The meaning behind the 153 Fish

[dremnant]

This is a continuation reply to the thread which is already locked:

153 Fish

I ran across this articule today found it good Food for thought.The Prophecy of the 153 FishSimon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn (John 21:11). After 28 years of reading and studying the Scriptures, I am...

www.christianityboard.com

One important thing that many people missed in John 21:11 is that a miracle prevented the net from breaking... unlike when they first met Jesus (Luke 5:6).

The Lord didn't let the net break this time, because the Lord was really giving Peter a choice between going back to his old life of fishing (starting with a big catch) or sacrifice for the sake of the Lord's work.

And here comes where the 153 fish is for. Peter served Jesus for 153 weeks (approximately 3 ½ years). The 153 fish was supposedly a form of "separation pay" -- a big fish per week of following the Lord.

Accepting to choose the 153 large fishes (probably great carp), would have earned Peter so much money...but also equivalent of saying Peter regrets leaving his livelihood for the Lord. But we all know what Peter had chosen....

How about you? Are you willing to leave your comfortable job or livelihood for the Lord's work...if the Lord asks you to?

EDIT: Apparently, some people are having difficulty understanding the OP. I would suggest reading the whole chapter of John 21 before criticizing the OP.

 

[marks]

Accepting to choose the 153 large fishes (probably great carp), would have earned Peter so much money...but also equivalent of saying Peter regrets leaving his livelihood for the Lord. But we all know what Peter had chosen....

John 21:8-11 KJV
8) And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.
9) As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.
10) Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.
11) Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

They didn't toss them back, Peter himself drew the net to shore. And Jesus Himself told them to bring some of the fish.

Much love!

 

[Rockerduck]

This is a continuation reply to the thread which is already locked:

153 Fish

I ran across this articule today found it good Food for thought.The Prophecy of the 153 FishSimon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn (John 21:11). After 28 years of reading and studying the Scriptures, I am...

www.christianityboard.com

One important thing that many people missed in John 21:11 is that a miracle prevented the net from breaking... unlike when they first met Jesus (Luke 5:6).

The Lord didn't let the net break this time, because the Lord was really giving Peter a choice between going back to his old life of fishing (starting with a big catch) or sacrifice for the sake of the Lord's work.

And here comes where the 153 fish is for. Peter served Jesus for 153 weeks (approximately 3 ½ years). The 153 fish was supposedly a form of "separation pay" -- a big fish per week of following the Lord.

Accepting to choose the 153 large fishes (probably great carp), would have earned Peter so much money...but also equivalent of saying Peter regrets leaving his livelihood for the Lord. But we all know what Peter had chosen....

How about you? Are you willing to leave your comfortable job or livelihood for the Lord's work...if the Lord asks you to?

Most people who studied the bible know, that the first time Jesus got into the boat with Peter, Peter fished just because Jesus asked him to. The net was so full it broke, and Peter knew Jesus was God. John was there too. So when Jesus was onshore and told them cast on the right and the haul was great again, and the net didn't break, it was a sign, and John knew it was the Lord. The 153 fish was John proving he was there a wrote down the exact number of fish to prove he was a witness. I already have Jesus as Lord of my life and take up my cross daily. How about you? Do you deny yourself and take up His cross daily?

 

[dremnant]

John 21:8-11 KJV
8) And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.
9) As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.
10) Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.
11) Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

They didn't toss them back, Peter himself drew the net to shore. And Jesus Himself told them to bring some of the fish.

Much love!

I think you misunderstood the OP. Jesus only started asking Peter in verse 15.

 

[dremnant]

Most people who studied the bible know, that the first time Jesus got into the boat with Peter, Peter fished just because Jesus asked him to. The net was so full it broke, and Peter knew Jesus was God. John was there too. So when Jesus was onshore and told them cast on the right and the haul was great again, and the net didn't break, it was a sign, and John knew it was the Lord. The 153 fish was John proving he was there a wrote down the exact number of fish to prove he was a witness. I already have Jesus as Lord of my life and take up my cross daily. How about you? Do you deny yourself and take up His cross daily?

The OP was about the significance of the number 153.

 

[Rockerduck]

The OP was about the significance of the number 153.

I responded with that, John was a witness and proved it by writing down the exact number of 153 because he was there. As far as Peter, 3 times he denied Jesus Christ, 3 times Jesus asked him if he loved him. Not just that, Jesus asked Peter, do you Agape (Godly) love me twice and Peter responded you know I Phileo (brotherly) love you twice. The 3rd time is when Jesus came down to Peters level and said, "Peter, do you (Phileo) love me", and then Peter responded with "you know I (Philleo) love you".

 

[marks]

I think you misunderstood the OP. Jesus only started asking Peter in verse 15.

You are putting importance on your thought that Peter gave up the catch, are you not? I'm saying Scripture indicates he kept it.

Perhaps if you find people are missing your point, you might try rewording, or being more expressive.

Much love!

 

[dremnant]

You are putting importance on your thought that Peter gave up the catch, are you not? I'm saying Scripture indicates he kept it.

Perhaps if you find people are missing your point, you might try rewording, or being more expressive.

Much love!

Go read verses 19 to 22 carefully and allow the Spirit to open your eyes and see what many have missed...Peter and John left everything after Jesus told Peter "Follow me" in verse 19.

Peter even had to ask Jesus about John, because he noticed John following them. Do you really think Peter (or John) was carrying the 153 large fishes while walking away with Jesus?

 

[marks]

allow the Spirit to open your eyes and see what many have missed...

If I had a $ for everytime someone said that to support their assertion, I'd have a lot of $'s.

Regardless, arguments from silence don't show anything. Rather than trying to fill in what's not written, let's learn what God actually had written, shall we?

Much love!

 

[dremnant]

If I had a $ for everytime someone said that to support their assertion, I'd have a lot of $'s.

Regardless, arguments from silence don't show anything. Rather than trying to fill in what's not written, let's learn what God actually had written, shall we?

Much love!

So you refused to see they all left the site without taking the 153 large fishes with them? You refused to understand the reason John started following Jesus and Peter in verse 20 was because Jesus and Peter started to leave?

If you can't see these simple things in the Bible, I'm no longer surprised why you can't understand a lot of teachings of the Scriptures.

 

[Rockerduck]

Go read verses 19 to 22 carefully and allow the Spirit to open your eyes and see what many have missed...Peter and John left everything after Jesus told Peter "Follow me" in verse 19.

Peter even had to ask Jesus about John, because he noticed John following them. Do you really think Peter (or John) was carrying the 153 large fishes while walking away with Jesus?

Common knowledge. There is no meaning here. All the Apostles were not there, only 7. Peter, James and John are the main actors here. Jesus and Peter and John are walking away. The rest stayed with the fish. A better question is where were Jesus, Peter, and John going.

 

[marks]

So you refused to see they all left the site without taking the 153 large fishes with them?

Scripture says nothing about what happened to the fish except that they apparently ate some of them, Jesus having asked them to bring them to the fire.

We know nothing more than that. They may have had them or not. Others may have carried them or not. They could have sold them on the spot or not. They could have tossed them back into the sea or not. They could have left them on the shore to rot or not. They could have cooked them all and shared them with a crowd who may or may not have been there, or not.

Eisegesis is when you take your own ideas that are not in the text and interpret the text as though they are, and that is exactly what you are doing.

Don't tell me about my so-called refusal to believe when what you are asserting comes from your own mind, and not the Bible. It could have been exactly as you picture it in your mind, or not. Rather than trying to fill in the blanks, I stick with what is written, and keep that separate from my own ideas. I recommend you do the same.

Much love!

 

[dremnant]

Scripture says nothing about what happened to the fish except that they apparently ate some of them, Jesus having asked them to bring them to the fire.

Now you are saying the Scripture says nothing about what happened to the fish, after you said Peter kept them? Now you are really showing you don't understand what you read. It is clearly mentioned in verse 9 Jesus already had fish getting cooked and bread ready. That's what they ate.

Eisegesis is when you take your own ideas that are not in the text and interpret the text as though they are, and that is exactly what you are doing.

You and all the people who can read our replies can see everything I said is backed by the Scriptures.

I stick with what is written, and keep that separate from my own ideas. I recommend you do the same.

You are giving an advice that you obviously don't want to follow yourself. That is hypocrisy.

 

[ScottA]

This is a continuation reply to the thread which is already locked:

153 Fish

I ran across this articule today found it good Food for thought.The Prophecy of the 153 FishSimon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn (John 21:11). After 28 years of reading and studying the Scriptures, I am...

www.christianityboard.com

One important thing that many people missed in John 21:11 is that a miracle prevented the net from breaking... unlike when they first met Jesus (Luke 5:6).

The Lord didn't let the net break this time, because the Lord was really giving Peter a choice between going back to his old life of fishing (starting with a big catch) or sacrifice for the sake of the Lord's work.

And here comes where the 153 fish is for. Peter served Jesus for 153 weeks (approximately 3 ½ years). The 153 fish was supposedly a form of "separation pay" -- a big fish per week of following the Lord.

Accepting to choose the 153 large fishes (probably great carp), would have earned Peter so much money...but also equivalent of saying Peter regrets leaving his livelihood for the Lord. But we all know what Peter had chosen....

How about you? Are you willing to leave your comfortable job or livelihood for the Lord's work...if the Lord asks you to?

EDIT: Apparently, some people are having difficulty understanding the OP. I would suggest reading the whole chapter of John 21 before criticizing the OP.

This is one of those passages that has a local context that is not the eternal context.

In other words, yes, one could look at the words simply as a chronicling report of those historic events--or as words pointing to or describing a greater context and why God engineered those historic events for something eternally more important. That is what is meant by being "a light unto the gentiles"--that even though the events of their lives and times would seem relatively small, they were to cast a light unto the whole world.

So, yes, one can imagine what the event meant personally to Peter--or more importantly--what it was to mean in the greater light to follow, and why it was entered into the eternal word of God. Do you not know that every word is given as a parable, as an image and likeness of the greater things of God?

Like Daniel's seventy weeks prophecy, the John 21 passage can also be summarized as "a time, times, and half a time." --If you were not aware...that is what Daniel did: he recorded the prophecy, and also summarized it in that way. Which is to say, it (and John 21:11 as well) refers to the entire salvation plan of God from Beginning to End. The overall Harvest. And just like Daniel's prophecy, most get hung up and confused by the detailed account.

Both accounts refer to "a time, times, and half a time", meaning: All of time, divided into two times, of dividing the light from the darkness. In the case of John 21:11: 153 = 10-5-3...meaning: times, time, and half a time, stated rather from the perspective of the disciples and their time in the midst of the greater plan of God for salvation (that is--when Messiah was cut off). Doing so denotes the time in the overall plan, as being in the middle--between the "times" of Israel and the "times" of the gentiles ("times"). This was Jesus revealing to the disciples--and now to us--just what their fishing would produce as part of the overall harvest.

If this sounds twisted...it is not because it is, but because it was twisted/confused and needed to be untwisted.

 

[marks]

after you said Peter kept them?

I don't think you are reading my posts carefully. I said Scripture indicates that he kept them, at the least to share with the others in the meal.

So if you are looking at whether Peter kept the fish or not, the only one thought offered is that he kept at least to share. And not a word beyond that.

That is hypocrisy.

And therefore your accusations are off target.

Anyway, you've shown yourself sufficiently I don't really want to have conversations with you. You misread my posts, and you act rudely. So have all the last words here you like, but I'm out.

Much love!

 

[shepherdsword]

"153" is a gematrical (hebrew numerology) term for "sons of god" It can also symbolize the completeness of nations coming to Christ since 153 was the supposed grand total of both nations of the world and species of fish in historic times. Then again, 153 can simply mean 153

 

[ewq1938]

51 + 51 + 51 =153

5 + 1 = 6

666