Among the strange and, for the most part,
allegorical interpretations of this item of information I have found the
following:
a. The fish were not counted until the
shore had been reached, in order to teach us that the exact number of the elect
remains unknown until they have reached the shore of heaven.
b. The ancients counted one hundred
fifty-three varieties of fish!
c. There is here a veiled reference to
Matt. 13:47, 48, and an indication that all kinds of people are going to be
saved.
d. The reference is to an important date
in Church History, namely, 153 A.D.
e. The total represents the sum of all the
numbers from 1 to 17. Well, what of it?
f. In Hebrew characters the numerical
equivalent of Simon Iona is one hundred fifty-three.
g. The number one hundred fifty-three
represents 100 for the Gentiles, 50 for the Jews, and 3 for the Trinity.
William Hendriksen, Exposition of the
Gospel According to John New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book
House, 1953), Logos ed.
