Treasures And Trash
Preaching
Preaching the Parables
Series II, Cycle A
Object:
"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. 45"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; 46on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. 47"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; 48when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. 49So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, 50and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51"Have you understood all this?" They answered, "Yes." 52And 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."
The parables in Matthew 13:44-52 continue the series of eight that are found in this chapter. The previous parables were told in public to a large crowd (see Matthew 13:1-3). Now Jesus moves into a house where the disciples came to him (Matthew 13:36). He first explains the parable about the weeds among the wheat. He then proceeds to tell the three parables in Matthew 13:44-52. Two of the parables, the treasure hidden in the field and the pearl of great value, are twins. The third parable about the net and fishes is a twin to the earlier parable about the weeds and the wheat. This follows a familiar organizing principle in Matthew of ABBA. Again all three parables are intended to describe the nature and value of the kingdom of heaven. They all begin with the same phrase, "the kingdom of heaven is like ..." The section ends with a summary statement addressed to the disciples who are compared to scribes.
Context
The parables are for the tenth Sunday following Pentecost and conclude a series of three Sundays dealing with the parables of the kingdom from Matthew 13.
Context of the Lectionary
The First Lesson. (Genesis 29:15-28) The story of Jacob continues from last week. He is now working for Laban. The trickster who tricked his brother out of his inheritance is in turn tricked into marrying Leah instead of Rachel. He had to work another seven years before he finally was granted Rachel as his wife.
The Second Lesson. (Romans 8:26-39) The first half of this reading gives assurance of support by the Spirit. The second half gives further assurance that all things work together for good for those who are called by God. It is one of the key passages that raises the difficult issue of predestination. It ends with the assertion that nothing in all the world can separate the faithful from the love of God.
Gospel. (Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52) The reading brings to a conclusion the three-week series of parables followed from Matthew 13.
Psalm. (Psalm 105:1-11, 45b) The Psalm connects the seeking of the second parable in today's gospel reading about the pearl of great value. It also relates back to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob with the promise of the holy land given to Moses in the first lesson for today. It ends with an exclamation of praise to the Lord.
Context of Related Scripture
Leviticus 11:9-12 -- Description of clean and unclean fish.
Job 19:6 -- Closed into a net by God.
Job 28:18 -- "The price of wisdom is above pearls."
Psalm 66:11 -- Use of the image of the net into which we are drawn.
Ecclesiastes 9:12 -- Image of fish caught into a cruel net compared with mortals snared by calamity.
Habakkuk 1:15-17 -- An opposing view of the net as used by the enemy.
Matthew 6:19-21 -- (Luke 12:33-34) -- Treasures on earth or heaven.
Matthew 6:33 -- Seeking first the kingdom.
Matthew 7:6 -- Throwing pearls before swine.
Matthew 25:14-30 -- Note that one of the servants buried a talent in the earth for safe keeping.
Revelation 22:21 -- Each of the 12 gates are made from a single pearl.
Content
The first two parables are more similes than parables. They do not provide many details. Nothing is said about the amount of the treasure in the first instance. It is assumed that the treasure is of considerable size. In the second parable nothing is said about why the person would want to possess the pearl. Was the merchant wanting to sell it again and gain a great profit? Or did he want it as a source of status and pride of possession? These kinds of questions were not of concern in telling the story. The main point of each is the good fortune that each had in discovering the treasure and the price they were willing to pay to possess them.
Some contrasts can be noted between the first two parables. In the treasure hidden in the field, the person who found the treasure was probably poor. He had to sell all that he had to purchase the field. The person in the parable of the costly pearl apparently was of some wealth since he could afford to travel to find the pearl.
A second contrast is between the accidental finding of the treasure in the field as opposed to the merchant who went searching for the beautiful pearl. A third contrast is between the presumed multiple nature of the treasure in a box as opposed to the unitary nature of the pearl.
The third parable would particularly speak to the disciples who were fishermen. They no doubt had often sat on the shore of Galilee and sorted out their catch of fish. They would cast aside the fish which were considered unclean by the Levitical law. This parable is very similar to the parable of the weeds in the wheat in that the good and the bad were mixed together, the weeds in the field of wheat and the good and bad fish in the sea. They both have the element of harvest before the good and the bad were separated. They both have as their main point the implied warning of the fate of the bad as opposed to the fate of the good.
The final verses of the section offer a summary statement of the entire chapter. Matthew earlier had contrasted what was said from the old tradition with what Jesus said as fulfillment of the intention but which became a new statement of the principles. It is not entirely clear exactly what the reference to the old and the new is. The most general understanding would be the old as the Law and the new as the Gospel. It could also be the old as representing the human kingdom of Israel which was bound by geography and ethnicity while the new is the spiritual kingdom that is universal in scope and no longer bound by the particularity of time and place.
Precis of the Parables
The emphasis of the twin parables is on the joy at the good fortune of those who find the kingdom. All other treasures that persons find of value are to be sacrificed to obtain the much greater value of the kingdom. The third parable underscores the same point as the previous parable of the weeds in the wheat. At the end of history a sorting takes place between good and evil. Only the good eventually survives and endures. The final verse suggests that the disciples retain the values which they had received from Judaism. They are also to understand the new interpretations and teachings which came from Jesus.
Thesis: The incomparable worth of the kingdom of heaven.
Theme: The kingdom is worth any cost.
Key Words in the Parables
1. "Heaven." (v. 44) Matthew uses the term the kingdom of heaven where Luke speaks of the kingdom of God. The difference reflects the cultural background of the two writers. Matthew comes from a Hebrew background. He would be reluctant to use the name of God. In the Old Testament, it was the name written but not pronounced. The term heaven is a euphemism to avoid the danger of profaning the name of God. Luke had a gentile background. He would not have the same hesitation as Matthew.
2. "Hidden in a field." (v. 44) In biblical times no one had banks which were a secure place to deposit wealth. Houses also were not safe places to keep a treasure. Especially in times of chaos, such as war, people would bury their gold, silver, jewels, and other precious items which were durable in the ground. Subsequently, they might be killed or exiled and the knowledge of the location of the hidden treasure was lost. At a later time someone might stumble upon the treasure and recover it.
3. "Found ... hid." (v. 44) We might raise the ethical issue of finding a treasure in a field that did not belong to us and then hiding it so we can purchase the field. Buying the field without disclosing the true value of the field containing the treasure is a form of deception. While the ethics might be questionable, it was legal to do so at that time. An unclaimed hidden treasure became the property of the owner of the place where it was located. The law presumed that the seller of the field was not the owner of the treasure or he would not sell it at a price much less than it was worth. The principle was somewhat like the saying, "Finders keepers, losers weepers!"
4. "A merchant." (v. 45) Pearls were not usually found in Palestine. A merchant might travel to the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, or even to the Indian Ocean in search of pearls.
5. "Pearl." (v. 45) A pearl was a scarce item. It held a place in the society of the time that diamonds hold in our society. Pearls could be used as currency. To serve as currency for trade, anything has to have certain properties. It has to be relatively scarce to make it desirable. It has to be stable so that it will not easily diminish in value over time. And it has to be small enough to be easily portable. Pearls met all of these requirements.
6. "Net." (v. 47) The net used would be a dragnet. It was sometimes attached on shore at one end and then drug by the boat out into the water to surround and catch the fish. At other times two boats were used to drag the net in a large circle and catch all the fish in a given area.
7. "Fish of every kind." (v. 47) It is not clear whether Jesus deliberately intended to include every kind of fish in the world and thereby to imply the universality of his message. He may have intended to imply that the kingdom of heaven did not just include the Jews. According to some sources, at the time they thought all the different kinds of fish in the world numbered 153.
8. "When it was full." (v. 48) This expression points to the end of history, the time of fulfillment. At that time judgment will be made.
9. "Threw out the bad." (v. 48) According to Levitical law only fish that had scales and fins were edible. People were not to eat any swarming creatures in the water which did not have fins and scales. They were detested.
10. "Scribes ... trained for the kingdom ..." (v. 52) The disciples were to be learners. They had to be experts about the nature of the kingdom of heaven as opposed to the scribes of the Pharisees who were experts in the law. Some raise the question as to whether at the time that Matthew wrote scribes were a functioning position in the Christian church or not.
Contemplation
Insights
1. The Message of Joy. The person who found the treasure in the field responded with joy at his discovery. Jesus frequently participated in the joys of life. He attended weddings. He enjoyed banquets. He found stimulating conversation in the home of Mary and Martha. He attended a wedding. These activities were quite a contrast to John the Baptist who lived a very ascetic and probably lonely life in the desert. His was a message of doom. Jesus, on the other hand, generally invited people to the heavenly banquet. While those who came to John the Baptist might be scared into repentance, those who followed Jesus were attracted by his love. A Christian church which is an evangelistic church will attract people by the joy manifested in the life of the members who have discovered love, joy, and peace in Christ.
2. The Highest Good. Often the enemy of the highest good is the satisfaction with a lesser good. The merchant who searched for the pearl of great value was restless with lesser values. In a sense, human beings are never fully satisfied that they have achieved their full potential. The Christian life is a constant striving for complete fulfillment of possibilities. Christians are drawn by the high example given in Jesus Christ. They can constantly grow into the fullest maturity but they do so without the pervasive anxiety of those who have the underlying feeling, consciously or unconsciously, that they have missed the real meaning of life.
3. Paying the Price. Note that neither the man who bought the field nor the merchant had any hesitation or showed any regrets in having to pay the price to acquire the treasure and the pearl. Some Christians give the impression that they have made a great sacrifice in becoming Christian. They have given up "worldly pleasures" which have no enduring value. It is life in the kingdom that gives real pleasure and satisfaction. It is not fleeting and momentary but deep and lasting, if they have found the love of Christ filling their lives and the presence of the Spirit enabling them to embrace others and the world in love.
4. The Multiplicity of the Church. The net drew in fish of every kind. The good fish were not all of one kind. In the church it is not external or surface conditions which distinguish the good from the bad. The church encompasses all those who receive Christ and bear fruits of the kingdom regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, cultural distinctions, economic status, social rank, or gender. The church also includes persons who are at different stages in their growth toward full maturity in Christ. The church does not exclude merely because of differences, but nourishes, encourages, and supports each other in the pursuit of realization of the kingdom among us.
5. The Sea. In Hebrew culture the sea and the desert were generally symbolic of the untamed forces of the world which tend toward chaos. God is the being who brings order out of the chaotic forces of the world. We bring order into the chaotic and untamed urges in our lives when we submit them to the order of God's rule. We also then identify the sources of chaos in the world around us. Secure under the sovereignty of God who is working to order the world, we can face the uncertainties of life and overcome them. Even death loses its fear because we know the order of grace which transcends the world and death.
6. Scribes trained for the kingdom. Jesus was in frequent conflict with the scribes whom he confronted. They were trained in the dead letter of the law. He was angered by the way their sophistry enabled them to rationalize actions which in effect defeated the intention of the law. They failed to recognize the true moving of the spirit of life. One does not have to have all knowledge to be a scribe in the kingdom. A scribe trained for the kingdom does need to experience the realities of life. A scribe needs to do what Peter eventually did. He moved beyond a mere verbal confession of Christ to the experience of the power of the resurrection. The scribe trained for the kingdom needs to love Christ and tend his sheep with the knowledge of the love that seeks and saves as a good shepherd.
Homily Hints
1. Finding the Kingdom. (vv. 44-46) People come to the kingdom in different ways. The way they arrive is not the important issue. That they enter the kingdom is the issue.
A. Finding by Accident
B. Finding after Long Searching
C. Entry is Always by Grace
2. The Supreme Treasure Hunt. (vv. 44-46) Life is a search to discover the meaning God intended for human life.
A. Knowing the Treasure
B. Seeking the Treasure
C. The Cost of the Treasure
3. The Paradox of the Kingdom. (vv. 44-46) The contrasts of the values of the kingdom with the accepted values of the world appear to be upside down. What appears to be giving up some values really results in restoring the fullest values to them.
A. Giving up Self, Finding Self Fulfilled
B. Giving up Pleasures, Finding Life More Pleasurable
C. Giving up Life, Finding Eternal Life
4. The Pearl as a Symbol. (vv. 44-45) The pearl is made from life. It is the result of the action of the oyster to deal with an irritation.
A. Turning Life's Irritations into Jewels. People have taken adversities and turned them into priceless examples of accomplishments.
B. Surrounding Evil with Love. Transforming evil with good brings beauty in the midst of ugliness.
C. Overcoming Handicaps. Handicaps often become challenges to excel rather than causes of defeat.
5. Training for the Kingdom. (v. 52) The person who would be a scribe for the kingdom needs to develop discernment.
A. Discerning the Old and the New
B. Discerning the Treasure from Trash
C. Discerning the Good and the Bad
Contact
Points of Contact
1. The Excitement of a Treasure Hunt. A treasure hunt excites the imagination. How excited we would be if we stumbled onto an unexpected treasure -- win the lottery, win the sweepstakes, receive a large inheritance unexpectedly, find gold or oil in our backyard. All these allow people to dream about what they could do with such sudden fortune.
Yet often people who do come into such wealth are not happy because of it. They are hounded by people who want to share in their fortune. They discover relatives they never knew existed! They quickly squander the riches and find the enjoyment of their wealth was transitory. They may end up poorer than they were before they suddenly became rich.
What a contrast to those who discover the treasure of the kingdom. It opens ever new vistas of what life is all about. They find themselves with "relatives," brothers and sisters in the faith who do not demand from them but who support and encourage them. Their lives are further enriched by finding an expanded family of faith.
2. True Riches. Jesus admonished his hearers not to lay up for themselves treasure on earth but treasures in heaven (Matthew 7:14-20). How much anxiety and fear we generate when we have our treasures on earth. We try to find security for such treasures by putting them in safe deposit boxes, by building fences or walls, by installing locks to keep people out, or in other ways seek to protect our treasures. People even become prisoners in their own homes trying to keep their treasures secure.
How different it is when we have treasures in the kingdom of heaven. It is not something to be protected from others. Rather it is a joy to share. It opens life to other people. We do not find ourselves impoverished by sharing our treasure. Instead we find our lives enriched and our treasures enlarged in the process.
3. Ever Seeking and Searching. Life is a process of growth. Persons are goal-oriented beings. They are attracted by hope for something better. The longing for fulfillment is finally realized when persons find themselves in harmony with their Creator. They find the longing satisfied when they realize the purpose for which God intended them to be. In the life of the flesh the possibility of continued growth is lifelong. Even when the physical powers begin to fade and falter, spiritual growth remains a continual search to the end of life in the flesh.
4. Worth the Risk. Both the person who found the treasure in the field and the merchant who found the valuable pearl took risks to obtain something they expected to give them greater value. The persons who commit themselves to the kingdom of heaven take the risk that they will find in living the life of the kingdom, the truth about the meaning and purpose of life. It is the great gamble. It bets that in this world they find joy and satisfaction living in the kingdom as already present. It is also the bet that life continues and finds final fulfillment beyond this world. Still, even if this world is all they gain, is it not worth the risk?
Points to Ponder
1. Where is the Treasure? The diversity of the two treasures raises the issue of whether the treasure of the kingdom is multiple or unitary. Do persons find the riches of the kingdom in personal salvation, in the sense of release from sin and guilt? Do they find the treasure in a transformed motivation that leads to an ethical life which puts aside the temptations to find the meaning of life in the pleasures of the flesh, or in the temptations to spiritual pride? Or is the treasure found in the life of the church, in the fellowship and community that offers acceptance, that inspires to higher living, that supports and comforts in times of weakness, pain, and distress? Or is the treasure found in visioning a whole new world and working to bring it to pass? Or is the treasure wrapped up in all the above?
2. How is the Kingdom Found? The two parables have two different ways to find the kingdom. The first has it found by accident. The man stumbled on it unawares. Do some persons come to the kingdom by accident? Do they stumble on it without seeking and yet become aware of its meaning and significance? In the second parable the merchant searched for the pearl, possibly by extensive travel far and wide. Do persons come to the kingdom by searching the scripture and by seeking the preacher who brings them the word? Is the kingdom found in only one way or are many ways open to find it since the Spirit blows where it wills?
3. The Standard of Judgment. Are we judged by our behaviors which are open and visible to all, or are we judged by our motivation, our inner intention and purposing which are so often hidden from others? Some question is raised about the ethics of the man who found the treasure in the field. He used deception to get it by covering it up and paying less for the field than the treasure was worth. Did Jesus condone his actions or only want to emphasize the final outcome? Was it the behavior or the motivation that Jesus drew upon?
4. Justice at the End. Does the parable of the dragnet with its good and bad fish give hope and assurance that the universe ultimately has a moral structure to it? Can we have faith that while it often appears that crime does pay and the evil is winning, in the final outcome of life and history God brings justice? Is it our task to live the life of faithfulness in trust, patience, and perseverance even when it seems that the evil is winning and the good is being defeated? Is our hope in a just outcome to life and history a reasonable hope? If so, how do we act in light of that hope?
5. Interpreting the Net. Is it proper to use allegory in interpreting the parable of the dragnet? Does the boat represent the church that should be gathering the people in by its evangelizing? Or is the basket the church into which the good is gathered? Will history come to an end when the net is full and the time for the separation of the good and bad fishes has come? Are we to do the separation of the fish or are we to leave it to God's especially appointed agents outside of history?
6. Scribes in the Church. The Presbyterian Church has at times made a distinction between the Teaching Elder and the Ruling Elders. The Ruling Elders are lay persons who govern the local congregation. The Teaching Elder is the pastor. He or she is trained to teach the church proper doctrine. Should the pastor be the "scribe ... trained for the kingdom of heaven," or should that be a separate function in the congregation, or should every Christian be such a scribe?
7. The Old and the New. Jesus did not fit very well the categories of liberal and conservative. He valued the scriptures of his day but he also had the courage and wisdom to reinterpret them. Every person probably is a mixture of liberal and conservative. The conservative wants to preserve the values of the past. The liberal wants to adapt to new understandings and conditions. People in their youth tend to want to make the world over in their own image, and thus are inclined to be liberal. As they age, they want to keep that which they have worked to create. So they become conservative. Does not every person at some point quit being a liberal and become a conservative? What is the proper balance between the old and the new that the Christian scribe should seek?
Illustrative Materials
1. Searching, Yet Accidental. Augustine's spiritual experience is well known. He had tried various routes to achieve fulfillment. He was for a time a Manichean. It did not leave him satisfied. He was led in his search by his pious mother Monica, who prayed for him, and by the preaching of Saint Jerome at Milan, which aroused him to search further. He was puzzled when he, a professor of rhetoric, still did not seem to have the joy in the Christian life as did the relatively unlearned monks in the Nubian desert. Then one day as he paced his walled garden in vexation, he heard the children in the next garden playing a game in which they chanted, "Tolle Lege" -- "Take and Read." He picked up the scripture, read Romans 13:13-14, and it happened to him. He was converted and became a leading figure in developing the theology of the early church.
2. Contrasting Ways to the Kingdom. Luther searched in a way similar to Augustine. He tried many ways to achieve a sense of salvation. After being frightened almost to death when caught in a thunderstorm and thrown to the ground by lightning, he vowed to give up his study of law and become a monk. He joined one of the strictest orders, the Augustinians. He almost killed himself in ascetic practices, trying to atone for a sense of guilt. Still he did not find peace in his spiritual life. He was sent to Rome to assist in settling a church dispute. While there he went up the Pilate's stairs on his hands and knees, repeating the Lord's prayer in Latin. But he was repulsed by his pilgrimage instead of being assured of salvation. Then as he prepared lectures on Romans, he came to the verse in Romans 1:17 and similar passages which led him to his central theological principle, that of justification by faith. In that study he received almost accidentally what he had long sought. But he was prepared to receive it by his previous dissatisfactions and longings.
3. Trading for Greater Riches. Millard Fuller was a successful business man. At a relatively young age he had become wealthy. Then he decided that he should give up his business and devote the rest of his life to serving others. He found his new role in starting and leading Habitat for Humanity. He has been successful in providing relatively inexpensive housing for thousands around the world. He seems never to have regretted his decision to give up his wealthy business to give others affordable housing as his particular calling in the kingdom.
4. Unexpected Treasure. In October of 1984 a previously unknown painting by William Merritt Chase called A View of Prospect Park was bought at a Denver auction for $500. It was dated about 1885-1886. On December 6, 1984, the painting sold at an auction by Sotheby's for $451,000, the highest amount ever paid at an auction for a Chase painting to that date. It was bought by Alexander Galleries in New York.
The painting was bought so cheaply because it had not been authenticated as by Chase. His name was written on it in green paint, but others who examined it thought he would never have written his name that way. (Reported in Art News, 84:19-20, Feb. '85.)
5. Rich but Poor. Robert Polchek won $7.5 million in an Ohio Super Lotto. He quit his $14,000-a-year job. He married his high school sweetheart and built a house on eight acres of land he bought. But friends and strangers hassled him for money. He tried to sell his house, but when people found out he was a lottery winner they wanted him to take a lower price for it. Finally he snapped on January 23, 1994. He set his house on fire after calling the Medina County emergency dispatcher. He was arrested by two officers as he sat watching his house burn. On July 12, 1994, he was convicted of felony aggravated arson. He could face the possibility of being sentenced to 10 to 25 years in prison. At this writing he is more likely to receive a maximum fine of $10,000 and be required to reimburse the volunteer fire department $2,500. Though he receives $300,000 each June from his lottery winning, he is an angry man. Family and friends say it ruined him.
The parables in Matthew 13:44-52 continue the series of eight that are found in this chapter. The previous parables were told in public to a large crowd (see Matthew 13:1-3). Now Jesus moves into a house where the disciples came to him (Matthew 13:36). He first explains the parable about the weeds among the wheat. He then proceeds to tell the three parables in Matthew 13:44-52. Two of the parables, the treasure hidden in the field and the pearl of great value, are twins. The third parable about the net and fishes is a twin to the earlier parable about the weeds and the wheat. This follows a familiar organizing principle in Matthew of ABBA. Again all three parables are intended to describe the nature and value of the kingdom of heaven. They all begin with the same phrase, "the kingdom of heaven is like ..." The section ends with a summary statement addressed to the disciples who are compared to scribes.
Context
The parables are for the tenth Sunday following Pentecost and conclude a series of three Sundays dealing with the parables of the kingdom from Matthew 13.
Context of the Lectionary
The First Lesson. (Genesis 29:15-28) The story of Jacob continues from last week. He is now working for Laban. The trickster who tricked his brother out of his inheritance is in turn tricked into marrying Leah instead of Rachel. He had to work another seven years before he finally was granted Rachel as his wife.
The Second Lesson. (Romans 8:26-39) The first half of this reading gives assurance of support by the Spirit. The second half gives further assurance that all things work together for good for those who are called by God. It is one of the key passages that raises the difficult issue of predestination. It ends with the assertion that nothing in all the world can separate the faithful from the love of God.
Gospel. (Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52) The reading brings to a conclusion the three-week series of parables followed from Matthew 13.
Psalm. (Psalm 105:1-11, 45b) The Psalm connects the seeking of the second parable in today's gospel reading about the pearl of great value. It also relates back to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob with the promise of the holy land given to Moses in the first lesson for today. It ends with an exclamation of praise to the Lord.
Context of Related Scripture
Leviticus 11:9-12 -- Description of clean and unclean fish.
Job 19:6 -- Closed into a net by God.
Job 28:18 -- "The price of wisdom is above pearls."
Psalm 66:11 -- Use of the image of the net into which we are drawn.
Ecclesiastes 9:12 -- Image of fish caught into a cruel net compared with mortals snared by calamity.
Habakkuk 1:15-17 -- An opposing view of the net as used by the enemy.
Matthew 6:19-21 -- (Luke 12:33-34) -- Treasures on earth or heaven.
Matthew 6:33 -- Seeking first the kingdom.
Matthew 7:6 -- Throwing pearls before swine.
Matthew 25:14-30 -- Note that one of the servants buried a talent in the earth for safe keeping.
Revelation 22:21 -- Each of the 12 gates are made from a single pearl.
Content
The first two parables are more similes than parables. They do not provide many details. Nothing is said about the amount of the treasure in the first instance. It is assumed that the treasure is of considerable size. In the second parable nothing is said about why the person would want to possess the pearl. Was the merchant wanting to sell it again and gain a great profit? Or did he want it as a source of status and pride of possession? These kinds of questions were not of concern in telling the story. The main point of each is the good fortune that each had in discovering the treasure and the price they were willing to pay to possess them.
Some contrasts can be noted between the first two parables. In the treasure hidden in the field, the person who found the treasure was probably poor. He had to sell all that he had to purchase the field. The person in the parable of the costly pearl apparently was of some wealth since he could afford to travel to find the pearl.
A second contrast is between the accidental finding of the treasure in the field as opposed to the merchant who went searching for the beautiful pearl. A third contrast is between the presumed multiple nature of the treasure in a box as opposed to the unitary nature of the pearl.
The third parable would particularly speak to the disciples who were fishermen. They no doubt had often sat on the shore of Galilee and sorted out their catch of fish. They would cast aside the fish which were considered unclean by the Levitical law. This parable is very similar to the parable of the weeds in the wheat in that the good and the bad were mixed together, the weeds in the field of wheat and the good and bad fish in the sea. They both have the element of harvest before the good and the bad were separated. They both have as their main point the implied warning of the fate of the bad as opposed to the fate of the good.
The final verses of the section offer a summary statement of the entire chapter. Matthew earlier had contrasted what was said from the old tradition with what Jesus said as fulfillment of the intention but which became a new statement of the principles. It is not entirely clear exactly what the reference to the old and the new is. The most general understanding would be the old as the Law and the new as the Gospel. It could also be the old as representing the human kingdom of Israel which was bound by geography and ethnicity while the new is the spiritual kingdom that is universal in scope and no longer bound by the particularity of time and place.
Precis of the Parables
The emphasis of the twin parables is on the joy at the good fortune of those who find the kingdom. All other treasures that persons find of value are to be sacrificed to obtain the much greater value of the kingdom. The third parable underscores the same point as the previous parable of the weeds in the wheat. At the end of history a sorting takes place between good and evil. Only the good eventually survives and endures. The final verse suggests that the disciples retain the values which they had received from Judaism. They are also to understand the new interpretations and teachings which came from Jesus.
Thesis: The incomparable worth of the kingdom of heaven.
Theme: The kingdom is worth any cost.
Key Words in the Parables
1. "Heaven." (v. 44) Matthew uses the term the kingdom of heaven where Luke speaks of the kingdom of God. The difference reflects the cultural background of the two writers. Matthew comes from a Hebrew background. He would be reluctant to use the name of God. In the Old Testament, it was the name written but not pronounced. The term heaven is a euphemism to avoid the danger of profaning the name of God. Luke had a gentile background. He would not have the same hesitation as Matthew.
2. "Hidden in a field." (v. 44) In biblical times no one had banks which were a secure place to deposit wealth. Houses also were not safe places to keep a treasure. Especially in times of chaos, such as war, people would bury their gold, silver, jewels, and other precious items which were durable in the ground. Subsequently, they might be killed or exiled and the knowledge of the location of the hidden treasure was lost. At a later time someone might stumble upon the treasure and recover it.
3. "Found ... hid." (v. 44) We might raise the ethical issue of finding a treasure in a field that did not belong to us and then hiding it so we can purchase the field. Buying the field without disclosing the true value of the field containing the treasure is a form of deception. While the ethics might be questionable, it was legal to do so at that time. An unclaimed hidden treasure became the property of the owner of the place where it was located. The law presumed that the seller of the field was not the owner of the treasure or he would not sell it at a price much less than it was worth. The principle was somewhat like the saying, "Finders keepers, losers weepers!"
4. "A merchant." (v. 45) Pearls were not usually found in Palestine. A merchant might travel to the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, or even to the Indian Ocean in search of pearls.
5. "Pearl." (v. 45) A pearl was a scarce item. It held a place in the society of the time that diamonds hold in our society. Pearls could be used as currency. To serve as currency for trade, anything has to have certain properties. It has to be relatively scarce to make it desirable. It has to be stable so that it will not easily diminish in value over time. And it has to be small enough to be easily portable. Pearls met all of these requirements.
6. "Net." (v. 47) The net used would be a dragnet. It was sometimes attached on shore at one end and then drug by the boat out into the water to surround and catch the fish. At other times two boats were used to drag the net in a large circle and catch all the fish in a given area.
7. "Fish of every kind." (v. 47) It is not clear whether Jesus deliberately intended to include every kind of fish in the world and thereby to imply the universality of his message. He may have intended to imply that the kingdom of heaven did not just include the Jews. According to some sources, at the time they thought all the different kinds of fish in the world numbered 153.
8. "When it was full." (v. 48) This expression points to the end of history, the time of fulfillment. At that time judgment will be made.
9. "Threw out the bad." (v. 48) According to Levitical law only fish that had scales and fins were edible. People were not to eat any swarming creatures in the water which did not have fins and scales. They were detested.
10. "Scribes ... trained for the kingdom ..." (v. 52) The disciples were to be learners. They had to be experts about the nature of the kingdom of heaven as opposed to the scribes of the Pharisees who were experts in the law. Some raise the question as to whether at the time that Matthew wrote scribes were a functioning position in the Christian church or not.
Contemplation
Insights
1. The Message of Joy. The person who found the treasure in the field responded with joy at his discovery. Jesus frequently participated in the joys of life. He attended weddings. He enjoyed banquets. He found stimulating conversation in the home of Mary and Martha. He attended a wedding. These activities were quite a contrast to John the Baptist who lived a very ascetic and probably lonely life in the desert. His was a message of doom. Jesus, on the other hand, generally invited people to the heavenly banquet. While those who came to John the Baptist might be scared into repentance, those who followed Jesus were attracted by his love. A Christian church which is an evangelistic church will attract people by the joy manifested in the life of the members who have discovered love, joy, and peace in Christ.
2. The Highest Good. Often the enemy of the highest good is the satisfaction with a lesser good. The merchant who searched for the pearl of great value was restless with lesser values. In a sense, human beings are never fully satisfied that they have achieved their full potential. The Christian life is a constant striving for complete fulfillment of possibilities. Christians are drawn by the high example given in Jesus Christ. They can constantly grow into the fullest maturity but they do so without the pervasive anxiety of those who have the underlying feeling, consciously or unconsciously, that they have missed the real meaning of life.
3. Paying the Price. Note that neither the man who bought the field nor the merchant had any hesitation or showed any regrets in having to pay the price to acquire the treasure and the pearl. Some Christians give the impression that they have made a great sacrifice in becoming Christian. They have given up "worldly pleasures" which have no enduring value. It is life in the kingdom that gives real pleasure and satisfaction. It is not fleeting and momentary but deep and lasting, if they have found the love of Christ filling their lives and the presence of the Spirit enabling them to embrace others and the world in love.
4. The Multiplicity of the Church. The net drew in fish of every kind. The good fish were not all of one kind. In the church it is not external or surface conditions which distinguish the good from the bad. The church encompasses all those who receive Christ and bear fruits of the kingdom regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, cultural distinctions, economic status, social rank, or gender. The church also includes persons who are at different stages in their growth toward full maturity in Christ. The church does not exclude merely because of differences, but nourishes, encourages, and supports each other in the pursuit of realization of the kingdom among us.
5. The Sea. In Hebrew culture the sea and the desert were generally symbolic of the untamed forces of the world which tend toward chaos. God is the being who brings order out of the chaotic forces of the world. We bring order into the chaotic and untamed urges in our lives when we submit them to the order of God's rule. We also then identify the sources of chaos in the world around us. Secure under the sovereignty of God who is working to order the world, we can face the uncertainties of life and overcome them. Even death loses its fear because we know the order of grace which transcends the world and death.
6. Scribes trained for the kingdom. Jesus was in frequent conflict with the scribes whom he confronted. They were trained in the dead letter of the law. He was angered by the way their sophistry enabled them to rationalize actions which in effect defeated the intention of the law. They failed to recognize the true moving of the spirit of life. One does not have to have all knowledge to be a scribe in the kingdom. A scribe trained for the kingdom does need to experience the realities of life. A scribe needs to do what Peter eventually did. He moved beyond a mere verbal confession of Christ to the experience of the power of the resurrection. The scribe trained for the kingdom needs to love Christ and tend his sheep with the knowledge of the love that seeks and saves as a good shepherd.
Homily Hints
1. Finding the Kingdom. (vv. 44-46) People come to the kingdom in different ways. The way they arrive is not the important issue. That they enter the kingdom is the issue.
A. Finding by Accident
B. Finding after Long Searching
C. Entry is Always by Grace
2. The Supreme Treasure Hunt. (vv. 44-46) Life is a search to discover the meaning God intended for human life.
A. Knowing the Treasure
B. Seeking the Treasure
C. The Cost of the Treasure
3. The Paradox of the Kingdom. (vv. 44-46) The contrasts of the values of the kingdom with the accepted values of the world appear to be upside down. What appears to be giving up some values really results in restoring the fullest values to them.
A. Giving up Self, Finding Self Fulfilled
B. Giving up Pleasures, Finding Life More Pleasurable
C. Giving up Life, Finding Eternal Life
4. The Pearl as a Symbol. (vv. 44-45) The pearl is made from life. It is the result of the action of the oyster to deal with an irritation.
A. Turning Life's Irritations into Jewels. People have taken adversities and turned them into priceless examples of accomplishments.
B. Surrounding Evil with Love. Transforming evil with good brings beauty in the midst of ugliness.
C. Overcoming Handicaps. Handicaps often become challenges to excel rather than causes of defeat.
5. Training for the Kingdom. (v. 52) The person who would be a scribe for the kingdom needs to develop discernment.
A. Discerning the Old and the New
B. Discerning the Treasure from Trash
C. Discerning the Good and the Bad
Contact
Points of Contact
1. The Excitement of a Treasure Hunt. A treasure hunt excites the imagination. How excited we would be if we stumbled onto an unexpected treasure -- win the lottery, win the sweepstakes, receive a large inheritance unexpectedly, find gold or oil in our backyard. All these allow people to dream about what they could do with such sudden fortune.
Yet often people who do come into such wealth are not happy because of it. They are hounded by people who want to share in their fortune. They discover relatives they never knew existed! They quickly squander the riches and find the enjoyment of their wealth was transitory. They may end up poorer than they were before they suddenly became rich.
What a contrast to those who discover the treasure of the kingdom. It opens ever new vistas of what life is all about. They find themselves with "relatives," brothers and sisters in the faith who do not demand from them but who support and encourage them. Their lives are further enriched by finding an expanded family of faith.
2. True Riches. Jesus admonished his hearers not to lay up for themselves treasure on earth but treasures in heaven (Matthew 7:14-20). How much anxiety and fear we generate when we have our treasures on earth. We try to find security for such treasures by putting them in safe deposit boxes, by building fences or walls, by installing locks to keep people out, or in other ways seek to protect our treasures. People even become prisoners in their own homes trying to keep their treasures secure.
How different it is when we have treasures in the kingdom of heaven. It is not something to be protected from others. Rather it is a joy to share. It opens life to other people. We do not find ourselves impoverished by sharing our treasure. Instead we find our lives enriched and our treasures enlarged in the process.
3. Ever Seeking and Searching. Life is a process of growth. Persons are goal-oriented beings. They are attracted by hope for something better. The longing for fulfillment is finally realized when persons find themselves in harmony with their Creator. They find the longing satisfied when they realize the purpose for which God intended them to be. In the life of the flesh the possibility of continued growth is lifelong. Even when the physical powers begin to fade and falter, spiritual growth remains a continual search to the end of life in the flesh.
4. Worth the Risk. Both the person who found the treasure in the field and the merchant who found the valuable pearl took risks to obtain something they expected to give them greater value. The persons who commit themselves to the kingdom of heaven take the risk that they will find in living the life of the kingdom, the truth about the meaning and purpose of life. It is the great gamble. It bets that in this world they find joy and satisfaction living in the kingdom as already present. It is also the bet that life continues and finds final fulfillment beyond this world. Still, even if this world is all they gain, is it not worth the risk?
Points to Ponder
1. Where is the Treasure? The diversity of the two treasures raises the issue of whether the treasure of the kingdom is multiple or unitary. Do persons find the riches of the kingdom in personal salvation, in the sense of release from sin and guilt? Do they find the treasure in a transformed motivation that leads to an ethical life which puts aside the temptations to find the meaning of life in the pleasures of the flesh, or in the temptations to spiritual pride? Or is the treasure found in the life of the church, in the fellowship and community that offers acceptance, that inspires to higher living, that supports and comforts in times of weakness, pain, and distress? Or is the treasure found in visioning a whole new world and working to bring it to pass? Or is the treasure wrapped up in all the above?
2. How is the Kingdom Found? The two parables have two different ways to find the kingdom. The first has it found by accident. The man stumbled on it unawares. Do some persons come to the kingdom by accident? Do they stumble on it without seeking and yet become aware of its meaning and significance? In the second parable the merchant searched for the pearl, possibly by extensive travel far and wide. Do persons come to the kingdom by searching the scripture and by seeking the preacher who brings them the word? Is the kingdom found in only one way or are many ways open to find it since the Spirit blows where it wills?
3. The Standard of Judgment. Are we judged by our behaviors which are open and visible to all, or are we judged by our motivation, our inner intention and purposing which are so often hidden from others? Some question is raised about the ethics of the man who found the treasure in the field. He used deception to get it by covering it up and paying less for the field than the treasure was worth. Did Jesus condone his actions or only want to emphasize the final outcome? Was it the behavior or the motivation that Jesus drew upon?
4. Justice at the End. Does the parable of the dragnet with its good and bad fish give hope and assurance that the universe ultimately has a moral structure to it? Can we have faith that while it often appears that crime does pay and the evil is winning, in the final outcome of life and history God brings justice? Is it our task to live the life of faithfulness in trust, patience, and perseverance even when it seems that the evil is winning and the good is being defeated? Is our hope in a just outcome to life and history a reasonable hope? If so, how do we act in light of that hope?
5. Interpreting the Net. Is it proper to use allegory in interpreting the parable of the dragnet? Does the boat represent the church that should be gathering the people in by its evangelizing? Or is the basket the church into which the good is gathered? Will history come to an end when the net is full and the time for the separation of the good and bad fishes has come? Are we to do the separation of the fish or are we to leave it to God's especially appointed agents outside of history?
6. Scribes in the Church. The Presbyterian Church has at times made a distinction between the Teaching Elder and the Ruling Elders. The Ruling Elders are lay persons who govern the local congregation. The Teaching Elder is the pastor. He or she is trained to teach the church proper doctrine. Should the pastor be the "scribe ... trained for the kingdom of heaven," or should that be a separate function in the congregation, or should every Christian be such a scribe?
7. The Old and the New. Jesus did not fit very well the categories of liberal and conservative. He valued the scriptures of his day but he also had the courage and wisdom to reinterpret them. Every person probably is a mixture of liberal and conservative. The conservative wants to preserve the values of the past. The liberal wants to adapt to new understandings and conditions. People in their youth tend to want to make the world over in their own image, and thus are inclined to be liberal. As they age, they want to keep that which they have worked to create. So they become conservative. Does not every person at some point quit being a liberal and become a conservative? What is the proper balance between the old and the new that the Christian scribe should seek?
Illustrative Materials
1. Searching, Yet Accidental. Augustine's spiritual experience is well known. He had tried various routes to achieve fulfillment. He was for a time a Manichean. It did not leave him satisfied. He was led in his search by his pious mother Monica, who prayed for him, and by the preaching of Saint Jerome at Milan, which aroused him to search further. He was puzzled when he, a professor of rhetoric, still did not seem to have the joy in the Christian life as did the relatively unlearned monks in the Nubian desert. Then one day as he paced his walled garden in vexation, he heard the children in the next garden playing a game in which they chanted, "Tolle Lege" -- "Take and Read." He picked up the scripture, read Romans 13:13-14, and it happened to him. He was converted and became a leading figure in developing the theology of the early church.
2. Contrasting Ways to the Kingdom. Luther searched in a way similar to Augustine. He tried many ways to achieve a sense of salvation. After being frightened almost to death when caught in a thunderstorm and thrown to the ground by lightning, he vowed to give up his study of law and become a monk. He joined one of the strictest orders, the Augustinians. He almost killed himself in ascetic practices, trying to atone for a sense of guilt. Still he did not find peace in his spiritual life. He was sent to Rome to assist in settling a church dispute. While there he went up the Pilate's stairs on his hands and knees, repeating the Lord's prayer in Latin. But he was repulsed by his pilgrimage instead of being assured of salvation. Then as he prepared lectures on Romans, he came to the verse in Romans 1:17 and similar passages which led him to his central theological principle, that of justification by faith. In that study he received almost accidentally what he had long sought. But he was prepared to receive it by his previous dissatisfactions and longings.
3. Trading for Greater Riches. Millard Fuller was a successful business man. At a relatively young age he had become wealthy. Then he decided that he should give up his business and devote the rest of his life to serving others. He found his new role in starting and leading Habitat for Humanity. He has been successful in providing relatively inexpensive housing for thousands around the world. He seems never to have regretted his decision to give up his wealthy business to give others affordable housing as his particular calling in the kingdom.
4. Unexpected Treasure. In October of 1984 a previously unknown painting by William Merritt Chase called A View of Prospect Park was bought at a Denver auction for $500. It was dated about 1885-1886. On December 6, 1984, the painting sold at an auction by Sotheby's for $451,000, the highest amount ever paid at an auction for a Chase painting to that date. It was bought by Alexander Galleries in New York.
The painting was bought so cheaply because it had not been authenticated as by Chase. His name was written on it in green paint, but others who examined it thought he would never have written his name that way. (Reported in Art News, 84:19-20, Feb. '85.)
5. Rich but Poor. Robert Polchek won $7.5 million in an Ohio Super Lotto. He quit his $14,000-a-year job. He married his high school sweetheart and built a house on eight acres of land he bought. But friends and strangers hassled him for money. He tried to sell his house, but when people found out he was a lottery winner they wanted him to take a lower price for it. Finally he snapped on January 23, 1994. He set his house on fire after calling the Medina County emergency dispatcher. He was arrested by two officers as he sat watching his house burn. On July 12, 1994, he was convicted of felony aggravated arson. He could face the possibility of being sentenced to 10 to 25 years in prison. At this writing he is more likely to receive a maximum fine of $10,000 and be required to reimburse the volunteer fire department $2,500. Though he receives $300,000 each June from his lottery winning, he is an angry man. Family and friends say it ruined him.
