The Bible is well ordered with spiritual parallels of numbers that defy man’s logic to anticipate or even calculate in some cases. Compar-ing the development of a new nation, Israel with Chris-ianity, God uses 12 sons who become 12 tribes to form the new nation of Israel. In kind, Jesus uses 12 Apostles for the development of the new nation now called Christianity.
The 12 tribes lived 40 years in the desert for God to display his power, provision and plan for their future on earth. The 12 Apostles view the appearances of a resurrected Jesus over 40 days for Christ the Lord and Savior to display his power, provision and plan for their future in the Kingdom of God. Jonah was in the belly of a whale for 3 days and 3 nights to begin his saving message to an evil Nineveh and Jesus was in the heart of the earth 3 days and 3 nights to begin his saving message to a lost world.
Thomas was called Didymus which means “twin”. A twin means dual or 2-fold (among other descriptions) and Thomas the twin or 2-fold was the first to recognize the 2-fold or dual nature of the resurrected Christ when Thomas proclaimed “My Lord and My God!” He is both Lord of earth and God of heaven.
On the third appearance of Jesus to his disciples, at least seven of them are fishing on Galilee. After fishing all night and an empty net to boot, a “Stranger” on the shore calls out from 100 yards away, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No!”, they yell back and the response from shore is, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some!”
The net was so full of fish that they could not haul it into the boat. With boat and net of fish in tow, they row to shore along with Peter treading water on his own. The fish are counted before breakfast is served and the count is 153 large fish (John 21.1-14). Why 153? What is the significance of this number? The “Stranger”, Jesus, has just called the exact number of fish to enter the fishermen’s net—but why?
The number 153 is found twice in our bibles—John 21.11 and 2 Chron 2.17. In 2 Chronicles, Solomon has commissioned a great building project. He is building the Temple and has conscripted 153,000+ men to begin the first work for the Temple called “Name of the Lord” (I Ch 2.1-2, 17-18). In like fashion, Jesus the risen Christ and “Name of the Lord”, has commissioned the Apostles to begin a great building project, the Church. He is the Chief Cornerstone and in this symbolic catch of 153 large fish (+), he parallels the conscription of 153,000 (+) by Solomon with this unprecedented catch.
“Follow me and I will make you fishers of men” must be a statement recalled by the Apostles. This new Temple of the Lord, now 2015 years old, is the greatest building project ever! Eph 2.19-22 “In him (Christ Jesus), the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” The catch of 153 fish is truly a Miracle of Resurrection!
(Scott Johnson is pastor of East Faulkner Church of Christ and author of the BRG Bible.)