31 He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; 32 it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
33 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”
…
44 “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; 46 on 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; 48 when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and 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.” 52 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.”
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 (Year A July 24-30) contain a set of parables that provide a good example of what it was like to learn from Jesus. The text is primarily a set of parables concerning the rule of God. Our image of the rule of God and the image of the rule of God in these parables may not be the same. Thus, although the rule of God is difficult to see today, Jesus invites us to see and then act appropriately. Such response would mean with joy and total commitment. As we learn in his ministry, Jesus invited people to follow him by leaving behind everything. These parables will invite us to consider what we value in an ultimate way. Jesus calls us to make a total commitment to something that we will not easily see or observe. The difficulty we will have in seeing is something like the difficulty many people have with wisdom. Losing ourselves in the trivialities and distractions of our lives is always a temptation. We may hear wise words from a person, but to hear in a way that leads to an insight or enlightenment that affects the way they live is a different matter. Such an observation also invites us to reflect upon the way we treat people who do not see what we see. Regardless of the truth we think we see clearly, we need to remember that truth has a hidden quality to it. Making our way through life is not easy. We know incompletely as if through a poor reflection in a mirror (I Cor 13:9, 12). We have some light, but only the dim light just before dawn (John Locke). We do not see clearly or distinctly (in contrast to the hopes of Rene Descartes). Jesus is hinting at such difficulty in these parables. Is the rule of God already present? If so, the rule of God is hardly obvious and tangible. In what sense is the rule of God present? Should I give myself to something that is not clearly observable? Many scientists would answer in the negative. Many poets and novelists would answer in the positive. Jesus seems to side with the latter. If the rule of God is so intangible, what type of influence will it have upon individuals and society? If the rule of God is present in this hidden way, in the natural processes of human life, then God must have much patience, grace, and respect for us to allow for the influence of the rule of God to spread in this way. If so, then we as those who learn the lessons of the parables must have the patience and grace with each other when we see little evidence of that rule in self, others, church, or society. Let us explore such matters for a moment.
This is no theological treatise Jesus gives us. It is more like a pile of snapshots.
Jesus will teach the lesson of the mustard seed (31-32, Mark 4:30-32, Luke 13:18-19). The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.
The rule of God is like a mustard seed, unpretentious in its beginning but destined to have a substantial impact. It grows to a point where it is life-giving for birds. The time has come when the blessing of the rule of God is available to all persons.[1] The focus is the final stage of the process, as the shrub becomes lifegiving to the birds.[2] It describes a fact and a process, emphasizing the contrast between the smallness of the seed and the size of the plant, which is the decisive feature of the parable. Smallness and greatness are set in antithetical juxtaposition. The focus is on the starting point, which in its surprising smallness looks so different from what one would expect in view of the result, but which is still the necessary presupposition and guarantee of the latter, whether in the mustard plant or in the coming rule of God. Behind the parable lies the claim that the coming rule of God is already present in sign in the contemporary work of Jesus, even though it is now concealed and inconspicuous. The aim of the parable is that this inconspicuous presence is a guarantee of confidence. The concealment of the present demonstrates the power of God lying in the promise of an imminent victorious exercise of the dominion of God. God has already made a beginning, which is the pledge that God will carry through the cause of God to the end.[3]
In a proverbial sense of his time, the mustard seed was the smallest of all seeds. The image is taken from the realm of nature, like the Cynics who looked to explain and elaborate their equally unconventional style of felicity through the trope of following nature. The weed was an annual shrub that would grow from two to six feet tall. One could cultivate it for spices.[4] In unusual cases, it might get 9 to 15 feet high, so “tree” might be appropriate. Birds will make their nests in the branches. Jesus is drawing on imagery from the Old Testament. Ezekiel 17:22-23, 31:6 refers to the mighty cedar providing shade for the birds. Daniel 4:12 has a similar image that finds its interpretation in the king providing protection to people in verses 20-22. The distinctiveness of Jesus at this point shows itself in the image of the rule of God as a shrub rather than the mighty cedar or oak. The image may even be a critique of the arrogance of the image in Daniel. The arrogance to which the image appeals in Daniel gives way to the modest affair of the rule of God as proclaimed by Jesus. The rule of God offers little by way of earthly reward, and thus contrasted his view of the rule of God from the typical hope human beings have for greatness. The rule of God is inconspicuous, growing in its ability to provide shelter for others.[5]
As Jesus used the mustard seed, it poked fun at the symbol by comparing God's rule to an annoying weed that achieved the magnitude of a bush and died at the end of each season. The towering tree had become an eschatological symbol, indicating that at some future date all the peoples of the world would collect under its protective branches. Jesus is understating the image for comic effect: the mighty cedar is now an ordinary garden weed. This is parody. For Jesus, God's kingdom was a modest affair, not a new world empire. It was pervasive but unrecognized, rather than noisy and arresting. It is anti-social in that it endorses counter movements and ridicules established tradition. The image explains how it is that the point of view and marginal social practice of the community Jesus is forming could be identified with the rule of God. At the time of planting, no seed is what it proves to be, especially a mustard seed. The sower of the seed works with a conviction of reality not determined by the meager shape of how things currently appear or by their customary evaluation. A certain ironic playfulness inhabits the comparison at hand. The questionable ethos of the community Jesus is forming is a manifestation of the kingdom of God in terms of mustard seed: an unwelcome but always tenacious plant that, once sown, i.e., taught, not only was extremely difficult to uproot, but promised threateningly to prosper.
Jesus will teach the lesson of the leaven or yeast (verse 33, Luke 13:20-22).
The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.
Jesus borrows a scene from domestic life. The rule of God is like the yeast a woman works into flour, unpretentious in its beginning but destined to have a substantial impact, or even do not despair if there seems to be little results from all your labor.[6] The focus is the completion of the fermentation process, suggesting that the period of unpretentious beginning is over, the dough is leavened, and the rule of God has now come. As an alternative, it may suggest that the ministry of Jesus is such leaven, there being a brief time as nothing appears to happen, but soon it permeates the entire dough and has an obvious presence.[7] The yeast is present, working its influence, even though hidden from sight. Just as the woman intentionally hides the yeast, so also God intentionally planned the hidden quality of divine rule within humanity. Jesus takes a simple image of domestic life and turns it into an image of the rule of God. The small amount of yeast contrasts sharply with the large amount of flour. The smallness of the amount is an indication of the profound affect it will have. This hiddenness is the result of the divine plan. The rule of God will not appear to succeed. A surprising element here is that Jesus takes an image he uses for evil and now uses it in a positive sense. The New Testament customarily regarded leaven as a symbol for corruption and evil. In Matthew 16, his followers are to beware the leaven of the scribes and Pharisees. Mark 8:15 refers to the leaven of Herod. I Corinthians 5:6-9 refers to leaven as well. Thus, such a positive use of the image of leaven would be striking and provocative. Jesus might even suggest that the rule of God has dubious moral value. If so, he would be contrasting the values of the rule of God with the values of human authority. The difficulty of this image is whether humanity will be able to discern the working of the rule of God at all. Yet, according to Jesus, the rule of God is near, in the natural relationships and processes of a human life.[8]
Jesus taught the lesson of a hidden treasure (verse 44, unique to Matthew).[9]
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field
The rule of God is like a jar with coins or jewelry hidden in a field, receiving riches compared to which all other values fade. In this case, the peasant may seem foolish to impoverish himself to buy the field. To know when to take the plunge requires perception of the moment one faces. One must be sure of the value of what one is buying. Yet, if the rule of God is of highest value, it is within your power to possess it now, if you are willing to throw caution to the wind.[10]The discovery is a surprise. Here, the motive shifts to personal gratitude for the grace of God, as extraordinary joy overwhelms people as the discovery sweeps them off their feet, making it too obvious for words that they would surrender everything to gain this treasure.[11] Everything else seems valueless. In a similar way, the discovery of the rule of God in the preaching and ministry of Jesus is overpowering, filling the heart with gladness, and produces whole-hearted self-sacrifice.[12] The focus of this collection of parables shifts to the individual encounter with and response to the rule of God, which brings joy, willingness to sacrifice, to set aside all else, wholehearted commitment, and disruption of daily life. Given the nature of the oppressive rule of the Romans, hiding household valuables like this would be common. It was also a way to protect against thieves. Surprisingly, someone finds it, hides it, and has joy, which is the focus of the parable, and sells everything he has to buy the field. The treasure is the real actor in the story. Jesus could point to the dubious moral quality of the act of the finder, but a focus upon that would seem to miss the point. The rule of God is like a hidden treasure that one finds, has immense joy in finding, and is willing to sell everything one has to possess it. If one would put forth such effort for an earthly treasure, should one not give up everything if one finds the rule of God? The finder has joy because of the presence and nearness of the rule of God. Such joy and commitment reflect the call of Jesus for his audience to respond to the nearness of the rule of God.[13] Those who see the rule of God will spare no effort to attain it. The point is the joy and sacrifice of the finder.
Jesus taught a lesson involving the merchant as the finder of an excellent pearl (verses 45-6, unique to Matthew). [14]
The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Pearls were of legendary value. Was it rash for the merchant to sell his assets to buy a pearl? To know when to take the plunge is a matter of insight into the moment and to know the value of what you are buying. If you agree that the rule of God is of highest value, it is within your power now to possess it, if you will throw caution to the wind and follow Jesus.[15] The rule of God is like one of the few of the upper middle-class entrepreneurs of the day, a merchant, who is searching for excellent pearls. In this case, he finds one of immense value, sells everything he has, and buys it. This collection of parables continues its shift to the personal encounter with the rule of God by emphasizing human search for something precious, discovering it, and is willing to sell everything one has to possess it. The pearl was a common image for something precious. Jesus used it to refer to wisdom in Matthew 7:6. As a practical matter, such an act would do nothing for the merchant. The merchant seems silly. Yet, Jesus invites us to reflect upon what we value. Jesus implies the excitement and joy of the merchant, but also stresses the sacrifice and commitment of the merchant to possess the pearl. Jesus also viewed his ministry as proclaiming what is of ultimate value, the nearness of the rule of God before people who are searching. Jesus calls his hearers to make the type of total commitment the merchant makes here for something that is of only finite and earthly value.[16]
Jesus taught parable of the fishnet[17] (verses 47-50, unique to Matthew), returning to the theme of the future establishment of the rule of God through separation and destruction of evil. The kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. Jesus provides the application: So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.
The rule of God is like anglers who drew into their nets fish of every kind. The image describes the gathering of a new community around Jesus.[18] When fishing with a net, your catch will be a mixed one, and the same is true for those called by Jesus to fish for people. The fulfillment of the vocation of Jesus and the vocation of the new community involves an undiscriminating appeal to people of every class and type.[19] The parable is eschatological, concerned as it is with the final judgment. Prior to that judgment, the good and bad in the new community formed by Jesus will exist together. Since the end has not yet come, followers of Jesus must check all false zeal, the net must be cast widely, and everything trusted to God until the hour comes. God has fixed the moment of separation, and it will not be done by human beings. Only at the end will they separate the good from the bad. [20]Jesus would eventually face such a bad fish in Judas, of course. The fellowship of the church will always include some bad fish. The fellowship is always a mixture.[21] The point here would appear to be patience until the end. Human beings do not have enough knowledge or wisdom to make the decision while they are fishing for people.
As Matthew ends this collection of parables (verses 51-52, unique to Matthew), he has one more thing to add about parables, offering a self-portrait. In verse 52, a secular proverb, Therefore, every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old. As scribes, the disciple has a responsibility to interpret the parables, but also to live in the alternative community the rule of God creates, persevering despite small beginnings, and anticipate being part of a movement that has a triumphant future. While this new community has continuity with Israel, having the wealth of the Old Testament and the Jewish tradition at its disposal, it will do so with the newness brought by the teaching of Jesus. Matthew wants people to “understand.” The disciple is the new scribe schooled in the rule of God. Draw upon old and new images. One needs to understand the claim the rule of God has upon our lives. The rule of God as Jesus understood it draws upon images from the Old Testament, but in the light of Jesus, the follower of Jesus will see the rule of God in a separate way than did Israel. The way to wisdom in the present is the unfound door, the lost lane, and the forgotten language of the past. Remembering it will be the key to our enlightenment today.
Application
The rule of God might be like the following films:
The Big Sleep, starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall
Bringing Up Baby, starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant
Dirty Harry, starring Clint Eastwood
Dracula, starring Bela Lugosi
Duck Soup, starring the Marx Brothers
King Kong, starring Fay Wray and, well, that big ape
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
The 39 Steps, directed by Alfred Hitchcock
The Wild One, starring Marlon Brando
Such iconic films in movie history never received a single academy award nomination in the years they came out, but history has shown their significance.
Maybe the rule of God is like a floating flock of sea birds, whose bodies and intentions are so in sync that they suddenly all dive at the same moment, as if on cue.
The rule of God may be like a plumber, who unexpectedly returns our desperate phone-recorded plea. He comes after hours and fits together all the broken pipes perfectly so that the water and our household once again run according to plan.
The rule of God is like the toddler who escaped from his class and delightedly ran into all over the sanctuary during the sermon, squealing with happiness of his freedom which trashed the intended end of your sermon and brought smiles to every present.
The kingdom is heaven is like a subway ride. Steven Covey relates the story of being on a subway in New York. People were sitting quietly. A man and his children entered the car. The children were soon yelling back and forth, throwing things, even grabbing people's papers. It was very disturbing. And yet, the father sitting next to him did nothing. It was difficult not to feel irritated. He could not believe the father would do nothing while the children were disturbing everyone else. Finally, after what was an unusual patience and restraint, he said, "Sir, your children are really disturbing a lot of people. I wonder if you couldn't control them a little more?" The man, who seemed to be gazing into a distant land, seemed to become aware of the situation for the first time. "Oh, you're right. I guess I should do something about it. We just came from the hospital where their mother died about an hour ago. I don't know what to think, and I guess they don't know how to handle it either." Of course, everything changed. In an instant. There was no irritation. "Your wife just died? Oh, I'm so sorry! Can you tell me about it? What can I do to help?"
The kingdom of heaven is like a bee. You see, one always keeps bees. Never just a single bee. You can put a single bee in the most favorable temperature for bees, an ideal place, and it will die within two or three days. There is something about the community of bees that keeps it alive.
Of course, the rule of God is most like – Jesus of Nazareth, one born to humble Jewish parents, who gathered twelve disciples from diverse perspectives of his time, taught in a way to help people see what was truly important in life, healed the sick, battled for liberation from demonic forces, confronted religious and political leaders of his day, received officially endorsed violence, and yet, the end of his story is resurrection to new life with God.
This is no theological treatise Jesus gives us. It is more like a pile of snapshots. Far from providing a street map of heaven, these parables are mere hints, suggestions, and intimations. How could our small, timebound human minds take in the reality of God’s eternal realm? The best any of us can do is to trade — as Jesus does — in parables and dreamlike imagery, trusting that, one day, all will be revealed. If we try to grasp life and its mysteries, we will fail. The bucket we take into a river will not contain the river. Running water needs to run. Life and God are more like that.
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[2]
[3] Hunzinger, TDNT, 290-1.
[4] (M. Eugene Boring, "The Gospel of Matthew",
[5] (Warren Carter, "Matthew",
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