The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it

 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.  So it will be at the end of the age.  The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire.  There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth."  Jesus said to them, "Have you understood these things?"  They said to Him, "Yes, Lord."  Then He said to them, "Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old."

- Matthew 13:44-52

On Saturday we read that a ruler of the synagogue came and worshiped Jesus, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live."  So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.  And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment.  For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well."  But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well."  And the woman was made well from that hour.  When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping."  And they ridiculed Him.  But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.  And the report of this went out into all that land.

 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it."  Today's reading continues from the teaching of the parable of the Sower (see this reading and this one) and various other parables (see 13:24-43).  My study bible comments that the parable of the treasure hidden in a field illustrates those who unintentionally stumble onto Christ and Christ's Church, but then nevertheless receive Him with great eagerness.  The parable of the pearl of great price, it says, illustrates those people who've been searching in their hearts, and finally find Christ.  The other pearls give an image of all the various teachings and philosophies of the world:  good and true yet not with the fullness of the Gospel.   The treasures are are hidden in that they are not recognized nor even valued by people immersed in worldliness.  In other parables, my study bible points out, receiving the treasure requires that everything else has to be sold.  We surrender all things to Christ, and receive back a transformed and transforming understanding of ourselves and our world.

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.  So it will be at the end of the age.  The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire.  There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth."   This image of the fishing net which gathers some of every kind, both good and bad, is compared as similar to the one of the wheat and tares (verses 36-43) by my study bible.  It comments that this parable of the dragnet further emphasizes that even those who are gathered into the Church are subject to judgment.

Jesus said to them, "Have you understood these things?"  They said to Him, "Yes, Lord."   Then He said to them, "Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old."  My study bible cites St. John Chrysostom here, who notes that Jesus doesn't exclude the Old Testament in His assessment of what's good, but also praises it as treasure.  It says that those who truly write or speak of the kingdom of heaven will draw from the unity of the new and old Testaments, as both are holy -- and the New is a fulfillment of the Old.  This is even affirmed by the way that Matthew composed his gospel, as we repeatedly read the formula "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken" (1:22; 2:15, 23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 26:56; 27:35).

What is wisdom and how do we know it?  What is truth?  Moreover, what is it worth in our lives?  The truths in the Bible have clearly stood the test of time.  But then again, they mean nothing in our own lives if we don't treasure them, live by them, and learn for ourselves through experience what value they have.  Jesus emphasizes this in His teachings in today's reading by referring to them as treasure, and speaking of a pearl of great price.  Interestingly, into the middle of these parables He reminds us of judgment (just as earlier in the chapter He gives the parable of the Wheat and the Tares in the middle of other parables of the Kingdom; see 13:24-43).  Here there is a correlation between "some of every kind" and the "wicked and the just," implying that those who are just in this world are also treasure.   Therefore a lived truth is especially important in our understanding of Christ's parables of the Kingdom, for this Kingdom must be a living thing among us, alive and vibrant and growing.  Truth isn't just static, timelessness implies something different, a wisdom applied and lived and renewed through the experience of each generation.  In 2 Corinthians 3, St. Paul writes, "The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."  He compares the living faithful to an epistle of Christ written on the heart by the Spirit.   And it is this living spirit of truth -- lived by us through the hidden work of the Spirit -- that makes true treasure and true wisdom.  It must be active and living, fleshed out and fulfilled and present to us in experience, and this is where we go today in a discussion about real treasure and the Kingdom.  So for today, let us read these lessons -- all of Jesus' parables -- and consider what our treasure really is.  If it doesn't live within us and it's not lived in our lives, what is it?  What we cherish becomes a part of us.  What we live makes things real, and renewed in the world.  Let us distinguish what is good and be active and adamant about cherishing that pearl of great price that is worth the cost of everything else.