08-15-2010, 01:04 AM
Shalom!
Interesting topic!
I believe the announcement of such a specific number is written down with the purpose to raise the interest of the reader; to dig a little deeper to get an overstanding of its meaning.
I would like to share what I've learned and remember concerning the meaning of the 153 fishes.
The passage of Y'hochanan 21 is about the miraculous draught of fishes which happens AFTER the resurrection. The Talmidim of Moshiach Y'hoshua (/Y'shua) did not recognize Him. When He asks them for food they answer they do not have anything, after which He sends them into the sea with their ship to catch fish. The whole night they didn't catch a thing, but now the fishing-nets get so heavy they could hardly carry them out of the water because of the huge fishes they've catched. Being caunted carefully they have 153 fishes...
In Hebrew the word "good" is written "teth" - "vav" - "beyt" 9-6-2; "tov". The word we can read first and several times in Bereshit concerning creation ("and HaShem saw that it were good") after each day of creation, for instance. The sum of the letter-components is 17 (9+6+2= 17). Now, a number is seen as having it's complete 'consummation'/'fulfilment' when every phase along its way to come to that number is being considered and therefore counted as well. The number 17 can be found in many occasions throughout Scripture (and so in the Oral tradition as well).
Living in this world of "two-ness", of duality, of the beyt (the letter which the Tanakh begins with, the 2 which is our "house" in this world), it is often hard for us people to overstand the Oneness of HKB"H and thus the oneness of life. We do not have an overview on what we call "cause and effect". Causes and effects are beyond what we can grasp and be aware of: it belongs to HaShem alone. We hardly know what is before our eyes, being so prejudiced; inclined to judge according to our own standards of good and evil, right or wrong, based on our sense-perception, the external, etc. However, everything is getting judged as HaShem, our loving Heavenly Father will do justice and shall do right; putting everything back in its rightful place; as through a Consuming Fire making everything become truly "tov", good again: "Very good" as I would say. Nothing being forgotten, the whole of life being present again, every phase and aspect being gathered back.
The 153 fishes catched out of the "water", after our Moshiakh has been resurrected, I believe resemble all the phases and moments of His life, catched out of 'time' being brought in for a meal with His Talmidim. The very meaning and/or role of for instance Y'hudah from K'riot, Pilate, Kayafa, etc., etc. A "completed" 17 makes 153 (17+16+15+14+13+12+11+10+9+8+7+6+5+4+3+2+1= 153). Our Moshiakh tells us, with the fishes catched out of the water, during the meal, about the very meaning of eveything that has happened and telling them it is good. Not only the end is to be called "good", but everything as a whole. Everything is resurrected with and through Him. The Eternal Holy One, Blessed Be He, is truly King and so He will fulfill His Will and become All in all (again).
B'shalom, in peace.
Interesting topic!
I believe the announcement of such a specific number is written down with the purpose to raise the interest of the reader; to dig a little deeper to get an overstanding of its meaning.
I would like to share what I've learned and remember concerning the meaning of the 153 fishes.
The passage of Y'hochanan 21 is about the miraculous draught of fishes which happens AFTER the resurrection. The Talmidim of Moshiach Y'hoshua (/Y'shua) did not recognize Him. When He asks them for food they answer they do not have anything, after which He sends them into the sea with their ship to catch fish. The whole night they didn't catch a thing, but now the fishing-nets get so heavy they could hardly carry them out of the water because of the huge fishes they've catched. Being caunted carefully they have 153 fishes...
In Hebrew the word "good" is written "teth" - "vav" - "beyt" 9-6-2; "tov". The word we can read first and several times in Bereshit concerning creation ("and HaShem saw that it were good") after each day of creation, for instance. The sum of the letter-components is 17 (9+6+2= 17). Now, a number is seen as having it's complete 'consummation'/'fulfilment' when every phase along its way to come to that number is being considered and therefore counted as well. The number 17 can be found in many occasions throughout Scripture (and so in the Oral tradition as well).
Living in this world of "two-ness", of duality, of the beyt (the letter which the Tanakh begins with, the 2 which is our "house" in this world), it is often hard for us people to overstand the Oneness of HKB"H and thus the oneness of life. We do not have an overview on what we call "cause and effect". Causes and effects are beyond what we can grasp and be aware of: it belongs to HaShem alone. We hardly know what is before our eyes, being so prejudiced; inclined to judge according to our own standards of good and evil, right or wrong, based on our sense-perception, the external, etc. However, everything is getting judged as HaShem, our loving Heavenly Father will do justice and shall do right; putting everything back in its rightful place; as through a Consuming Fire making everything become truly "tov", good again: "Very good" as I would say. Nothing being forgotten, the whole of life being present again, every phase and aspect being gathered back.
The 153 fishes catched out of the "water", after our Moshiakh has been resurrected, I believe resemble all the phases and moments of His life, catched out of 'time' being brought in for a meal with His Talmidim. The very meaning and/or role of for instance Y'hudah from K'riot, Pilate, Kayafa, etc., etc. A "completed" 17 makes 153 (17+16+15+14+13+12+11+10+9+8+7+6+5+4+3+2+1= 153). Our Moshiakh tells us, with the fishes catched out of the water, during the meal, about the very meaning of eveything that has happened and telling them it is good. Not only the end is to be called "good", but everything as a whole. Everything is resurrected with and through Him. The Eternal Holy One, Blessed Be He, is truly King and so He will fulfill His Will and become All in all (again).
B'shalom, in peace.