The last parable about the Kingdom in chapter 13 of Matthew also points to the last human reality: the Last Judgment. The parable of the Fishing Net (Greek sagēne) reflects the practice of Galilean fishermen who, upon hauling their catch, sit down to separate their catch. What is “good” refers to kosher fish, those with fins and scales, which according to the Law of Moses may be eaten (Lv 11:9).

Those that lack either fins or scales are considered unclean and loathsome and are thrown away, or sold to pagan inhabitants who are not prohibited by their religion to eat them. The separation of catch by the fishermen is a symbol of God separating the just from the unjust on Judgment Day.

The Word of God has been sown into the world, to the good and the bad alike. Like the wheat growing together with the weeds, the unjust are allowed to exist with the just. But there will be a time for judgment, when the wicked will be separated from the righteous; the righteous enter God’s Kingdom and share his joy, while the unjust are thrown away, like what the fishermen do with the loathsome fish.

The basis for reward or punishment is presented in the parable of the Judgment of the Nations: whatever we did or failed to do for Christ in the person of our least brothers and sisters (Mt 25:31-46).

Moses did exactly as the Lord had commanded him. On the first day of the first month of the second year the Dwelling was erected. It was Moses who erected the Dwelling. He placed its pedestals, set up its boards, put in its bars, and set up its columns.

He spread the tent over the Dwelling and put the covering on top of the tent, as the Lord had commanded him. He took the commandments and put them in the ark; he placed poles alongside the ark and set the propitiatory upon it.

He brought the ark into the Dwelling and hung the curtain veil, thus screening off the ark of the commandments, as the Lord had commanded him. Then the cloud covered the meeting tent, and the glory of the Lord filled the Dwelling.

Moses could not enter the meeting tent, because the cloud settled down upon it and the glory of the Lord filled the Dwelling. Whenever the cloud rose from the Dwelling, the children of Israel would set out on their journey.

But if the cloud did not lift, they would not go forward; only when it lifted did they go forward. In the daytime the cloud of the Lord was seen over the Dwelling; whereas at night, fire was seen in the cloud by the whole house of Israel in all the stages of their journey.

Jesus said to the disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away.

Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. “Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes.”

And he replied, “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.