Matthew 13: The Universality of the Kingdom of Heaven
Matthew 13: The Universality of the Kingdom of Heaven
3 Jesus told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed.
24 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.
33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.
47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish.
Chapter 13 is a special feature on the kingdom of heaven. The editor of Matthew has collected Jesus's parables about the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is likened to a sower, a mustard seed, yeast, hidden treasure, a merchant seeking fine pearls, and casting a net. These parables personify and objectify the subject.
The parables that refer to people in the kingdom of heaven include the sower, the merchant seeking fine pearls, and the fisherman casting a net. Those that compare the kingdom of heaven to the characteristics of objects include the mustard seed, yeast, hidden treasure. A common theme in the personified parables of the kingdom of heaven is the persistence and determination of these individuals. The farmer sows seeds indiscriminately across the field. The true nature of the kingdom of heaven is revealed not in the field but in the farmer's act of sowing. The merchant's persistence in seeking fine pearls represents the determination of the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom will persistently track down these pearls. The fisherman casts his net without knowing which fish are good or bad. The fisherman's hope for a full net embodies the will of the kingdom of heaven. The traits of the mustard seed and yeast transform something seemingly insignificant into something remarkable. The hidden treasure represents the nobility and value of the kingdom of heaven.
Then, does the burning of the weeds and the discarding of worthless fish imply the exclusivity of the kingdom of heaven? It's not for humans to question the exclusivity of the kingdom of heaven as determined by God's sovereign will. However, if Christianity is founded on the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the scriptures cannot be interpreted through the lens of exclusivity. Misinterpreting texts that suggest the limited nature of the kingdom of heaven as revealed on the surface of the scripture can lead to misconstruing God's exclusivity. If the kingdom of heaven were only for good soil or fine pearls, then Jesus should have been born in Jerusalem, within a noble family, rather than Galilee, and there would have been no need for a 40-day fast or temptation by Satan. Passages that differentiate between heaven and hell should be understood as warnings to choose correctly and walk the righteous path. Jesus's words that no parent would give their child a snake, and passages suggesting inevitability, cannot be contradictory. The cross and resurrection of Jesus, like the farmer who does not discriminate where he sows, do not discriminate among people. This is because there is no sin Jesus cannot bear.