, Italy (second miracle) According to John 21:11 This has become known popularly as the "153 fish" miracle. In the
Gospel of John, Jesus responds: "Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find". and
John Chrysostom, among others.
153 fish The precision of the number of fish as 153 has long been considered, and various writers have argued that the number 153 has some deeper significance, with many conflicting theories having been offered (see the discussion on
the number 153 in the Bible). For instance,
Augustine of Hippo argued that the significance lay in the fact that 153 is the sum of the first 17
integers (i.e. 153 is the 17th
triangular number), with 17 representing the combination of
divine grace (the
seven gifts of the Holy Spirit) and law (the
Ten Commandments).
Cornelius a Lapide summarized the views of others in his commentary, including the following: Jerome wrote "Those who have written about animated nature say that there are a hundred and fifty-three kinds of fish. One of each of these kinds was caught by the Apostle, and more remained uncaught. For noble and ignoble, rich and poor, all sorts and conditions of men, are drawn out of the sea of this world to salvation." Cyril said the number one hundred signified the fulness of the Gentiles which was about to enter into the net of Peter and the Church; the fifty signifies the smaller number of the Jews, who would be saved; the three represents the mystery of the Blessed Trinity, by the faith and worship of Whom both Jews and Gentiles are gathered together and saved. Both Rupertus and Maldonatus explain that the hundred denotes those who are married, the most numerous; the fifty denotes the widows and continent, fewer in number, and the three denotes virgins, the fewest of all. Discussing some of these theories, theologian
D. A. Carson suggests that "If the Evangelist has some symbolism in mind connected with the number 153, he has hidden it well", while other scholars note "No symbolic significance for the number of 153 fish in John 21:11 has received widespread support". References to aspects of the miracle, or to the general idea of being "fishers of men", can sometimes be recognised by uses of the number 153. For example,
St Paul's School in
London was founded in 1512 by
John Colet to teach 153 poor men's children: although the school is now considerably larger, it still has 153
Foundation Scholars, who since the 19th century have worn a fish emblem on their
watch-chains, or, more recently, in their button-holes.
2 Chronicles 2:17 records Solomon as having conducted a census of foreigners: "And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred." ==Interpretations==