In biblical times, fishing was a common occupation and a source of livelihood for many people. Jesus called His first disciples, including Peter and Andrew, while they were fishing, saying "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). The parable of the net in Matthew 13:47 also uses fishing as a metaphor for gathering people into the kingdom of God. After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples by the Sea of Galilee, where they had been fishing, as recorded in John 21:3, and earlier, Luke 5:6 describes a miraculous catch of fish that led to Peter's decision to follow Jesus. This reflects the dominion over creation granted to humanity in Genesis 1:28.
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Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and caught all kinds of fish.
Simon Peter told them, “I am going fishing.” “We will go with you,” they said. So they went out and got into the boat, but caught nothing that night.
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to tear.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.”
When Jesus had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” “Master,” Simon replied, “we have worked hard all night without catching anything. But because You say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to tear.
Wherever the river flows, there will be swarms of living creatures and a great number of fish, because it flows there and makes the waters fresh; so wherever the river flows, everything will flourish. Fishermen will stand by the shore; from En-gedi to En-eglaim they will spread their nets to catch fish of many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.
“Master,” Simon replied, “we have worked hard all night without catching anything. But because You say so, I will let down the nets.”
Fishermen will stand by the shore; from En-gedi to En-eglaim they will spread their nets to catch fish of many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.