Our subjects cover: animals, religion (Christian, Jewish and others); diet and lifestyle (vegan and vegetarian); and other miscellaneous subjects.
There are three Gospel accounts involving the act of fishing. In antiquity, both among Jews and Gentiles, fishing was seen as in some ways different than animal slaughter. And no doubt, generally speaking, the actions involving the killing of mammals and birds cause more misery than fishing. The fishing accounts are often used as an endorsement for all kinds of animal exploitation. In what follows, I give a rough translation of the fishing accounts; followed by my thoughts on each.
"After that Jesus showed himself again at the sea of Tiberias. And on this
wise showed he himself. There were together Simon Peter and Thomas, which is
called Twin: and Nathanael of Cana a city of Galilee, and those of Zebedee,
and two other of the disciples, Simon Peter said unto them: I go a fishing.
They said unto him: we also will go with thee. They went their way and
entered into a ship straightway, and that night caught they nothing. When
the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore, Nevertheless the
disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus said unto them: Little boys,
have you no food? They answered him no. And he said unto them: Throw out
your net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. Therefore they
threw and not as yet were they able to have dragged it off from the
multitude of fishes. Then said the disciple whom Jesus loved unto Peter: It
is the Lord. When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he gird his mantle
to him (for he was naked) and sprang into the sea. The other disciples came
by ship: For they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,
And they dragged the net with fishes. As soon as they were come to land,
they saw hot coals laid and preserves laid there on, and bread. Jesus said
unto them: bring of the preserves which ye have now caught. Simon Peter
stepped forth and dragged the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred
and fifty three. And for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
Jesus said unto them: come and dine. And none of the disciples dare ask him:
who are you? For they knew that it was the Lord. Jesus then came and took
bread, and gave them, and the preserves likewise. And this is now the third
time that Jesus appeared to his disciples, after that he was risen again
from death. When they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter: Simon of John,
do you love me more than these? He said unto him: yes Lord, you know that I
love you. He said unto him: Graze My lambkins. He said to him again the
second time: Simon of John, do you love me? He said unto him: Yes Lord you
know that I love you. He said unto him: Shepherd My sheep. He said unto him
the third time: Simon of John, do you love me? Peter sorrowed because he
said to him the third time, do you love me, and said unto him:
Lord, you know all things, you know that I love you. Jesus said unto him:
Graze My little sheep."
~ John 21:1-19.
"24. And they having come into Capernaum, those receiving the didrachmas came to Peter and said, Does your teacher not pay the didrachmas?
25. He said, Yes. And when he entered into the house, Jesus anticipated
him, saying, What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth
receive customs or tribute? From their sons or from strangers?
26. Peter said to Him, From strangers. Jesus said to him, Then truly the
sons are free.
27. But that we may not snare them, having gone to the sea, casting a hook
and the fish that has come up first you take up and having opened its mouth,
you will find a stater. Taking that, give to them instead of you and Me.
~ Matt. 17:24-27.
"It came to pass as the people pressed upon him, to hear the word of God,
that he stood by the lake of Genazareth: and saw two ships stand by the
lakeside, for the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their
nets. Jesus entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, He asks him to
be backing up slightly from the land. And he sat down and taught the people
out of the ship. When he had left speaking, he said unto Simon: Carry us
into the deep, and let slip thy net to make a haul. And Simon answered, and
said to him: Master we have labored all night, and have taken nothing. Yet
now at your word I will loose forth the net. And when they had so done, they
enclosed a great multitude of fishes. Yet their nets tore through: and they
made signs to their fellows which were in the other ship, that they should
come and help them. And they came, and they filled both the ships, so that
they were submerged. When Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus' knees
saying: Lord go from me, for I am a sinful man. He was utterly astonished,
and all that were with him at the haul of fish that they had grasped: and so
was also James and John, the sons of Zebedee; which were mates with Simon.
Jesus said unto Simon: "Fear not! From now on men you shall be catching
alive!" And they brought the ships to land, and forsook all, and followed
him."
~ Luke 5:1-11.
It seems to me that this likely is a lost catch and a description of the destruction of their fishing equipment. The fishing accounts are not just idyllic descriptions of life on the sea, but have deep lessons for our spiritual growth.
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