“Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant seeking good pearls. Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went his way, and sold all he had and bought it.”
“Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a net cast into the sea, and gathering together of all kinds of fishes. Which, when it was filled, they drew out, and sitting by the shore they chose out the good into vessels, but the bad they cast forth. So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall go out and shall separate the wicked from among the just; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the multitudes: and without parables[1] He did not speak to them.
COMMENTARY.
The growth of the Church. The parable of the grain of mustard-seed means this: Even as from a very small grain there springs up a large shrub, so would the Church of God have a small and insignificant beginning, but would grow and grow until she formed a mighty kingdom, embracing all nations in her fold. In this parable, therefore, our Lord foretold the external increase of His Church. She was to be Catholic or world- wide.
The effects of Christianity. By the parable of the leaven our Lord described the manner in which His doctrine and grace would affect the hearts of men. The woman signifies the Church; the leaven, Christian truth and grace; while the meal denotes mankind, both individuals, and the whole race collectively. Even as leaven lays hold of one particle of meal after another, and penetrates everywhere, until the whole is rendered good and palatable, so would Christianity penetrate, purify and sanctify the hearts of men, and govern all their thoughts and aims, until the whole of human society was raised and sanctified by the doctrine and grace of Jesus Christ.
The greatest of treasures. This treasure signifies the graces of Christianity, which far surpass all the riches of this world. He who has found the great treasure of faith and grace is fortunate indeed. He rejoices, and guards his treasure jealously, and is willing to give up everything rather than lose the faith and grace of God.
- ↑ Without parables. Jesus preached in parables, because the great mass of the people, together with even their leaders and teachers, were incapable of understanding or receiving the unveiled truth about the kingdom of God. He who has no sense of the supernatural, sees a mere narrative in the parable, without perceiving the hidden and higher teaching which it contains.
