Like many of the parables of Jesus, this one is very simple. When fishing, whether by net or line, the fisher has no knowledge of the quality of the fish until they have been landed. This is particularly true of fishermen on a boat casting their net into the water and pulling in the resultant haul of fish. It is only when the fish are carefully examined that the fishermen can select the good and throw away the bad. This is in essence the story of the parable;

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which when it was full, they drew near to the shore; and sat down and gathered the good into vessels but threw the bad away" (Matthew 13:47 - 48)

However, with this parable there is a further word of explanation. Jesus explains the meaning of the parable;

"So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into a furnace of fire. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 13:49 - 50)

This parable is obviously about the response of men and women to the Gospel and Judgement Day. The day when God will declare his judgements upon humankind by Christ, his representative. As a result of which, people will be given eternal life or destroyed. Let us bring together other Bible passages which will help us to understand this subject;

"The Son of man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will reward each according to his works." (Matthew 16:27).

The parables of the talents, and of the sheep and goats, clearly involve judgement and separation into two classes; those who are acceptable enter into the joy of their Lord, and those who are not cast into outer darkness. The Apostle Paul is quite clear;

"For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in his body according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad". (2 Corinthians 5:10)

He who is the Judge of all the earth has committed all judgement to the Son, who will carry it out at his appearing. This declared intention to judge at a specific time has a significant implication: those who die prior to that time can receive no reward or punishment for their behaviour in their lifetime. Consequently all concepts of reward and punishment usually associated with the unscriptural idea of the immortality of the soul must be in error because they render the judgement obsolete.

Who will be raised for judgement? It is clear from Daniel 12:2 that not all will be raised, for "many of them that sleep... shall awake"; in other words, 'not all.' Of those raised only some will be made immortal, the others will be punished. "... Some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt." (Daniel 12:2).

The possibility of being raised from the dead is made possible by belief of the gospel. As Mark records: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; but he that does not believe shall be condemned" (16:15,16). The words of the gospel become the basis of what is believed.

What will happen at the judgement?

The events of judgement are illustrated both in parables and in direct teaching. In all the records there is an unmistakable separation into those who are accepted and given immortality and those who are rejected and punished. In the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25 there is a separation into two classes by the shepherd. Since Jesus said of himself, as the good shepherd, "I know my sheep," this picture is not unrealistic. This is also the clear teaching of the parable of the good and bad fish. Other passages speak more in terms of giving personal account; for example, those parables of profitable and unprofitable servants, of the pounds, and of the talents. Romans 14: 12 reads:

"So then each of us shall give account of himself to God".

Those who are judged worthy will be blessed of the Father and will inherit the Kingdom, as children of God and joint heirs with Christ. Such a destiny should surely encourage a keen commitment to obedient discipleship.

Paul states that for; "those who... do not obey the truth" there will be "tribulation and anguish" at "the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God." (Romans 2:8,9,5).

Precisely what these judgements will involve we do not know but we ought to note that they will be experienced at the time of the Second Coming of Christ and not at the time of death as the popular idea of hell would have us believe.

The parable of the good and bad fish is a very simple way of telling us that however good or bad we are in this life, judgement will not take place until Jesus returns. In the meantime, death is a period of sleep with no 'heaven' or 'hell' of popular mythology!

In the meantime, we need to serve God daily while we have life and opportunity.

"... what is your life? It is even a vapour that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." (James 4:14)