153 fish?!

thebesttrees · May 18, 2012

I was reading John today and came across these verses that talk about the number of fish caught.

John 21

9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish that you have just caught. 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, Come and have breakfast. Now none of the disciples dared ask him, Who are you? They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Why would anyone there take time away from being with our resurrected Lord and instead count the fish?
What is the significance of this number 153?

Foghorn · May 18, 2012

thebesttrees said:
I was reading John today and came across these verses that talk about the number of fish caught.

John 21

9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish that you have just caught. 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, Come and have breakfast. Now none of the disciples dared ask him, Who are you? They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Why would anyone there take time away from being with our resurrected Lord and instead count the fish?

What is the significance of this number 153?

I think the number 153 fish was pointing to the miracle; considering when Jesus asked them if they caught any fish and they said no. Jesus then told them to cast their nets off the right side of the boat. Besides, where is it mentioned that they first counted the fish? Who's to say they didn't count them afterwords? They were fishermen, they would have to have known how many they had to sell them to the market, no?

Also, the book of John wasn't written at that moment, I'm sure His miracles were remembered.

Could you imagine after Jesus departed and they counted the fish? "Wow, we caught 153 large fish, and they didn't destroy the net!"

thebesttrees · May 18, 2012

where is it mentioned that they first counted the fish? Who's to say they didn't count them afterwords?

Well verse 12 comes after verse 11.

And also why 153 and why not some other number?! Is this one of those Bible mysteries?

Foghorn · May 18, 2012

thebesttrees said:
Well verse 12 comes after verse 11.

Obviously, but that still does not say they counted the fish at that moment.

And also why 153 and why not some other number?! Is this one of those Bible mysteries?

I don't think 153 has any mystery, at least none I'm aware of. I believe it just displays a large amount.

thebesttrees · May 18, 2012

I don't think 153 has any mystery, at least none I'm aware of. I believe it just displays a large amount.

I don't think John was inspired to throw just any number in there. I don't like playing with numbers but here again is a number whose digits add up to nine! 1+5+3 = 9

Just like there are 27 (2+7 = 9) books in the New Testament, or nine fruits of the spirit, or nine offices of the holy spirit, 1260 days (1+2+6+0 = 9), 42 months 4+2+3+0 = 9, and many many other instances of nine! Just bewildering I guess!

Foghorn · May 18, 2012

thebesttrees said:
I don't think John was inspired to throw just any number in there. I don't like playing with numbers but here again is a number whose digits add up to nine! 1+5+3 = 9

Just like there are 27 (2+7 = 9) books in the New Testament, or nine fruits of the spirit, or nine offices of the holy spirit, 1260 days (1+2+6+0 = 9), 42 months 4+2+3+0 = 9, and many many other instances of nine! Just bewildering I guess!

Well it's something to think about I guess. Let's see what others post.

Radagast · May 18, 2012

thebesttrees said:
Why would anyone there take time away from being with our resurrected Lord and instead count the fish?

What is the significance of this number 153?

A lot has been written about this: see Wikipedia.

My guess is:

They were fisherman on a job
None, except that is was a lot

thebesttrees · May 18, 2012

I shouldn't have gone this route! Now I got chills down my spine as I just googled this and found out that the Ark of the Covenant had the following dimensions in inches:

45X27x27

From the book of Numbers 25:10 (1 cubit is 18 inches)

“They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height.

Foghorn · May 18, 2012

Radagast said:
A lot has been written about this: see Wikipedia.

My guess is:

They were fisherman on a job

None, except that is was a lot

Yep, that's what I figure.

granpa · May 19, 2012

And the waters have been very very mighty on the earth, and covered are all the high mountains which [are] under the whole heavens; 20 fifteen cubits upwards have the waters become mighty, and the mountains are covered;
21 and expire doth all flesh that is moving on the earth, among fowl, and among cattle, and among beasts, and among all the teeming things which are teeming on the earth, and all mankind;
22 all in whose nostrils [is] breath of a living spirit -- of all that [is] in the dry land -- have died.
23 And wiped away is all the substance that is on the face of the ground, from man unto beast, unto creeping thing, and unto fowl of the heavens; yea, they are wiped away from the earth, and only Noah is left, and those who [are] with him in the ark;
24 and the waters are mighty on the earth a hundred and fifty days

And God remembereth Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle which [are] with him in the ark, and God causeth a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subside,
2 and closed are the fountains of the deep and the net-work of the heavens, and restrained is the shower from the heavens.
3 And turn back do the waters from off the earth, going on and returning; and the waters are lacking at the end of a hundred and fifty days.
4 And the ark resteth, in the seventh month, in the seventeenth day of the month, on mountains of Ararat

gods prophetess · May 19, 2012

from what i know the 153 was pointing to a miracle praying for you

tz620q · May 23, 2012

thebesttrees said:
I was reading John today and came across these verses that talk about the number of fish caught.

John 21

9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish that you have just caught. 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, Come and have breakfast. Now none of the disciples dared ask him, Who are you? They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Why would anyone there take time away from being with our resurrected Lord and instead count the fish?

What is the significance of this number 153?

The explanation I heard was that there were 153 species of fish known to the ancient Greeks/Jews. So the fishermen cast their nets where Jesus commands them to and catch 153 fish representing all the known species. This points to the great commission and how Jesus commanded them to go to all nations.

thebesttrees · May 23, 2012

tz620q said:
The explanation I heard was that there were 153 species of fish known to the ancient Greeks/Jews. So the fishermen cast their nets where Jesus commands them to and catch 153 fish representing all the known species. This points to the great commission and how Jesus commanded them to go to all nations.

I have also heard that all the knowledge of the past could be summed up in 153 lessons which would be given to us plainly once the Lord comes back.

riverrat · May 23, 2012

The number of fish was unimportant. Notice that none were lost!

thebesttrees · May 24, 2012

riverrat said:
The number of fish was unimportant. Notice that none were lost!

ٍEvery single word of God is important.
How can one say with this degree of certainty that something in the Word is not important?
Are you receiving inspiration from some where that we are not aware of? If so, what does this source tell you about other parts of the Bible?
What else in the Bible do you consider as unimportant?
Is everyone allowed to pick and choose?

apmercer · May 24, 2012

Some posible meaning for 153:
- it is the amount of people that Jesus has personal encounters with in the 4 gospels in which He either healed them or raised them from the dead.
- 153 is believed to be the total amount of peoplegroups on earth at that time.

LittleFish31617 · May 31, 2012

Maybe just to get people thinking about the Miracle of feeding that many people.

Because, of course, the whole time you're wondering why 153 fish, you're also thinking about Christ and his miracle; you can't help it (even if you don't realize it).

Of course, I could very well be wrong. Just a thought.

We hope the site problems here are now solved, however, if you still have any issues, please start a ticket in Contact Us

153 fish?!

Newbie

Saved by grace

Newbie

Saved by grace

Newbie

Saved by grace

comes and goes

Newbie

Saved by grace

Noahide/Rationalist

prophetess cherrie

Regular Member

Newbie

Newbie

Newbie

Awe777

Newbie

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency