Title: Heaven compared to a net
Contents
1. Words that begin
Similar to the words ‘fox-like wife’ and ‘raccoon-like inspiration’, metaphors borrowing things that people know well to make it easier to understand a certain truth or meaning is a teaching method favored by outstanding teachers in the East and West. Biblical parables are usually parables, parables, and allegories. A metaphor is usually expressed by comparing one truth or meaning to a familiar object to make it easier to understand, and an analogy is to express several truths or meanings by comparing them one by one to a familiar object in order to make it easier to understand them. In our English Bible, both are translated as parables, most of which are parables or parables, not analogies. Therefore, when teaching or preaching biblical parables, one truth or meaning must be revealed. The incidental content of a parable is a supplementary explanation of its truth or meaning.
There is no question that a parable that works so well, the parable, culminates in Jesus. The parable of the net collecting the fish is also one of Jesus' parables of heaven.
2. The church, the community of Manmin, the colony of heaven
Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a net that is thrown into the sea and caught all kinds of fish, and when it is full, they pull it out to the shore and sit down, and put the good into vessels, and throw away the bad.”
The Greek word for “heaven”, basileia ton uranon (βασιλε?α τ?ν ο?ραν?ν), is the same as “the kingdom of heaven,” “the kingdom of God,” and “the kingdom of the Lord.”
Heaven is the basic theme of Jesus' teaching. Heaven is the most important matter in the life of all creatures. The kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven, has an afterlife meaning that those who believe in the Lord Jesus will be resurrected after death. Also, the kingdom of heaven has a present meaning as the reign of the eternal God, which began in earnest with the advent of the Lord Jesus.
The kingdom of heaven that Jesus' parable means is mainly the reign of God that began in earnest with the coming of the Lord Jesus, and more important to those living in this world is the reign of God. If our hearts are subject to the rule of the Lord God, not our own greed or beliefs, wills or stubbornness, emotions or reason, our hearts are in heaven. If our family is governed by the Lord God, not the head of the household, the housewife, the children, or money, then our home is heaven. In that sense, the church, which is a community of people who have been saved by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is not an elder representing the clergy or laity, but the kingdom of heaven where the Lord God reigns. No matter how many clergy and church members there are, and no matter how large and magnificent a church building is, a church that is not ruled by God but governed by priests, elders, and money is not heaven, but a group of people.
The church that follows the rule of God, who controls life and death, and judges eternal salvation and destruction, is the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, the church on earth is said to be the eternal colony of heaven.
The church, the colony of heaven, the kingdom of God, the eternal ruler, is a community of Manmin without discrimination. The kingdom of heaven is like a net that is cast into the sea and catches all kinds of fish. The first words of this parable were a revolutionary declaration at the time. At that time, as in previous times, discrimination was justified.
There was extreme discrimination in Greece, the main branch of Western philosophy. Discrimination between Greeks and barbarians was justified. Discrimination between free people and slaves was justified. Discrimination between the wise and the fool is justified. Discrimination between the educated and the ignorant was justified. Discrimination between men and women was justified.
Even Rome, a world-class empire, experienced extreme discrimination. Discrimination between Romans and Gentiles was justified. Discrimination between powerful and free citizens and slaves was justified. Discrimination between civilized and barbarians was justified. Discrimination between men and women was justified.
There was extreme discrimination even in the bonds of pride that they were God's chosen people. Discrimination between Jews and Gentiles was justified. The Jews viewed the Gentiles as dogs created to be destroyed. Discrimination between men and women was justified. Women were considered to be without legal rights. A husband could divorce his wife at any time if he felt bad for him, and the wife had no choice but to get a divorce. Of course, it is the result of misinterpreting God's laws.
There is no discrimination in the reign of God, which began in earnest with the advent of the Lord Jesus. When you set your net, you don't just collect certain fish that are scheduled before creation. We not only collect whales, we also collect shrimp. It is said that it is impossible to play with octopus without a skeleton, and we collect not only anchovies with bones, but also octopuses without bones. The nets attract all kinds of fish. Anyone, literally anyone, can become a member of the church, the saved community, as long as they believe in the Lord Jesus.
Paul, who was well versed in Greek and Hebrew ideas, which are the two major Western ideologies, was a thorough religious person, and after meeting the resurrected Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus after despising and persecuting the church members, he realized, repented and believed. The apostle Paul said, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, you are Abraham's seed, and you are heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:28ff.
“Various fish” means that just as all things were created in different ways, humans were created as diverse beings, not uniform or standardized beings. God does not discriminate against all kinds of people, but gives appropriate love to each person with a difference. The church should not make every difference a reason to discriminate, but should make it a reason to love a variety of things. We need to love the poor church members with money, and the wealthy people who don't believe in the gospel. All kinds of human beings are the object of salvation by God who sent the Savior Jesus.
However, absurd things often happened where the church, which was supposed to follow God's rule, committed the sin of discriminating against people.
The church must have old people who are nasty and eccentric, but witty.
But for a while, white churches discriminated against black people as a cursed race, locked the huge church door, and worshiped only among themselves. So the white church members performed human events, and the Lord Jesus had already gone out of the church with black weeping black people and black kids looking at the church building with envy.
3. Conclusion
When the time is right, the nets full of fish are drawn to the shore, and they sit down and put the good in a bowl and throw away the bad. Likewise, at the end of the world, angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous who have been saved and throw them into the furnace, where they will weep and grind their teeth. 1 Peter 4:17 says, “The time has come for judgment to begin in the house of God, and if it is given to us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?” God is the eternal ruler, who controls the rise and fall of a nation and nation, as well as life and death, and who separates those who will go to heaven and those who will go to hell at the final judgment.
(Poongseong Methodist Church. Book: Complete Commentary on 27 New Testament Books/ Interpretation of Difficult Scriptures I, II/ Salvation Before Jesus Came/Paul’s Understanding of Humanity/ Prosperous Prayer/ Seasonal Sermonbooks/ Sermonbook 19. T. 426 -3051)