Finding Christ: The Treasure Of A Lifetime
Preaching
The Parables Of Jesus
Applications For Contemporary Life
"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
"Have you understood all this?" They answered, "Yes." And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old."
Theme
Along the road of life we will make many discoveries. We will find an occupation to exercise our skills, a place to live that meets our needs and desires, possibly a spouse who helps us live life more fully, and ultimately a sense of fulfillment in our day-to-day Christian walk. The greatest prize, however, the one we must sell all possessions, opportunities, and possibilities in order to receive, is Jesus. We will only keep this greatest of all treasures if we are committed and surrender ourselves to the Lord's will. The buried treasure and pearl of great price are ours for the asking, but without commitment they soon will be lost. Our priority must be for Jesus and his message of love and peace for all people.
Spiritual Food For The Journey
Searching for the special prize of life, however one may define it, is a quest in which all people participate. Children often save their allowance and the money they make through odd jobs to purchase the one item they "have always wanted." They are willing to sacrifice time, resources, and opportunity for the one thing they feel they must have. Couples in love often take extraordinary chances or do unheard-of things for the one whom they feel will bring them the special happiness we all seek. Great athletes, like those who compete in the Olympics, focus years of their lives on the one opportunity to compete against the world's best in any one sport or event, and the chance to win the coveted gold medal. Parents will deny themselves certain items and place all extra money in a fund so that one day their children can attend college and have that much more of an opportunity to make a significant contribution to our society.
Contemporary life promotes the material world or the people in it as the treasure of life, but for us who bear the name Christian another answer must be found. We are almost programmed today to believe that what we need must be measurable, observable, or tangible; there is no significant thought of the invisible, intangible, or supernatural as a goal for which we would sacrifice and give all we possess. Yet, the ultimate goal for the Christian is to find God and to live in the Lord's presence forever. Although this aim is not recognizable by most, it is the only objective that will bring us home and lead us to eternal life.
We need to discover or rediscover Jesus in our lives. There are so many things that demand our time, resources, and talent that we seldom have the opportunity to concentrate on the things that really matter in life. The parables of the buried treasure, pearl of great price, and dragnet teach us that we need God. We may be actively seeking the Lord or we may be wandering, but when we find Jesus we must be willing to give up all and surrender ourselves to obtain the eternal life he offers to us. We may encounter the Lord at a time of spiritual ecstasy or in the depths of despair. We must, therefore, be ready to pay the price and not allow God's presence to pass us by. God will come knocking, but are we listening? God seeks entrance, but are we ready to open the door? The answer is ours.
Application Of The Parable To Contemporary Life
Sermon Openings
1. When she was a little girl her parents bought a cottage by the lake. It was a small and humble place, but it soon would be filled with many memories. Each summer the family went to the lake. She and her brother and sisters swam in the lake almost everyday. On special occasions her father rented a boat and the whole family paddled around the lake. She learned how to fish and even tried her hand at water skiing. Vacations were a constant source of joy because of the little cottage by the lake.
When she grew a little older and entered high school other interests were found besides the cottage by the lake. Clothes, parties, and especially boys occupied the majority of her time. She went to summer school to improve her mind, but also to enhance her social life. The few times that she did go to the lake were with friends. Horseplay, long walks along the shore of the lake, and roasting marshmallows over a dying campfire were memories she collected.
As time passed she graduated from high school, went to college, and got a job. She became successful and married the man of her dreams. She was far too busy to go to the little cottage by the lake. Even when her parents died and left the house to her she could not muster the energy or resolve to go to the lake; it no longer seemed to fit her taste. After all, it was small and inconvenient due to its location; it would take lots of remodeling to satisfy her tastes. The lake was more like a big pond; it was hardly something of which to be proud. When she had children they convinced her to go to the lake a couple of times, but her attitude rubbed off on them and no one had a good time. In the end she abandoned the cottage completely. She was a successful businesswoman who lectured and traveled widely and thus did not have any time for the cottage. Besides, she had all that was needed, a fancy car, designer clothes, and a palatial home.
One day while at work she received a message from her secretary. Vandals had broken into the little cottage by the lake and burned it to the ground. Loss of the cottage didn't matter to her, but for some strange reason she felt compelled to go to the lake. When she arrived she stood in the ashes of what once was the little cottage by the lake. Surrounded by the charred rubble, she remembered and began to cry uncontrollably; she couldn't stop. At that moment she came to a stunning revelation. If all the fancy things she had -- the car, designer clothes, palatial home -- were lost she would not cry as hard as she was now for the little cottage by the lake. The place had become part of her and she never realized it. That day when she left, the lake looked bigger than it ever had before. Her tears had made it so.1
What is truly important in our lives? What occupies our time, energy, thoughts, and resources? What value do we place on the various things of our lives -- our opportunities, our health, our material possessions, our relationship with God? In today's Gospel passage we hear several short vignettes, images of the kingdom of God, which tell us that there is nothing more important than our relationship with the Lord.
2. "Late have I loved you, O Beauty so ancient and so new, late have I loved you." This famous line comes from an equally famous book. It was written after a life of trial, searching, and change. It was written by a man who had found conversion in his life. He was born in the city of Thagaste, now in the country of Algeria, in the year 354. His father was Patricius, a Roman citizen and pagan. His mother was Monica, a prayerful Christian woman of simple means.
As a youth he was an intelligent, questioning boy. Yet, he seemed to live his life as an individual; he was quite self-centered. All of life was for him -- his projects, his education, his welfare. As a young man he was a teacher of rhetoric. He became well-known for his intelligence and probing mind. As a young adult he was involved in a relationship and fathered a son, Adeodatus.
Despite his fame and success, his life of "individualism" lacked something. The void he felt was community; he needed the presence of others and he needed God. Thus, he began to search for that which was missing in his life, his need for community and God. Pagan religions offered no help to this probing mind. Manichaeism, a semi-Christian heretical movement, attracted him, but after a few years his dissatisfaction returned. Finally, this man of speech and debate answered the call to Christianity. He found people; he found community; he found God. He learned that the world was not me; the world is us!
"Late have I loved you, O Beauty so ancient and so new." These words are found in the Confessions, the autobiography of Saint Augustine, bishop of Hippo, one of the most gifted and famous men who ever lived. Augustine was a man who experienced the call to conversion and change in his life. He was a man who searched and ultimately found God.
Points Of Challenge And Questions To Ponder
1. What is truly important for us? How do we order our priorities and where does the search for God fall? Nothing must impede us from our goal of finding God.
2. Are we constantly looking for God or is the Lord placed on "the back burner" in our day-to-day lives? Where do we look for God? Do we limit our search?
3. What do you need to live? Are we attached to the world or do we place our lot with God? Who or what has our loyalty?
4. What are we willing to sacrifice in order to find our way home to God? What things, people, or ideas impede our progress in moving toward the Lord?
5. Do we listen to the call of the Lord? Do we make time each day to talk with God? Do we give ourselves the opportunity to encounter God or have we shut the door to the Lord's invitation to life?
Exegesis And Explanation Of The Parable
The triad of parables contained in Matthew 13:44-52 concludes Jesus' discourse in this section of the Gospel and tells the reader that all the previous teachings will become more meaningful when we truly discover the Lord. Matthew uses the parables of the buried treasure, pearl of great price, and dragnet in the lake to instruct his readers in their need for Christ. True disciples must be willing to disposess themselves of all things when they discover Jesus and his message of love. In this pericope Jesus addresses his chosen apostles as examples of all disciples who must surrender themselves to Christ's unique mission and demonstrate their commitment to the new way. Israel as a nation is called by Jesus to give up all it hoped for or gained by struggle if it stands in the way of the message received in finding Christ, the greatest of all treasures.
The parables of buried treasure and the great pearl provide some similarities in their common message of discovering the Kingdom of Heaven. Both parables deal with the great joy of the Kingdom of Heaven and the need for true disciples to exhibit complete self-surrender to Jesus' will and teaching. In both cases the one who discovers is filled with joy in what is found and is willing to sell all in order to claim the great prize. Overwhelming joy at the find allows them no other action but to sell all to gain the new reward. The sense of fulfillment attained by the man in the field and the merchant through their independent discoveries will never again be equaled.
The parables demonstrate in similar ways how the Kingdom has its effect on the world through the decision and action of the individual. The treasure and the pearl are the source of power that gives rise to actions of people. Thus, the manifestations of God's Kingdom lead to action on the part of the individual. Each person who discovers the great prize can sell all or keep what is already possessed. Emphasis is placed in each parable on the discovery, whether accidental in the case of the treasure or as a result of a diligent search by the pearl merchant. Once the great prize is found a decision must be made on what will be done. Since both people sell all to possess their new discovery, the parables stand as exhortations for us to do likewise.
These parables should not be misconstrued as teaching that the Kingdom of Heaven is an individual possession that must be earned through the renunciation of material things. The central idea is that God's Kingdom is something that is to be received as a gift. It is not something that can be acquired and held as a legal and permanent possession. Yet, one cannot be passive, as represented by the parable of the farmer and the growing seed (Mark 4:26-29), but must actively seek the great prize which is discovered. Those whose eyes have been opened by what they have found must commit themselves wholeheartedly in faith and obedience to Jesus' teaching.
The early church fathers, such as Irenaeus and Augustine, held an interesting perspective on these two parables. For them the treasure and pearl were Christ. Converts who found Christ gave up everything in their old lifestyles and devoted themselves totally to Jesus. Christ is thus the treasure or pearl along life's highway. Some travelers are wandering (the man in the field) and others are seeking (the merchant), but when either finds Jesus the response is total self-surrender. They joyfully sell all in order to have Christ.
The parables of buried treasure and pearl of great price formed a unitive message for those who heard them the first time. In both cases the ones who discover these great treasures take a risk in their common decision to sell all for the one great reward. If a person can take a chance on an unknown treasure and a shrewd merchant is able to renounce all for the purchase of one great pearl, how much more highly should the disciples of Jesus be willing to abandon everything that is possessed in order to secure the one item that is necessary for eternal life.
The parable of the dragnet shows a clear connection to the parable of wheat and tares (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43). The actual parable, verses 47 and 48, speaks of how a net catches good and worthless things, fish and other items. Thus, as with the weeds, the Kingdom of Heaven is depicted as a mixture of good and evil. The interpretation, verses 49 and 50, again like the eschatologically-oriented allegory of the wheat and tares, can be seen as an instruction not to separate people in order to create a "pure" church. Thus, a warning is given against any impatience that would lead Jesus' disciples in their own right to execute the judgment of God. If the net represents the preaching of the gospel, then Jesus' message is clearly directed to all people without discrimination. Followers of Jesus are to go about their daily tasks, witness to fellow disciples, whomever they be, bring them together in the church, instruct them in their need for faith and repentance, and direct their attention to judgment, when the final separation of the wicked and righteous will take place.
Scholars are united in their belief that verses 49 and 50 are an allegorical interpretation of the basic parable. In certain ways, however, this interpretation is out of context with the situation presented in the story of the dragnet. Taking a page from apocalyptic literature, the evangelist has angels separate the evil from the good, with the former sent to be burned. Fish that were not useful would have been thrown back into the lake or used as fertilizer for crops; they would not have been burned. The allegory is also flawed in its absence of specified meaning for the net, the sea, and the basket which holds the fish. Most exegetes believe that Matthew uses allegory to refer to the church and its "mixed" status. As with the parable of the wheat and tares, the task of separation is not that of humans, but belongs solely with God. This understanding suggests that separation of good from evil is the central point of the parable, the gathering of people by the net of Jesus' preaching. Thus, Christians are not predestined to be chosen for eternal life, but they must persevere in doing what Jesus taught.
Many scholars, on the other hand, believe that verse 47 alone was the original parable. In this case the theme of inclusivity is even more prominent, but the idea of judgment is absent. Scholars point to the fact that it is the fishing and not the sorting which is of primary importance. As the fisherman spreads a net to capture every kind of fish before sorting, so the Kingdom of God embraces every human. This universal appeal, seen in the experience of the Apostolic Church, would have been justification for the mission to the Gentiles. Additionally, such an interpretation says that the gospel makes no discrimination of rank, class, wealth or poverty, trade or profession. The grace of God is offered freely to all.
Matthew concludes this section of his Gospel with an instruction on what is necessary for disciples who hear the previous words of Jesus. The evangelist sees the disciples as prototypes of the teacher of the Law who becomes a disciple in the kingdom of heaven. He says that the true teacher of the Law has learned from Jesus both the old and the new -- God's Law from the Hebrew Scriptures and its new interpretation proclaimed by Jesus and realized in all that he does. Some have suggested the old and new is Jesus' own teaching and its new interpretation in the discussions of the contemporary community of disciples. In either case, it appears certain that for Matthew the whole collection of parables in chapter 13 is a didactic discourse on the Kingdom of God. Teachers in this new way are disciples who remain learners, open to the new, throughout their lives.
This conclusion also serves as an important appendix to the parables presented previously. Ordinary Christians have direct access to the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven as revealed through the parables and other teachings of Jesus, but they require the assistance of scribes and others learned in the tradition who can help them appropriate the wisdom of the Hebrew Scriptures to their understanding of what God is doing in the post-resurrection church. Matthew stresses the new teaching of Jesus as the path that must be followed.
Many Scripture exegetes believe that verse 52 is Matthew's self-portrait, or at least how he conceived his mission as an evangelist. His comparison with a householder suggests that he held a position of authority in the community of disciples, but his office was to disseminate the message to other members of the household. He has at his disposal a treasure -- the old and new. Figuratively, these represent the stores of knowledge which the evangelist has accumulated. Matthew believed himself to be a disciple who learned the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven from Jesus. Now as an experienced scribe in the Jewish tradition, the evangelist must make his contribution to the growth of the tradition by applying the teaching of Jesus to a variety of emerging situations. He sees the Christian scribe as versed in the Law of Moses and in the Law of Christ, which is the fulfillment, not the abolition, of the ancient Law. Matthew understands himself as an interpreter, guardian, and dispenser of the tradition.
Context Of The Parable
Context In The Church Year
The three parables of the treasure, pearl, and dragnet in the sea form the end of our reading of chapter 13 in Matthew. For the past three weeks the church has used the parables of this highly significant chapter to instruct us in the need for perseverance, patience, inclusivity, and the need to think carefully about what is truly important in our lives. Parables were used by Jesus to be instructive, and they can be used by us today for a similar purpose. While scholars debate the various intricacies of these special stories of the Lord, the faithful can use the teachings in their daily lives. The church will continue with its semi-continuous reading of Matthew's Gospel throughout the "A" liturgical year, but the teaching of Jesus in parable form will not be re-introduced until Pentecost week seventeen.
Context With Other Gospels
The parables in this section of Matthew's Gospel have parallels in the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas. The parables of the treasure and pearl are found in Thomas, 109 and 76 respectively, but with different emphases. The story of the treasure is a comment on an opportunity missed. A son sells the land he has inherited without realizing that his father hid a treasure on it. In the case of the pearl, the merchant sells all and buys the one pearl because it suits his fancy. The appearance of these two parables as separate pericopes in Thomas suggests that the parables may not have been originally proclaimed together by Jesus, but rather were joined by Matthew. The parable of the dragnet, found in the Gospel of Thomas 8, also presents a different perspective -- the fisherman throws away all the little fish and keeps only a single large one.
This triad of parables is unique to Matthew, although some parallels in theme are present in other parts of the Canon of Scripture. The parables of the treasure and the pearl exhibit the language of Wisdom literature where wisdom is referred to as a treasure (Proverbs 2:4, 8:18-24, Isaiah 33:6) and as a pearl (Proverbs 3:14-15, 8:11 and Job 28:17-18). The image of the fish net is used by Mark (1:16) and Luke (5:4-7) but involves the use of boats and crews; it is not used by one man.
Context With First And Second Lessons
First Lesson: 1 Kings 3:5-12. Solomon is known through the tradition as a man of great wisdom. This passage from 1 Kings tells us that Solomon had the opportunity to ask God for anything, but he chose "an understanding mind to govern ... [to] discern between good and evil...." Solomon possessed the insight of what was truly important in life. While riches and power might have been helpful to him as a king, he chose what would be permanent in order to bring the most benefit for the people whom God had given him to shepherd. Solomon's ability to choose wisely was rewarded by God. In opting for that which only God can give, Solomon chose what he needed to govern and also to be in union with God.
Second Lesson: Romans 8:26-39. Paul writes to the Christian community at Rome about what God will do for those who make the right choices. Disciples of Jesus, those who truly love him, will be called, justified, and glorified. When we find Jesus and take his message into our hearts we have the greatest of all prizes, the treasure of a lifetime, the pearl of great price. If we sell all, place our hope and faith in him, and persevere in our daily tasks, then we will find the eternal life we seek. God's promise as articulated by Saint Paul is irrevocable.
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1. Paraphrased from "The Lady of the Lake," in John R. Aurelio, Colors! Stories of the Kingdom (New York: The Crossroad Publishng Company, 1993), pp. 40-41.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
"Have you understood all this?" They answered, "Yes." And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old."
Theme
Along the road of life we will make many discoveries. We will find an occupation to exercise our skills, a place to live that meets our needs and desires, possibly a spouse who helps us live life more fully, and ultimately a sense of fulfillment in our day-to-day Christian walk. The greatest prize, however, the one we must sell all possessions, opportunities, and possibilities in order to receive, is Jesus. We will only keep this greatest of all treasures if we are committed and surrender ourselves to the Lord's will. The buried treasure and pearl of great price are ours for the asking, but without commitment they soon will be lost. Our priority must be for Jesus and his message of love and peace for all people.
Spiritual Food For The Journey
Searching for the special prize of life, however one may define it, is a quest in which all people participate. Children often save their allowance and the money they make through odd jobs to purchase the one item they "have always wanted." They are willing to sacrifice time, resources, and opportunity for the one thing they feel they must have. Couples in love often take extraordinary chances or do unheard-of things for the one whom they feel will bring them the special happiness we all seek. Great athletes, like those who compete in the Olympics, focus years of their lives on the one opportunity to compete against the world's best in any one sport or event, and the chance to win the coveted gold medal. Parents will deny themselves certain items and place all extra money in a fund so that one day their children can attend college and have that much more of an opportunity to make a significant contribution to our society.
Contemporary life promotes the material world or the people in it as the treasure of life, but for us who bear the name Christian another answer must be found. We are almost programmed today to believe that what we need must be measurable, observable, or tangible; there is no significant thought of the invisible, intangible, or supernatural as a goal for which we would sacrifice and give all we possess. Yet, the ultimate goal for the Christian is to find God and to live in the Lord's presence forever. Although this aim is not recognizable by most, it is the only objective that will bring us home and lead us to eternal life.
We need to discover or rediscover Jesus in our lives. There are so many things that demand our time, resources, and talent that we seldom have the opportunity to concentrate on the things that really matter in life. The parables of the buried treasure, pearl of great price, and dragnet teach us that we need God. We may be actively seeking the Lord or we may be wandering, but when we find Jesus we must be willing to give up all and surrender ourselves to obtain the eternal life he offers to us. We may encounter the Lord at a time of spiritual ecstasy or in the depths of despair. We must, therefore, be ready to pay the price and not allow God's presence to pass us by. God will come knocking, but are we listening? God seeks entrance, but are we ready to open the door? The answer is ours.
Application Of The Parable To Contemporary Life
Sermon Openings
1. When she was a little girl her parents bought a cottage by the lake. It was a small and humble place, but it soon would be filled with many memories. Each summer the family went to the lake. She and her brother and sisters swam in the lake almost everyday. On special occasions her father rented a boat and the whole family paddled around the lake. She learned how to fish and even tried her hand at water skiing. Vacations were a constant source of joy because of the little cottage by the lake.
When she grew a little older and entered high school other interests were found besides the cottage by the lake. Clothes, parties, and especially boys occupied the majority of her time. She went to summer school to improve her mind, but also to enhance her social life. The few times that she did go to the lake were with friends. Horseplay, long walks along the shore of the lake, and roasting marshmallows over a dying campfire were memories she collected.
As time passed she graduated from high school, went to college, and got a job. She became successful and married the man of her dreams. She was far too busy to go to the little cottage by the lake. Even when her parents died and left the house to her she could not muster the energy or resolve to go to the lake; it no longer seemed to fit her taste. After all, it was small and inconvenient due to its location; it would take lots of remodeling to satisfy her tastes. The lake was more like a big pond; it was hardly something of which to be proud. When she had children they convinced her to go to the lake a couple of times, but her attitude rubbed off on them and no one had a good time. In the end she abandoned the cottage completely. She was a successful businesswoman who lectured and traveled widely and thus did not have any time for the cottage. Besides, she had all that was needed, a fancy car, designer clothes, and a palatial home.
One day while at work she received a message from her secretary. Vandals had broken into the little cottage by the lake and burned it to the ground. Loss of the cottage didn't matter to her, but for some strange reason she felt compelled to go to the lake. When she arrived she stood in the ashes of what once was the little cottage by the lake. Surrounded by the charred rubble, she remembered and began to cry uncontrollably; she couldn't stop. At that moment she came to a stunning revelation. If all the fancy things she had -- the car, designer clothes, palatial home -- were lost she would not cry as hard as she was now for the little cottage by the lake. The place had become part of her and she never realized it. That day when she left, the lake looked bigger than it ever had before. Her tears had made it so.1
What is truly important in our lives? What occupies our time, energy, thoughts, and resources? What value do we place on the various things of our lives -- our opportunities, our health, our material possessions, our relationship with God? In today's Gospel passage we hear several short vignettes, images of the kingdom of God, which tell us that there is nothing more important than our relationship with the Lord.
2. "Late have I loved you, O Beauty so ancient and so new, late have I loved you." This famous line comes from an equally famous book. It was written after a life of trial, searching, and change. It was written by a man who had found conversion in his life. He was born in the city of Thagaste, now in the country of Algeria, in the year 354. His father was Patricius, a Roman citizen and pagan. His mother was Monica, a prayerful Christian woman of simple means.
As a youth he was an intelligent, questioning boy. Yet, he seemed to live his life as an individual; he was quite self-centered. All of life was for him -- his projects, his education, his welfare. As a young man he was a teacher of rhetoric. He became well-known for his intelligence and probing mind. As a young adult he was involved in a relationship and fathered a son, Adeodatus.
Despite his fame and success, his life of "individualism" lacked something. The void he felt was community; he needed the presence of others and he needed God. Thus, he began to search for that which was missing in his life, his need for community and God. Pagan religions offered no help to this probing mind. Manichaeism, a semi-Christian heretical movement, attracted him, but after a few years his dissatisfaction returned. Finally, this man of speech and debate answered the call to Christianity. He found people; he found community; he found God. He learned that the world was not me; the world is us!
"Late have I loved you, O Beauty so ancient and so new." These words are found in the Confessions, the autobiography of Saint Augustine, bishop of Hippo, one of the most gifted and famous men who ever lived. Augustine was a man who experienced the call to conversion and change in his life. He was a man who searched and ultimately found God.
Points Of Challenge And Questions To Ponder
1. What is truly important for us? How do we order our priorities and where does the search for God fall? Nothing must impede us from our goal of finding God.
2. Are we constantly looking for God or is the Lord placed on "the back burner" in our day-to-day lives? Where do we look for God? Do we limit our search?
3. What do you need to live? Are we attached to the world or do we place our lot with God? Who or what has our loyalty?
4. What are we willing to sacrifice in order to find our way home to God? What things, people, or ideas impede our progress in moving toward the Lord?
5. Do we listen to the call of the Lord? Do we make time each day to talk with God? Do we give ourselves the opportunity to encounter God or have we shut the door to the Lord's invitation to life?
Exegesis And Explanation Of The Parable
The triad of parables contained in Matthew 13:44-52 concludes Jesus' discourse in this section of the Gospel and tells the reader that all the previous teachings will become more meaningful when we truly discover the Lord. Matthew uses the parables of the buried treasure, pearl of great price, and dragnet in the lake to instruct his readers in their need for Christ. True disciples must be willing to disposess themselves of all things when they discover Jesus and his message of love. In this pericope Jesus addresses his chosen apostles as examples of all disciples who must surrender themselves to Christ's unique mission and demonstrate their commitment to the new way. Israel as a nation is called by Jesus to give up all it hoped for or gained by struggle if it stands in the way of the message received in finding Christ, the greatest of all treasures.
The parables of buried treasure and the great pearl provide some similarities in their common message of discovering the Kingdom of Heaven. Both parables deal with the great joy of the Kingdom of Heaven and the need for true disciples to exhibit complete self-surrender to Jesus' will and teaching. In both cases the one who discovers is filled with joy in what is found and is willing to sell all in order to claim the great prize. Overwhelming joy at the find allows them no other action but to sell all to gain the new reward. The sense of fulfillment attained by the man in the field and the merchant through their independent discoveries will never again be equaled.
The parables demonstrate in similar ways how the Kingdom has its effect on the world through the decision and action of the individual. The treasure and the pearl are the source of power that gives rise to actions of people. Thus, the manifestations of God's Kingdom lead to action on the part of the individual. Each person who discovers the great prize can sell all or keep what is already possessed. Emphasis is placed in each parable on the discovery, whether accidental in the case of the treasure or as a result of a diligent search by the pearl merchant. Once the great prize is found a decision must be made on what will be done. Since both people sell all to possess their new discovery, the parables stand as exhortations for us to do likewise.
These parables should not be misconstrued as teaching that the Kingdom of Heaven is an individual possession that must be earned through the renunciation of material things. The central idea is that God's Kingdom is something that is to be received as a gift. It is not something that can be acquired and held as a legal and permanent possession. Yet, one cannot be passive, as represented by the parable of the farmer and the growing seed (Mark 4:26-29), but must actively seek the great prize which is discovered. Those whose eyes have been opened by what they have found must commit themselves wholeheartedly in faith and obedience to Jesus' teaching.
The early church fathers, such as Irenaeus and Augustine, held an interesting perspective on these two parables. For them the treasure and pearl were Christ. Converts who found Christ gave up everything in their old lifestyles and devoted themselves totally to Jesus. Christ is thus the treasure or pearl along life's highway. Some travelers are wandering (the man in the field) and others are seeking (the merchant), but when either finds Jesus the response is total self-surrender. They joyfully sell all in order to have Christ.
The parables of buried treasure and pearl of great price formed a unitive message for those who heard them the first time. In both cases the ones who discover these great treasures take a risk in their common decision to sell all for the one great reward. If a person can take a chance on an unknown treasure and a shrewd merchant is able to renounce all for the purchase of one great pearl, how much more highly should the disciples of Jesus be willing to abandon everything that is possessed in order to secure the one item that is necessary for eternal life.
The parable of the dragnet shows a clear connection to the parable of wheat and tares (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43). The actual parable, verses 47 and 48, speaks of how a net catches good and worthless things, fish and other items. Thus, as with the weeds, the Kingdom of Heaven is depicted as a mixture of good and evil. The interpretation, verses 49 and 50, again like the eschatologically-oriented allegory of the wheat and tares, can be seen as an instruction not to separate people in order to create a "pure" church. Thus, a warning is given against any impatience that would lead Jesus' disciples in their own right to execute the judgment of God. If the net represents the preaching of the gospel, then Jesus' message is clearly directed to all people without discrimination. Followers of Jesus are to go about their daily tasks, witness to fellow disciples, whomever they be, bring them together in the church, instruct them in their need for faith and repentance, and direct their attention to judgment, when the final separation of the wicked and righteous will take place.
Scholars are united in their belief that verses 49 and 50 are an allegorical interpretation of the basic parable. In certain ways, however, this interpretation is out of context with the situation presented in the story of the dragnet. Taking a page from apocalyptic literature, the evangelist has angels separate the evil from the good, with the former sent to be burned. Fish that were not useful would have been thrown back into the lake or used as fertilizer for crops; they would not have been burned. The allegory is also flawed in its absence of specified meaning for the net, the sea, and the basket which holds the fish. Most exegetes believe that Matthew uses allegory to refer to the church and its "mixed" status. As with the parable of the wheat and tares, the task of separation is not that of humans, but belongs solely with God. This understanding suggests that separation of good from evil is the central point of the parable, the gathering of people by the net of Jesus' preaching. Thus, Christians are not predestined to be chosen for eternal life, but they must persevere in doing what Jesus taught.
Many scholars, on the other hand, believe that verse 47 alone was the original parable. In this case the theme of inclusivity is even more prominent, but the idea of judgment is absent. Scholars point to the fact that it is the fishing and not the sorting which is of primary importance. As the fisherman spreads a net to capture every kind of fish before sorting, so the Kingdom of God embraces every human. This universal appeal, seen in the experience of the Apostolic Church, would have been justification for the mission to the Gentiles. Additionally, such an interpretation says that the gospel makes no discrimination of rank, class, wealth or poverty, trade or profession. The grace of God is offered freely to all.
Matthew concludes this section of his Gospel with an instruction on what is necessary for disciples who hear the previous words of Jesus. The evangelist sees the disciples as prototypes of the teacher of the Law who becomes a disciple in the kingdom of heaven. He says that the true teacher of the Law has learned from Jesus both the old and the new -- God's Law from the Hebrew Scriptures and its new interpretation proclaimed by Jesus and realized in all that he does. Some have suggested the old and new is Jesus' own teaching and its new interpretation in the discussions of the contemporary community of disciples. In either case, it appears certain that for Matthew the whole collection of parables in chapter 13 is a didactic discourse on the Kingdom of God. Teachers in this new way are disciples who remain learners, open to the new, throughout their lives.
This conclusion also serves as an important appendix to the parables presented previously. Ordinary Christians have direct access to the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven as revealed through the parables and other teachings of Jesus, but they require the assistance of scribes and others learned in the tradition who can help them appropriate the wisdom of the Hebrew Scriptures to their understanding of what God is doing in the post-resurrection church. Matthew stresses the new teaching of Jesus as the path that must be followed.
Many Scripture exegetes believe that verse 52 is Matthew's self-portrait, or at least how he conceived his mission as an evangelist. His comparison with a householder suggests that he held a position of authority in the community of disciples, but his office was to disseminate the message to other members of the household. He has at his disposal a treasure -- the old and new. Figuratively, these represent the stores of knowledge which the evangelist has accumulated. Matthew believed himself to be a disciple who learned the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven from Jesus. Now as an experienced scribe in the Jewish tradition, the evangelist must make his contribution to the growth of the tradition by applying the teaching of Jesus to a variety of emerging situations. He sees the Christian scribe as versed in the Law of Moses and in the Law of Christ, which is the fulfillment, not the abolition, of the ancient Law. Matthew understands himself as an interpreter, guardian, and dispenser of the tradition.
Context Of The Parable
Context In The Church Year
The three parables of the treasure, pearl, and dragnet in the sea form the end of our reading of chapter 13 in Matthew. For the past three weeks the church has used the parables of this highly significant chapter to instruct us in the need for perseverance, patience, inclusivity, and the need to think carefully about what is truly important in our lives. Parables were used by Jesus to be instructive, and they can be used by us today for a similar purpose. While scholars debate the various intricacies of these special stories of the Lord, the faithful can use the teachings in their daily lives. The church will continue with its semi-continuous reading of Matthew's Gospel throughout the "A" liturgical year, but the teaching of Jesus in parable form will not be re-introduced until Pentecost week seventeen.
Context With Other Gospels
The parables in this section of Matthew's Gospel have parallels in the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas. The parables of the treasure and pearl are found in Thomas, 109 and 76 respectively, but with different emphases. The story of the treasure is a comment on an opportunity missed. A son sells the land he has inherited without realizing that his father hid a treasure on it. In the case of the pearl, the merchant sells all and buys the one pearl because it suits his fancy. The appearance of these two parables as separate pericopes in Thomas suggests that the parables may not have been originally proclaimed together by Jesus, but rather were joined by Matthew. The parable of the dragnet, found in the Gospel of Thomas 8, also presents a different perspective -- the fisherman throws away all the little fish and keeps only a single large one.
This triad of parables is unique to Matthew, although some parallels in theme are present in other parts of the Canon of Scripture. The parables of the treasure and the pearl exhibit the language of Wisdom literature where wisdom is referred to as a treasure (Proverbs 2:4, 8:18-24, Isaiah 33:6) and as a pearl (Proverbs 3:14-15, 8:11 and Job 28:17-18). The image of the fish net is used by Mark (1:16) and Luke (5:4-7) but involves the use of boats and crews; it is not used by one man.
Context With First And Second Lessons
First Lesson: 1 Kings 3:5-12. Solomon is known through the tradition as a man of great wisdom. This passage from 1 Kings tells us that Solomon had the opportunity to ask God for anything, but he chose "an understanding mind to govern ... [to] discern between good and evil...." Solomon possessed the insight of what was truly important in life. While riches and power might have been helpful to him as a king, he chose what would be permanent in order to bring the most benefit for the people whom God had given him to shepherd. Solomon's ability to choose wisely was rewarded by God. In opting for that which only God can give, Solomon chose what he needed to govern and also to be in union with God.
Second Lesson: Romans 8:26-39. Paul writes to the Christian community at Rome about what God will do for those who make the right choices. Disciples of Jesus, those who truly love him, will be called, justified, and glorified. When we find Jesus and take his message into our hearts we have the greatest of all prizes, the treasure of a lifetime, the pearl of great price. If we sell all, place our hope and faith in him, and persevere in our daily tasks, then we will find the eternal life we seek. God's promise as articulated by Saint Paul is irrevocable.
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1. Paraphrased from "The Lady of the Lake," in John R. Aurelio, Colors! Stories of the Kingdom (New York: The Crossroad Publishng Company, 1993), pp. 40-41.
