, HIS DEATH, AND HIS RESURRECTION WHICH IS GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE.	MAR 1:1
#2 "THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD"	THIS PHRASE REFERS TO THE GOOD NEWS THAT SALVATION IS BY GOD’S GRACE	ACT 20:24
#3 "THE GOSPEL OF GOD"	THIS PHRASE REFERS TO GOD’S LOVE POURED OUT THROUGH JESUS CHRIST AS PROMISED BY THE PROPHETS AND FULFILLED IN JESUS CHRIST	ROM 1:16
#4 "THE GOSPEL OF PEACE"	THIS PHRASE REFERS TO THE RECONCILIATION OF MAN AND GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST	ROM 10:15
#5 "THE GOSPEL OF YOUR SALVATION"	THIS PHRASE REFERS TO THE FACT THAT THE BELIEVER BECOMES A NEW CREATURE IN CHRIST, A POSSESSION OF GOD, SEALED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT	EPH 1:13
#6 "THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM"	THIS PHRASE REFERS TO THE FACT THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS PRESENT, EMBODIED IN JESUS CHRIST AND IN BELIEVERS. IT ALSO REFERS TO THE FACT THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS YET TO COME ON EARTH	MAT 4:23 MAT 24:14
#7 "THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL"	THIS PHRASE REFERS TO THE JUDGMENT AND ETERNAL SEPARATION OF MEN INTO ONE KINGDOM OR THE OTHER	REV 14:6-7 ROM 2:16

IN SPEAKING OF THE NET AS THE GOSPEL, NOTICE THE WORD, "GATHER" IN MAT 13:48.

THE PARABLE TELLS US THAT THE NET DID NOT GATHER ALL THE FISH IN THE SEA, BUT ONLY SOME OF EVERY KIND.

THE WORD, GATHER, IN THE BIBLE IS APPLIED TO BOTH GOOD AND EVIL.

NOTICE THAT THE NET REACHES THE DEPTHS OF SOCIETY.

GOD REACHES DOWN TO THE DREGS OF SOCIETY. HE IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS.

READ ACT 10:34-35

WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS?

GOD KNOWS THE RECEPTIVITY OF EVERY HEART. HE WILL MAKE SURE THAT ANYONE WHO HAS A HEART TOWARD GOD WILL HEAR THE GOSPEL MESSAGE.

OUT OF THOSE WHO HEAR THE MESSAGE, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO WILL ACCEPT CHRIST AND SOME PEOPLE WHO WILL REJECT CHRIST.
AS IN THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER AND THE SEED, SOME OF THE SEED IS EATEN BY THE BIRDS AND SOME IS BURNT BY THE SUN.

WHAT DOES THE SEA (LAKE) REPRESENT?

THE SEA AS A BODY OF WATER REPRESENTS THE ENTIRE GROUP OF FALLEN HUMANITY.

READ ISA 57:20-21

WHO ARE THE FISHERMEN?

THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST ARE THE FISHERMEN. REMEMBER THAT JESUS CALLED THEM TO BE, "FISHERS OF MEN".

THE HOLY SPIRIT DRAWS A PERSON TO CHRIST.
CHRIST SAVES US BY HIS SHED BLOOD ON THE CROSS.
HOWEVER, WITHOUT THE "FISHERMEN" NO ONE WOULD BE SAVED.

GOD HAS ENTRUSTED THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL TO MEN. WHAT A SACRED RESPONSIBILITY HE HAS GIVEN TO MAN!
NOTICE THE WORD, THEY, IN MAT 13:48. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE THE WORD, "THEY", USED IN THE PARABLES.

IT MEANS THAT HE HAS ENTRUSTED US TO PREACH THE GOSPEL AS WELL AS THE DISCIPLES.

WHAT DO THE GOOD FISH REPRESENT?

THE GOOD FISH REPRESENT THE TRUE BELIEVERS CAUGHT IN THE NET OF CONVICTION BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.

WHAT DO THE BAD FISH REPRESENT?

THE BAD FISH ARE THE UNSAVED PEOPLE WHO HAVE HEARD THE GOSPEL AND HAVE REJECTED IT.

CAIN, ESAU, AND JUDAS ARE BIBLICAL EXAMPLES.

WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED THE ANGELS WHO PERFORM THE SEPARATION AT THE END OF THE AGE IN THE FINAL JUDGMENT WHEN WE STUDIED THE PARABLE OF THE TARES AND THE WHEAT.
WHAT IS THE FIRE (FIERY FURNACE) INTO WHICH THE BAD FISH ARE THROWN?

THE PHRASE, "CAST OUT" OR "CAST AWAY", IS OFTEN USED IN SCRIPTURE TO REFER TO A STATE OR CONDITION OF CONDEMNATION.

SPECIFICALLY THE WORD, FIRE, IN THIS PARABLE REFERS TO THE LAKE OF FIRE THAT HOUSES ALL NON-BELIEVERS FOR ALL ETERNITY.

READ REV 20:11-15

WHAT DOES "WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH" MEAN?

THE PHRASE IS AN INDICATION OF ETERNAL TORMENT OR PUNISHMENT. THE LAKE OF FIRE IS NOT ANNIHILATION.

GOD CREATED MAN TO LIVE FOREVER. PHYSICAL DEATH IS NOT THE END OF A PERSON. THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF A SECOND DEATH THAT IS AN ETERNAL SEPARATION OF MAN FROM GOD. (REV 21:8)

A COMPARISON OF CENTRAL TRUTHS:

THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE OF THE TARES AND THE WHEAT:

THERE IS THE TRUE AND THE COUNTERFEIT, THE GOOD AND THE EVIL, IN THE WORLD TODAY THAT PRODUCES EITHER BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST OR UNBELIEVERS. IT WILL BE SO UNTIL THE FINAL JUDGMENT WHEN BELIEVERS AND UNBELIEVERS WILL BE SEPARATED TO ETERNAL LIFE AND UNBELIEVERS TO ETERNAL DEATH IN THE LAKE OF FIRE.

THE EMPHASIS IS ON A PERSON’S REACTION TO THE WORD OF GOD.

THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD FISH AND THE BAD FISH:

EVERYONE WHO HAS A HEART FOR GOD HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THE GOSPEL. EACH HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE A GOOD FISH OR A BAD FISH. THE GOOD ARE SAVED FOR ETERNAL LIFE, AND THE BAD SPEND ETERNITY IN THE LAKE OF FIRE. IT IS THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE.

THE EMPHASIS IS ON THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO USES THE WORD OF GOD TO BRING PEOPLE TO CHRIST.

THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD FISH AND THE BAD FISH AND THE CHURCHES OF REVELATION:

READ REV 3:14-22 THE CHURCH AT LAODICEA

THIS CHURCH AND THIS PARABLE REPRESENT THE AGE WE LIVE IN TODAY. IT IS THE AGE OF HUMANISM AND POST-MODERNISM WHERE GOD IS MOCKED AND TRUTH IS WHAT YOU DECIDE IT IS.

NOTICE THAT IN THE CHURCH AT LAODICEA THERE ARE THE EXTREMES OF COLD AND HOT WHILE THE MOST ABOMINABLE POSITION IS TO BE LUKEWARM.
NOTICE THAT IN THE PARABLE THERE ARE NO IN-BETWEEN FISH. THEY ARE EITHER GOOD OR THEY ARE BAD. THIS AGE HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE THERE IS NO IN-BETWEEN GREY AREA.

THE SEPARATION OF GOOD AND EVIL BECOMES MORE POLARIZED AS WE DRAW CLOSER TO THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.

HOMEWORK
THE PARABLE OF THE SCRIBE AND THE HOUSEHOLDER (MAT 13:51-52)
THIS IS A SELF STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

APPLICATION OF THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD FISH AND THE BAD FISH (MAT 13:47-50)

ARE YOU CONTINUALLY AWARE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT’S EFFORTS TO USE YOU TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE UNSAVED THAT CROSS YOUR PATH?
ON A SCALE OF 1-10 (1 BEING COLD AND 10 BEING HOT), HOW WOULD YOU RELATE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST? (REMEMBER THAT LUKEWARM IS NOT THE BEST PLACE TO BE!)
PRAY THIS WEEK THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL OPEN DOORS TO USE YOU TO PREACH THE GOSPEL. WRITE YOUR EXPERIENCES HERE:

PREPARATION FOR THE PARABLE OF THE SCRIBE AND THE HOUSEHOLDER (MAT 13:51-52)

READ MAT 13:51-52

WHO ARE THE SCRIBES TO WHOM JESUS IS SPEAKING? (READ MAT 13:36, 51)
WHO DOES THE HOUSEHOLDER REPRESENT?
WHAT DO THE TREASURES REPRESENT?
WHY DO YOU THINK HE SAYS, "THINGS NEW AND THINGS OLD"?
WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE?

MEMORY VERSE: ACT 10:42