Tag: bible; parable; parables; leaven; Christian; bible study

Week 4: A Merchant with One Pearl of Great Price

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”  Matthew 13:45-46

My Summary & Reflection

In this story a merchant, a person who makes his living buying and selling items for profit, is searching for pearls.  Presumably, this merchant is searching for pearls in order to resell them.  While conducting his search, he finds one very expensive pearl.  The merchant goes and sells all that he owns in order to buy that one expensive pearl.

At first glance, this parable seems similar to the Treasure in a Field parable that we discussed in week 3.  However, it differs for me in one important way.  The kingdom of heaven in that parable is compared with the treasure, “like unto treasure”; whereas in this parable, the kingdom is compared with the merchant, “like unto a merchant man.”  In this parable, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a person who found something of great value and was willing to give up everything in order to have it.  This is important because in the Treasure in a Field parable, the man who found the treasure was the one willing to give up everything, but in this story, the kingdom, as personified through the merchant, is also willing to give up everything for the one pearl.

Another interesting thing is that the pearl is described as being “of great price” or expensive and not as beautiful, or large, or luminescent, or any of the characteristics that would typically be used to distinguish this pearl from the others that the merchant examined.  Instead, it simply said that the pearl was “of great price”.  Apparently whatever that great price was, the merchant decided that it was not too much for him to pay.  He decided that it was worth everything that he had in order to obtain it.

While reviewing this parable, I began to wonder if Jesus, in telling this parable, was foreshadowing the great price that he would pay for us.  I wonder if the soul of humanity itself is represented by the expensive pearl.  Jesus was willing to give up his very life, all that he had on earth, in order to save our souls.

Your Reflection

  • What has / will the kingdom of heaven give for the pearl it finds?
  • Do you think the pearl is worth the price that the merchant is willing to pay?  Why or why not?

Week 1: Leaven in the Meal

“The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.”  Matthew 13:33

“…Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?  It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.”  Luke 13:20-21

My Summary & Reflection

This is a pretty short and direct parable.  In it a woman takes some portion of leaven, like yeast, and hides it in three portions of meal.  The yeast is now incorporated or mixed into all of the meal.

In other parables, Jesus refers to “the kingdom of heaven” as a place, but in this one he implies that it is a thing that can be added to something else.  So, Jesus, appears to be saying that the kingdom of heaven, when added to someone or something, makes that thing better.  In the case of meal used for making bread, it makes that thing rise.

There is no direct explanation of this parable in the gospels of Matthew or Luke.  So, I began my reflection with the definition of leaven.  Leaven is an ingredient that causes bread to rise.  It is the ingredient that causes yeast rolls or breads to have a fluffy texture and not stay flat like a tortilla or a cracker.  It is considered a productive ingredient because it makes what it is added to better.

I also thought about the use of the female as the one to add this leaven to the meal.  Most of the other parables have a male protagonist – a shepherd, a king, a merchant.  But this one uses a woman.  Maybe Jesus used a female in his parable, simply because during the time of his teaching, women were the ones responsible for the cooking.  However, upon reflection, he could be giving a charge to those responsible for the feeding of the family, whether spiritual or physical.  He may be directing those who feed the body, to provide also the ingredients that will make our spiritual lives better.  Bring the “kingdom of heaven” to your family or to those under your care and all will be made better.

This parable is the source of the title for this blog.  It is my sincere hope that leaven that is hidden here, will help each of us rise!

Your Reflection

  • How can you add the kingdom of heaven into your own life?  What does that look like?
  • How can you add the kingdom of heaven into the lives of those under your care?