Matthew 13:47 (WEB)
“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some fish of every kind,
Fathers and councils · 19
Cyril of Jerusalem
“Thou art come within the Church’s nets: be taken alive, flee not: for Jesus is angling for thee, not in order to kill, but by killing to make alive: for thou must die and rise again.” — editor's note: Matt. xiii. 47.
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Augustine of Hippo
“Whoso hath ears to hear, let him hear:” and whilst the net which is cast into the sea, and gathers together all kinds of fishes, as saith the holy Gospel, is being drawn unto the shore, that is, unto the end of the world, let him separate himself…” — editor's note: Matt. xiii. 47–50
Read the whole comment“…containing chaff and corn; and the nets, in which were enclosed good fish and bad; and the ark of Noah, in which were both unclean and clean animals: and you will see that the Churches for a while, now in this time, unto the last time of judgment, contain not only sheep and oxen, that is, holy laymen and…” — editor's note: See on title. Matt. iii. 12, xiii. 47; Gen. vii. 8.
Read the whole comment“And therefore all the seditions and tumults within these nets, until they be drawn to shore, concerning which heretics upbraid us to their own ruin and our correction, are caused by those men, who will not be Christ’s poor.” — editor's note: Matt. xiii. 47.
Read the whole comment“The Lord saith, “The kingdom of Heaven is like to a sein cast into the sea, which gathereth of every kind, which, when it had been filled, drawing out, and sitting on the shore, they gathered the good into vessels, but the evil they cast out: so it shall be,” He saith, “in the consummation of the world.”” — editor's note: Matt. xiii. 47–49.
Read the whole comment“Nevertheless, Christ shall not be destitute of an inheritance on their account: not for the chaff’s sake shall the wheat also perish: nor on account of bad fish shall nothing be cast into the vessels from that net.” — editor's note: Matt. xiii. 47.
Read the whole comment“…she soberly rejoices, rejoicing only in hope, there are many reprobate mingled with the good, and both are gathered together by the gospel as in a drag net; and in this world, as in a sea, both swim enclosed without distinction in the net, until it is brought ashore, when the wicked must be separated from the…” — editor's note: Matt. xiii. 47–50.
Read the whole comment“…for it also is called the kingdom of heaven, as He says, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was cast into the sea, and gathered of ever kind;” where He wishes the good as well as the bad to be understood, and of whom He declares that they are yet to be separated on the shore, to wit, at the end of the…” — editor's note: Matt. xiii. 47.
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John Chrysostom
““For 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 shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.”” — editor's note: Matt. xiii. 47, 48. [R.V., “which, when it was filled, they drew upon the beach,” etc.]
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Ephrem the Syrian
“His all-quickening net catches the living, and he that escapes from it escapes from the living.” — editor's note: Mat. xiii. 47.
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Gregory of Nyssa
- Gregory of Nyssa, On Virginity On Virginity.18On Virginity
“The work of true sobriety is the same; from all pursuits and habits to choose that which is pure and improving, rejecting in every case that which does not seem likely to be useful, and letting it go back into the universal and secular life, called “the sea,” in the imagery of the Parable.” — editor's note: S. Matt. xiii. 47, 48.
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Clement of Alexandria
“I pass over in silence at present the parable which says in the Gospel: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who cast a net into the sea and out of the multitude of the fishes caught, makes a selection of the better ones.”” — editor's note: Matt. xiii. 47, 48.
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
In the foregoing parables He has commended the Gospel preaching; now, that we may not trust in preaching only, nor think that faith alone is sufficient for our salvation, He adds another fearful parable, saying,…
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In fulfilment of that prophecy of Hieremias, who said, “I will send unto you many fishers,” [Jer 16:16] when Peter and Andrew, James and John, heard the words, “Follow me, I will make you fishers of men,” they put…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or otherwise; The Holy Church is likened to a net, because it is given into the hands of fishers, and by it each man is drawn into the heavenly kingdom out of the waves of this present world, that he should not be…
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For when the net shall be drawn to the shore, then shall be shewn the true test for separating the fishes.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Wherein does this parable differ from the parable of the tares? There, as here, some perish and some are saved; but there, because of their heresy of evil dogmas; in the first parable of the sower, because of their…
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To fear becomes us here, rather than to expound; for the torments of sinners are pronounced in plain terms, that none might plead his ignorance, should eternal punishment be threatened in obscure sayings.
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
For when the end of the world shall be come, then shall be shewn the true test of separating the fishes, and as in a sheltered harbour the good shall be sent into the vessels of heavenly abodes, but the flame of hell…
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Cross-references · 16
Cited together in The City of God XVIII.49.
Cited together in On Virginity On Virginity.18.
Cited together in On Virginity On Virginity.18.
Cited together in On Virginity On Virginity.18.
Cited together in On Virginity On Virginity.18.
Cited together in On Virginity On Virginity.18.
Cited together in On Virginity On Virginity.18.
Cited together in The City of God XVIII.49.
Cited together in On Virginity On Virginity.18.
Cited together in Concerning Faith of Things Not Seen Chapter 11.
Cited together in On Virginity On Virginity.18.
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 13:47–50 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in On Virginity On Virginity.18.
Cited together in The City of God XVIII.49.
Cited together in The City of God XVIII.49.
Cited together in On Virginity On Virginity.18.