44 “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.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; 48 when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, 50 and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth” Matthew 13:44-49.
Matthew 13 is filled with parables Jesus taught about the Kingdom of Heaven. In the verses above we have three successive parables about the Kingdom of Heaven.
Hidden Treasure — Unspeakable Joy
The Kingdom of Heaven is like hidden treasure that has been found because it brings joy. In this parable Jesus speaks of a man who, “…in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys the field” (Matthew 13:44). The man that Jesus describes is so filled with joy that he risks it all to obtain more. In exchange for the possibility of finding more treasure, which leads to more joy, he sells it all! As such, the Kingdom of Heaven is not simply joy; it is a joy that is worth all that you have.
A Merchant — A Valuable Treasure
The next parable teaches about a merchant who is searching for a pearl. Jesus states, “…on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it” (Matthew 13:46). Like the man who finds a hidden treasure, the merchant who is searching for a pearl sells all that he has to purchase it. Jesus teaches that the Kingdom of Heaven is a treasure; it is valuable and something to be valued. Also, Jesus seems to underscore that the Kingdom of Heaven must be searched for. It is not easily obtained or readily available, nor will it simply fall into your lap.
A Net — All-Inclusive
In the final parable, Jesus says the Kingdom of Heaven is like a net. The net “caught fish of every kind, when it was full they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into vessels but threw out the bad” (Matthew 13:47-48). As in the parable of the weeds, Jesus describes the Kingdom of Heaven as diverse and inclusive. Again, the angels come to “separate the evil from the righteous” (Matthew 13:49). However, the net contained various kinds of fish. Just as the fish exist together in the sea, we also must live together, exist peaceably, and leave the judgment to God.
The Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven is God’s eternal and sovereign rule over all of life. The Kingdom speaks of God who is eternal and the One and Only God of all, the sovereign God of all creation. The rule, the purpose, indeed god Himself, brings us an unspeakable joy that is worth every ounce of energy we have to follow Christ and His plan and rule for our lives and for the world. We cannot sit back and live life passively in search of the Kingdom of God. No, we must seek it our more than anything else we do. This means, of course, that our relationship with God is the purpose of our life. And so we must realize this is true for all people. We have to learn how to live together. Today we are part of two wars that are killing tens of thousands of innocent people, with whom we must live peacefully. And we all must leave the judgment to God!
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
From the Bible:
“Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world” John 18:36.
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” Mark 1:15.
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” Romans 14:17.
“And in the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever” Daniel 2:44.
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