FISH AND FISHING
Mini-Article
In Jesus' time, fishing took place mostly on Lake Galilee, because the Jewish people could not use many of the harbors along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, since these harbors were often controlled by unfriendly neighbors. The most common fish in the Lake of Galilee were carp and catfish. The Law of Moses allowed people to eat any fish with fins and scales, but since catfish lack scales (as do eels and sharks) they were not to be eaten
(Lev 11.9-12).
Fish were also probably brought from Tyre and Sidon, where they were dried or salted.
The creation story tells that God ordered the waters of the earth to bring forth fish along with all kinds of creatures that live in the water. (Gen 1.20-22).
God gave human beings control over the creation, including fish (Gen 1.28; Ps 8.6-8), but people are forbidden to make or worship an image of any created thing, including fish(Deut 4.15-18).
When God renews the creation, the salty Dead Sea will become fresh water and will be filled with fish
(Ezek 47.7-10).
Fishing was also an important source of
jobs and income in Galilee, and several of Jesus' followers were fishermen. Jesus told them that they were going to bring in people instead of fish (Mark 1.16,17; Matt 4.18,19).
When Jesus fed the hungry crowd that followed him out of town, the food he provided was bread and fish (Mark 6.30-44; Matt 14.14-21; Luke 9.10-17).
Jesus used fishing to show his disciples the amazing results they could expect from having faith in him and sharing the good news with others. The net the apostles threw into the lake became so full of fish they could not pull it into their boat (John 21.4-12).
Among early Christians, the fish was a favorite image for Jesus, because the Greek word for fish (ichthus) consists of the first letters of the Greek words tell that
who Jesus is...
ichthus:-
I - hsous -Jesus
Ch - ristos- Christ
Th - eou- of God
U- ios - the son
S - wthr - Savior
Fishing in Lake Galilee.
The author of MARK tells how Jesus told four fishermen to follow him Simon (also called Peter), Andrew, James, and John. Although many fishermen cast nets in the shallow waters along the shore, fishing from boats was also common in Lake Galilee. Those who fished from boats needed to hire additional workers to help them pull in the heavy nets. Carp, catfish, and other small fresh-water fish were plentiful in Lake Galilee.
Taken from The Learning Bible (CEV)
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