Why is the number 153 recorded in the fish miracle?
The 153 is recorded to show that not one single Jew will miss the end gathering for the Kingdom. While no specific significance for the number itself is found, the exact count stresses that the net was full and not one fish was lost, unlike Luke 4 where the net broke and the fish escaped.
Les explains that he tried to find a significance for the number 153 itself and could not find it. He suggests the reason the Lord has seen fit to number it in Scripture is to show that not one single Jew is going to miss the end gathering for the Kingdom. The net was drawn to land full of great, full-grown fishes, not little offspring, and the point is that the net is full and not a single fish will be lost. This contrasts with Luke chapter 4, when they cast the net at the Lord's command, the net broke, and the fish all got away, which was indicative of Israel's history—nothing really jelled for them, and they never enjoyed all the promises God had given.