Israeli Tilapia
By Jenny Komenda
Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
John 21:3
Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them.”
Jeremiah 16:16
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Israeli Tilapia, often called “St. Peter’s fish,” is the most common fish in the Sea of Galilee and has been caught by local fishermen for thousands of years. Its nickname comes from the account in the Gospel of Matthew where Jesus instructs Peter to cast a hook and find a coin in the mouth of the first fish he catches in order to pay the temple tax. The story has long been seen as a witness of the Lord’s ability to provide for our needs in unexpected ways. A later tradition even says the dark spots on the tilapia’s skin are the fingerprints of the apostle.
Viewing this miracle in the context of the fish’s unique biology and behavior suggests an additional layer of spiritual meaning. The adult tilapia protects its eggs—and later, its young—by sheltering them inside its mouth. Even after the young begin finding their own food, they instinctively return to that place of safety. Eventually the parent keeps them from coming back by keeping an object, often a smooth or shiny one, in its mouth. It’s a vivid picture of how naturally we seek refuge, but also how easily we can be drawn away by bright distractions.
The Sea of Galilee itself is closely tied to the Savior’s ministry. As many as seven of the twelve apostles were fishermen, including Peter, Andrew, James, and John. The towns along the northern shore where Jesus taught were shaped by the fishing trade: Bethsaida means “a place of nets,” and Magdala was known to the Romans as “the place where fish are preserved.” Jesus taught in these villages, walked along these shores, and used the familiar image of fish and fishing again and again in His parables and miracles. With the two miraculous catches of fish that bookend the Gospel narrative, He used the disciples’ everyday work as a symbol of a higher calling, inviting them to become “fishers of men.”
Jeffrey R. Holland described the second of those miraculous catches, and poignant interview with Peter that followed it, with remarkable insight into what it means to be a disciple. “Looking at their battered little boats, their frayed nets, and a stunning pile of 153 fish, Jesus said to His senior Apostle, ‘Peter, do you love me more than you love all this?’ Peter said, ‘Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.’ To which Jesus responded, perhaps saying something like: ‘Then Peter, why are you here? Why are we back on this same shore, by these same nets, having this same conversation? Wasn’t it obvious then and isn’t it obvious now that if I want fish, I can get fish? What I need, Peter, are disciples—and I need them forever. I need someone to feed my sheep and save my lambs. I need someone to preach my gospel and defend my faith. I need someone who loves me, truly, truly loves me, and loves what our Father in Heaven has commissioned me to do.’”
Like Peter, each of us is invited to hear that same question. If we trust Him, the Lord can provide whatever “fish” we need. What He asks for is our willingness to leave our familiar nets behind and follow Him with love and devotion. We, too, are called to be fishers of men.
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