Matthew 13
44″The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
So, who is the man? What are the treasure and fine pearls?
Most commentaries see the treasure/fine pearls as Jesus Christ that he is worthy for us to forgo everything we have to follow him. But I’ve always wondered how do these two parables fit with the other parables in Matthew 13.
But the other night, my mom suddenly asked me to read the whole Matthew 13 and asked me, “Who is the man who found the treasure/pearls?" and “What is the treasure/pearls?"
Then we went into a lengthy discussion… “We" include my mom, me, and Iris, my best friend. And after two nights of discussion, establishing interpretation and then modify it and then find questions, and then modify it again… and we finally come to this interpretation:
Let’s go through Matthew 13!
People gathered together around Jesus and wanted to hear from Jesus. So, Jesus spoke to them:
The parable of the sower Jesus/God sowed the seeds on man’s heart but not all understand and respond to the Gospel and even for those who respond, not all may bear fruit.
And then the parables of the kingdom of heaven starts here:
- The parable of the weeds Jesus came to the world and brought the message of Kingdom to the world and thus people of Kingdom came up (wheat grown in the field). But Satan (the enemy) also came and spread false teachings and thus people of the evil one came up (weeds grown in the field). The people of the evil one (the weeds) are not pulled up until the end of the age (harvest) when angels (harvesters) come and pull weeds up and burn them in the fire.
- The parable of the mustard seed Jesus planted the church (mustard seeds) on earth (in his field). The church is the tree and so believers (the birds of the air) come and and rest in it.
- The parable of the yeast God “hid" the church (yeast) on earth (a large amount of flour) until the whole earth (the whole flour) is leavened.
- The parable of the hidden treasure The kingdom of heaven is the church (treasure), God found it and hid it in the field. Then God sold all he had and bought us back.
- The parable of the pearl Jesus (the merchant) looks for fine pearls and when he found us (one of great value), he “sold" everything he had and bought us.
- The parable of the net The kingdom of heaven is the church (a net) what was let down into the earth (the lake) and caught everyone on earth (all kinds of fish)…Then at the end of the age, angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace…
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七月 4, 2008 於 11:34 下午
Treasure and Pearl « Reflection of Being
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