great value (Mt 13:44-52)

Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Happy Birthday Mom :)

Psalm 115; Matthew 13:44-52


"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field... in his joy he goes a sells all that he has and buys that field."
(Matthew 13:44)

When I first read over today's passage I was trying to decide which parable to focus on. The first two have one emphasis, the third (the parable of the net) has another which seems similar to the parable of the weeds, and then Jesus concludes this discourse of kingdom parables with another that is altogether different.

However, I think there is a theme in all four. It is summed up in Jesus' phrase "great value" specifically referring to the merchant who was searching for fine pearls and found one of great value. Like the man who found a treasure (of great value), he sold all that he had to buy it.

The concept of value in the parable of the net has to do with the "gathering" nature or mission of the kingdom. However in this parable there is this indiscriminate aspect to the action (instead of the discriminating discernment of the pearl merchant or the man deciding it is worth selling everything to buy this particular field). At this phase of the kingdom every "fish" has value. Fill the net, gather them in. The angels will do the separating of what is of value and what isn't. That's the image here, what fish have value, and which are worthless.

Finally, Jesus likens his disciples who say they understand all these things to "every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven" who like a master of a house, "brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old." They have a treasure which is made up of things old and new; old and new valuables are brought out and shared at appropriate times. (This final parable of the treasures old and new may be the summarizing parable of the whole group, which may be why the image switches from "the kingdom of heaven is like..." to a person "trained for the kingdom is like..." It's not just giving us information about the kingdom but finally the responsibility to be trained in it and to live out and share the ancient message about it and Jesus' new message about it.)

The kingdom of God is not a commodity that we can own or control. Nor are good, or bad, people some kind of commodity that we are to put some value on (God's angels will do that). But our engagement with it is the most valuable thing in the world. Investing our whole lives in this kingdom enterprise is the only way to save our lives. Our hearts are so designed that they will value something above everything else. Your heart will attach to, pine after, manipulate, work diligently... in order to possess that one thing it values most.

Their is no other wealth, no other power, no other person that can ever save or satisfy the human heart - but the king and his kingdom. And while, on the one hand, every human being is valued by God, in the end some will be proved "bad" or worthless/ unworthy of the king and his kingdom. We become of value in that day of separation simply by valuing what God values, by listening to Jesus and receiving him, by selling all that we have, letting go of everything else we value and making him the exclusive treasure of our lives.

Jesus purchased his kingdom, and the children of the kingdom (v. 38), at a great price. He gave up everything. The purchase price was his blood. He values us that much. Thanks be to God.