Fishing Basics- The Knowledge We Need

“While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.  And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’”  Matthew 4:18-19 ESV 


Fishermen have to know what they are doing and apply that knowledge if they wish to succeed.  If we want to be fishers of men, the basic knowledge we need is to know God.

John 17:3 says, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (ESV)  Might know (γινώσκωσι). Might recognize or perceive. Eternal life consists in a continuing, progressive perception of God in Christ. (Vincent, 1887)

Eternal life is not just prolonged life. It is a quality of life that comes from being in relationship with the Father and Son.  John usually uses Christ as a title.  It is used with Jesus’ name only here and in 1:17. The statement in 17:3 helps us understand 1:18, that Jesus fully revealed what God is like, with Jesus’ statement in 10:10 that he has come that people might have life, and have it abundantly. These two purposes are really one, according to 17:3, because (abundant) eternal life is defined as knowing (being in relationship with) the Father and the Son. The only way to gain eternal life is to know the Father through the Son (cf. 14:6). This knowledge is not intellectual, but relational. It involves being in relationship. (Press, 2006)

“What is the most important thing in the world to every Christian?  It is to grow in the knowledge of God.  The knowledge of God is the heart of salvation and all true spiritual experience.  Knowing Him is what we were created for.” (Ferguson, 1986)



It is not enough to know about God.  We need to know Him personally.  We know God through His Word and the revelation of the Holy Spirit.  Knowing Him involves spending time with Him, conversing with Him, and thinking about Him.  The more we know Him, the more He changes the way we think and live.  It is an ongoing process that is vital to our life.

Colossians 1:10-11 exemplifies this change.  “So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;” (ESV)

“God says, ‘Get me out of the box.  Know me as I am- the One who was and is and is to come. [Rev. 1:8].  Eternal.  Holy.  Awesome.  Sovereign.  Lord of all.’   God invites us to be gripped by His greatness.  Shaken to the core of our being at the realization of what He freely offers.” (MacDonald, 2005)

“There is no such thing as genuine knowledge of God that does not show itself in obedience to His Word and will.  The person who wants to know God but who has no heart to obey God will never enter the sacred courts where God reveals Himself to the soul of man.  God does not give divine knowledge to those who have no desire to glorify Him.” (Ferguson, 1986)

In Jeremiah 9:23-24, God explains what our goal should be.  “Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.’”

“The knowledge of God is a personal knowledge of a personal God.  It is received by those alone who seek to know Him in a spirit of dependence upon Him, and who ask for His Spirit to lead them into the truth.” (Ferguson, 1986)

Philippians 3:8-10 says, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.” (ESV)

“Genuine encounters with God must be measured against and can never stray from the anchor of God’s Word.” (MacDonald, 2005)  God wants us to continue to grow in our understanding of who He is and to experience Him relationally.  He is the great and awesome God, but also our loving Father.  His revelation of His character and will must conform to the revelation of God in the Scriptures.  He never changes, and He has given us His Word to help us know Him.

Is knowing God a major focus of your life?  What can you do to not only learn about Him, but to know Him better personally?  Spend time focused on Him.  So, in conclusion, as 2 Peter 3:18 states, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

For those interested in knowing more about fishing in N.T. times, read on.

There are different kinds of nets in the Gospels. The dragnet (sagēnē, σαγήνη) is a football field in length and 10’ wide with floats on top and sinkers on the bottom. It is spread out parallel about a hundred yards off shore. The net is dragged ashore by ropes on either end surrounding and capturing the fish as it is pulled ashore. (Laney, 2016)

The cast-net (diktyon, δίκτυον) is a circular net with weights around the outer edge to make it sink. This net is arranged on the arm and then cast into the water with the opposite arm. The net spreads out and the weights pull it to the bottom trapping the fish.  Fish can be retrieved one-by-one or by wading around the net gathering the sinkers and pulling the net with the fish to shore or into the boat. The cast-net is mentioned in Mark 1:16–18 where Jesus said, “Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men.” (Laney, 2016)

The trammel net consists of three layers of connected nets - two exterior walls of large mesh and a middle layer of smaller mesh.  The plural “nets” (diktya) rather than the singular “net” (diktyon) distinguishes them in the Gospels. Trammel nets are about 100’ long and attached in a series.  It was used during the night when the fish could not see the net.  Weights pull the net down into the water while floats keep the top side of the wall near the surface.  Fishermen wade in the water making noise and splashing with oars. The fish attempt to swim away but are trapped in the small mesh. The trammel net is probably the type in Mark 1:19–20 and Matt 4:21–22 where James and John were mending their nets. The trammel net also appears to be the one in the great catch of fish (Luke 5:1–7) and John’s account of the miraculous catch (John 21:3–11). (Laney, 2016)

Works Cited

Ferguson, S. B. (1986). A Heart for God. Colorado Springs: NavPress.

Laney, J. (2016). Fishing the Sea of Galilee. In B. (Eds.), B. Beitzel, & K. Lyle, Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Gospels. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

MacDonald, J. (2005). Gripped By the Greatness of God. Chicago: Moody Publishers.

Press, B. S. (2006). he NET Bible First Edition Notes (Jn 17:3). Biblical Studies Press.

Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word Studies in the New Testament (Vol. 2, p.263). New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.