LDS Freedom Forum

We are all familiar with the term, "Fishers of Men" which Jesus used when he called Simon and his brother Andrew to be apostles, (Mark 1:17)

Why fishers? How does a fisherman catch his fish? Why not a hunter? How would a hunter be different from a fisher?

I'll bite.

They're fishers because they're gently dragging men from the dark abyss into the light by the net of the gospel.

A fisherman catches his fish by casting a net, in the context of the saying.

The imagery of a hunter would imply one aggressively stalking his prey and forcing his will upon it in the slaying thereof by his strength or skill.

The imagery of a hunter would probably cause mischief; I am aware of some who cite the image of Jesus cleansing the temple with the whip as justification to oppress their wives, or others, in the cause of Christ as they see it.

Jeremiah 16:16

Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.

Apparently the Lord will use both fishers and hunters. But first fishers. Haven't yet decided in my own mind what that means, though I have read a quote by Joseph Smith who spoke of seeking those who stray as "hunting." Obviously not to kill, but perhaps just a different technique in gathering.

log wrote:I'll bite.

They're fishers because they're gently dragging men from the dark abyss into the light by the net of the gospel.

A fisherman catches his fish by casting a net, in the context of the saying.

The imagery of a hunter would imply one aggressively stalking his prey and forcing his will upon it in the slaying thereof by his strength or skill.

The imagery of a hunter would probably cause mischief; I am aware of some who cite the image of Jesus cleansing the temple with the whip as justification to oppress their wives, or others, in the cause of Christ as they see it.

The imagery of a net fisherman is no different than the imagery of a hunter beyond a mass food collection versus individual.

Fisherman netting a mass quantity of fish, many times more than they need, dredging up everything by force whether edible or not, to leave gasping for air, to suffocate and die in the hot sun....that imagery is just as accurate as your hunter stalking imagery.

Personally, I think that making more of some phrases may be reading into something that isn't there. When Jesus spoke, he spoke in terms that those he spoke to can understand. To a fisherman, fishers of man. To a farmer, a vineyard/field. To a servant, a servant. That is the real common thread there of the labor of the soul versus labor of the physical.

Fishermen gather all kinds of fish into the net, then pick out the good.
The institution gathers all kinds of people (we've been in that phase since Joseph's time). In the end, the angels gather the righteous to preserve them, this phase is yet to come.

Matt 13

47 ¶Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

I think 3 Nephi 21 describes these two phases among us, the gentiles.

Jeremiah in the old testament talked about "hunting down the sinners".. The message of becoming "fishers of men" relates more to the saving function. To sell the fish to others, each fish would have to be looked upon individually, to check it's quality. The same way Christ will look upon each one of us individually, before we will enter his kingdom. Hunter run after their victim, fisherman wait for the fishes to "gather" themselve in the net of the Lord.

It's like Christ being the lion and the lamb. Justice and mercy. Hunters and fishermen.

It seems people just want to make it mean what they want it to mean. There is little difference between fishing and hunting other than one that fish versus other animals. Good hunters don't chase after prey, they wait for it. Fishermen chase after fish...they rarely drop a net where they haven't caught fish before....

I see a lot of this as similar to cherry picking the scriptures really. You are picking the traits of fishermen that you think fit and the traits of hunters that you think fit and ignoring everything else...which is cherry picking. Hunters rarely "run after their victim". That's generally a good way not to catch anything. The same is true for fishermen. Fishermen "hunt" fish, they chase after them...they seek the best fishing grounds...

RaVaN wrote:It seems people just want to make it mean what they want it to mean. There is little difference between fishing and hunting other than one that fish versus other animals. Good hunters don't chase after prey, they wait for it. Fishermen chase after fish...they rarely drop a net where they haven't caught fish before....

I see a lot of this as similar to cherry picking the scriptures really. You are picking the traits of fishermen that you think fit and the traits of hunters that you think fit and ignoring everything else...which is cherry picking. Hunters rarely "run after their victim". That's generally a good way not to catch anything. The same is true for fishermen. Fishermen "hunt" fish, they chase after them...they seek the best fishing grounds...

In the Jeremiah scripture quoted above there is a definite order of things: First, the fishers and then after, the hunters. This to me would indicate a difference between the two.

laronius wrote:Jeremiah 16:16

Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.

Apparently the Lord will use both fishers and hunters. But first fishers. Haven't yet decided in my own mind what that means, though I have read a quote by Joseph Smith who spoke of seeking those who stray as "hunting." Obviously not to kill, but perhaps just a different technique in gathering.

This is a very significant scripture IMO laronius. I see the fishers as the Lords growing missionary force going throughout the world to gather in the honest in heart by providing them with the gospel of Jesus Christ including those ordinances necessary to enter in by the way; teaching them faith, repentance, baptism by immersion, and the invitation to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. These fishers cast their nets out inviting all who desire to take this important step toward their personal salvation. All of Gods children are invited into the nets.

After these fishers fulfill their purposes These specific hunters are then sent out by The Lord to hunt down the pure in heart who have sanctified their hearts and desire to be sealed up unto eternal life and receive the ordinances of the fullness of the Priesthood. I see these hunters as the 144,000 saviors on Mount Zion; potentially translated beings sent out with great power and glory to bring these purified and sanctified souls into the temples of The Lord to seal them up to eternal life and prepare them for entrance into the Church of the Firstborn.

We are living in an exciting time with much to look forward to in the future if we stay worthy and true to the faith.