σαγήνη

a fishing-net

Definition

Σαγήνη (sagēnē) refers to a large fishing net, specifically a seine net or dragnet. In contrast to smaller casting nets, this was a sizable net with floats on the top and weights on the bottom, dragged between boats or from shore to encircle a large area of water and capture all kinds of fish. Its sole New Testament occurrence is in the parable of the dragnet in Matthew 13:47–48, where it serves as the central metaphor. The word denotes a comprehensive gathering tool, which Jesus uses to illustrate the final, indiscriminate gathering of people at the end of the age before the separation of the righteous from the wicked.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Matthew 13:47–50, within a parable told by Jesus. The context is exclusively metaphorical, describing the kingdom of heaven. Jesus compares the kingdom to a dragnet cast into the sea that gathers fish of every kind. The usage pattern is singular and profound, employing a familiar occupational object to teach a critical eschatological truth about final judgment and separation.

Etymology

The word σαγήνη (sagēnē) is a native Greek noun, directly meaning a fishing-net, specifically a seine or dragnet. It is related to the verb σάττω (sattō), meaning 'to load' or 'pack,' possibly alluding to the net being loaded with a catch. The term was a standard, well-understood word for this specific type of net in the Greco-Roman world, with no significant semantic shift in its biblical use.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as the key metaphor in Jesus' Parable of the Dragnet (Matthew 13:47–50). It vividly illustrates the inclusive yet temporary nature of the visible kingdom of heaven on earth, which gathers all people without immediate discrimination. The net's function underscores God's sovereign action in gathering humanity, while the subsequent sorting on the shore powerfully teaches the coming final judgment, the reality of eternal separation, and the necessity of genuine faith. Understanding this specific type of net enriches the parable by emphasizing the scale, completeness, and deliberate process of the end-time harvest.

In first-century Palestine, fishing with a dragnet (σαγήνη) was a common and labor-intensive practice, often involving multiple workers. This large net was designed to sweep through a section of water, capturing everything in its path without distinction. Listeners to Jesus' parable would have immediately visualized this method and understood its implications of a comprehensive, indiscriminate catch followed by a careful sorting process—a vivid contrast to modern, more selective fishing techniques.

δίκτυον (diktyon, G1350) — a general term for any kind of net or web; ἀμφίβληστρον (amphiblēstron, G293) — a casting net, thrown by hand from shore or a boat.

Word Details

Scripture References