Gospel:
Jesus said to his disciples: “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full, they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes.” And he replied, “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.”
Gospel Trivia:
The parable is one of the many parables in this section of Matthew’s gospel. It comes after the parables of the Sower, the Weeds and Wheat, and the Mustard seed, among others. It talks about the Kingdom of God (or Heaven), a phrase that is mentioned more than 120 times in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Being mentioned that many times, this subject must be a very important one in the preaching of Jesus. In fact, it can be said that if Jesus had a Personal Mission Statement, it was to preach the Kingdom of God.
This parable is what we consider as a “twin parable.” It presents the Kingdom of God as “like a treasure buried in a field” and “like the merchant searching for fine pearls.” In interpreting a “twin parable,” our search should reveal a meaning that is common to both parables.
- First, we note that the comparison is first as a “treasure” and then as a “merchant.” It would have been more logical for the second comparison to be with the “pearl,” isn’t it? Our search for the common element then should be more of the situation presented in both parts rather than what is common to the “treasure” and the “pearl.”
- Secondly, let us also eliminate the other elements that we may initially think may be common but which, on a deeper analysis, are not? For example, some would interpret that the parable as saying that one has to “search” for the Kingdom of God. But this is doubtful since the finding of the treasure and the pearl are presented as being accidental and a fortunate turn of events. (Note that the parable presents the finder of the treasure as a hired hand who ploughs the field and accidentally finds the treasure).
Others would say that it is the “joy” of finding the Kingdom that is the message of the Gospel. This is also doubtful because “joy” is not at all mentioned in the part of the merchant.
Another interpretation is that one has to “give up everything” for the sake of the Kingdom. This is also tenuous because the merchant has not really given up anything. The merchant, in biblical times, is a wholesaler who buys and sells for a profit. He has simply sold everything to buy the pearl, but eventually plans to sell it (obviously for a profit, instead of simply feasting on it with his eyes).
Finally, the interpretation cannot be the “value” of the Kingdom because the people in Jesus’ times already knew this and were simply awaiting it.
What then is common to both parts of the parable? It is the behavior of both the finder in the field and the merchant. They BOTH ACTED DECISIVELY: they GO, they SELL, and they BUY. There is no more weighing of pros and cons, no more questioning of whether the benefit is worth the cost, or consideration that later may be a better time to commit to spread the Kingdom values.
The message is this: Kingdom of God is not a place, but a condition where God's rule prevails; and where love and forgiveness are the paramount bases of relationships. This condition is so powerful and compelling that anyone who gets a taste of it cannot help but personally commit to it and spread this good news to others. The response to the call to Kingdom building is immediate and total.
Want to know more about the Kingdom of God? Click here for my post on this subject.
Reference:
- Nil Guillemette, SJ, Parables for Today (Makati: St. Paul's Publications, 1987), pp. 57-60.
The phrase "Kingdom of God" (or "Kingdom of Heaven") is mentioned more than 120 times in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. (In the Gospel of John it is referred to as "eternal life.")
Being mentioned that many times, this subject must be a very important one in the preaching of Jesus. In fact, it can be said that if Jesus were to write a Personal Mission Statement, it would be "to preach the Kingdom of God."
What is the Kingdom of God? The Jews during Jesus’ times understood this in the literal sense, i.e. an era where such a benevolent and powerful king would reign that they would live a great life. It would be the time when a Messiah would come, and Israel would be liberated from the oppression of the Romans. It would be prosperous times, just like the time when David was king.
Jesus, of course, was speaking of a “kingdom that is not of this world.” For Jesus, the Kingdom of God is a condition (not a place) when God would reign in the lives and hearts of the people. It is a condition when love, forgiveness, justice and peace become the prevailing values; and where the poor, sick, and marginalized are included in the mainstream and benefits of society.
Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God as “already here” but also as “not yet.” The Israelites were of course puzzled because, for them, it cannot be here until the Messiah comes. But Jesus meant that it is “already here” because the process of healing and transformation of the world has already started with his becoming one of us. But it is “not yet” because the healing and transformation is not yet complete, and still on going.
Let me tell you a story that I came across about the Kingdom, as shared with me by a Maryknoll priest. The priest invited four streetchildren to be interviewed in his class of seminarians. For one hour, the seminarians asked the children about their lives: where they live, how they live, what do they eat, how they money, etc. After the session, in thanksgiving, the priest gave each street child P 100, or P 400 totally. He followed them to find out what they would do with the money.
He saw the kids go to a Dunkin Donut shop, buy P 400 worth of donuts, and then go back to the street where they hang out. They laid all of the donuts on the street and invited all their friends to partake of the donuts.
The priest told me later, "I think I just saw the essence of the Eucharist and got a glimpse of the Kingdom of God." The kids who had so little gave whatever they had to others. What a better place this world would be if the Kingdom of God prevailed.
Gospel:
Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying: “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. The slaves of the householder came to him and said, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds, you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.”
Gospel Trivia:
This is another familiar parable with an explanation provided by Matthew on verses 13:36-43. The sower is Jesus, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the kingdom and the weeds are children of the evil one.
There is a curious thing about this parable however; which is, why did the slaves have to ask whether the weeds should be pulled out or not?
Weeds grow with wheat all the time. The logical thing to do is for the sower to wait until harvest time and separate the two. The roots of the weed and wheat are so intertwined that to pull one at an early stage will inevitably pull out the other.
So why did the slaves have to ask what to do?
There are two explanations:
- one is that the number of weeds is so many that the conventional wisdom of waiting until harvest may not apply
- the second explanation is the other message of the gospel, which is directed to those who wanted to form their own exclusive circles of righteous people and segregate themselves from the rest of the community.
The message is this:
The Kingdom of God is a mixed bag of saints and sinners, and it may be that there is a lot more of the latter. Our role is not to detach but to mix with them so that our own behavior and examples will influence them and attract them to the Kingdom. It takes patience, tolerance, forbearance and love to convert others, not through words, but through actions.
As St. Francis said: Use all means to preach the gospel, and only as a last resort use words.
- Nil Guillemette, SJ, Parables for Today (Makati: St. Paul's Publications, 1987), pp. 26-30
Gospel:
1 On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore.
3 And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, 6 and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. 7 Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. 8 But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
9 Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
Gospel Trivia:
There is already an explanation of the meaning of this parable in the verses that follow the Gospel passage, specifically in verses Matthew 13:18-23. This is also a very familiar parable, and one that has been expounded in many homilies and preachings.
I only add the following nuances that may help deepen our understanding:
- the parable presents a series of increasing failures: first the seed is destroyed, then the young blade, and finally the grown plant;
- yet, all these are inconsequential given the success at the end: a hundredfold, sixty, or thirty-fold. (Incidentally, some biblical scholars highlight that the average yield of a seed in Palestinian soil is about 7 to 8, so Jesus is quoting extraordinary numbers).
- this parable is located in that part of the Matthew's gospel which follows the mounting opposition to the preachings of Jesus and his disciples, and reflects the challenges and failures faced by them
Thus, this is a highly optimistic gospel; that the Kingdom would face challenges but will nevertheless prevail. Nothing can subvert the triumph of the will of God to redeem and love all of humankind. The parable also reflects the notion that the triumph of the Kingdom of God can only be had through failures, difficulties and challenges.
Reference:
- Nil Guillemette, SJ, Parables for Today (Makati: St. Paul's Publications, 1987), pp. 26-30.
Gospel:
At that time Jesus exclaimed: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
Gospel Trivia:
We pray the "Our Father" so often that we do not realize the radical notion that Jesus introduced when He addressed God as "Father." For Jesus, our relationship with God is a father-child relationship!
Heretofore, the Jews have known God to be "Lord," "King," "Judge," "the God of Abraham," the "Rock of Israel," "the Holy One." But now, Jesus addresses God as "Father." You can imagine how different is the relationship between king and subject compared to that of father and child.
No individual in the Old Testament and in the entire Jewish literature has addressed God as a father!
Not only that! The word used for "father" is a very familiar one. The study of the original text of the gospel reveals that:
- when used in the verse "I give praise to you, Father," the Aramaic* word used is the formal way of addressing a father. (*Jesus language is Aramaic).
- but when used in the verse, "yes, Father, such has been your gracious will," the Aramaic word used is "abba." "Abba" is translated to the less formal and familiar address of a father, roughly equivalent to "dad", "papa," or "tatay."
This explains the verse "my yoke is easy, and my burden light." The Jews have been heavily burdened by the strict adherence to the laws of Moses. In order to be holy, it is believed that one must study, understand and follow the law to the letter. Most of the Jews were of course left out, because less than 5% of them could read.
Instead, Jesus offers the yoke of love and forgiveness. The yoke is equally demanding, but this time it is not based on the academic understanding and literal interpretation of the law, but based on ones personal relationship with God and neighbor.
Reference:
- Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Makati: St. Paul's Publications), pp. 194-196.
