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Matthew 13:31-52
 | Reading the Text:
 |
NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser. |
|
The Bible Gateway: NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc. |
| The
Blue Letter Bible.
KJV, alternate versions, Greek text with concordance, commentaries. |
| The World
Wide Study Bible includes commentary (Matthew Henry, Wesley's Notes, Geneva Notes,
etc) & sermons. |
|
| Historical References, Commentary and
Comparative Texts:
| The
Five Gospels Parallels, John W. Marshall, University of Toronto. |
| Comparative World Scriptures from United Communities of
Spirit
|
| Philo on
Buried Treasure (Unchangeableness,
91-92) at (Rutgers University Dept of Religion) Mahlon H. Smith's
Into His Own: Perspective on the
World of Jesus companion to the historical study of Christian texts. |
|
"Anyone With Ears," The Jesus Database, an online annotated inventory of
the traditions concerning the life and teachings of Jesus. Dr. Gregory C.
Jenks, FaithFutures Foundation. |
|
Similitude VIII.3,
Shepherd of
Hermas. (c.145) |
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Chapter, XVI,
The First Apology of
Justin
Martyr. (c 150) |
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XVII.8, 11,
15-17, 19-36; Tatian's
Diatessaron
(c. 150-160). |
|
IV.IX.1,
IV.XXVI.1,
IV.XL.2, 3,
IV.XLI.1, 3,
Adversus Haereses,
Irenaeus
of Lyons. (c. 180) |
|
Chapter II,
Adversus
Judaeos,
Tertullian
(c. 198) |
|
Exegetical
Fragments. (XXXI),
Irenaeus (c 180) |
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I.11,
Paedagogus,
Clement of Alexandria (c 200) |
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V.12,
VI.11,
Stromata,
Clement of Alexandria (c 200) |
|
Chapter
XXXV, On the Resurrection of the Flesh,
Tertullian
(c. 211) |
|
V.III,
V.IV,
The
Refutation of all Heresies (Philosophumena),
Hippolytus of Rome.
(c. 225) |
|
X.1-15,
XI.4,
Commentary
on the Gospel of Matthew,
Origen. (c.247) |
|
Concerning
Works and Almsgiving --
Cyprian
of Carthage (c. 252) |
| Latin text of Augustine's
Sermon 74 (Mt. 13:52).
|
| Augustine on
Matthew 13:52
 | "The Scribes then were they who professed the knowledge of the Law, and to
them belonged both the keeping and the studying, as well as also the transcribing and the
expounding, of the books of the Law." |
|
|
Matthew XXV, Proslogium,
Anselm of
Canterbury, 1077-1078. |
| From the
Catena
Aurea, Patristic Commentary by St Thomas Aquinas. |
| From the
Geneva Notes.
| "There are many in the Church who nevertheless are not of the Church, and
therefore at length will be cast out: but the full and perfect cleansing of them is
deferred to the last day." |
|
| From
Matthew
Henry's Commentary.
| "Though nothing can be given as a
price for this salvation, yet much must
be given up for the sake of it." |
|
| From
Wesley's
Notes.
| "The kingdom of God within us is a treasure indeed, but a treasure hid from
the world, and from the most wise and prudent in it. He that finds this treasure, (perhaps
when he thought it far from him,) hides it deep in his heart, and gives up all other
happiness for it." |
|
| From the
Commentary on the Whole Bible
(Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
| "The one pearl of great price, instead of being found by accident, as in
the former case, is found by one whose business it is to seek for such, and who
finds it just in the way of searching for such treasures." |
|
| From
The People's
New Testament, B.W. Johnson, 1891.
| "Valuables which, with us, are entrusted to banks, are in the East buried
in fields and gardens to save them from robbers and accidents." |
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| Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
|
"First
Thoughts on Year A Gospel Passages in the Lectionary," Pentecost 11,
William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia.
| "The good scribe or interpreter is one
who both draws on tradition (scripture) and draws on contemporary
experience as a parable of God's reality in the world, thus on both old
and new." |
|
|
"Pictures of God's Realm," Kate Huey, Weekly Seeds, iucc.org.
| "Jesus' audience would have
considered leaven unclean and corrupting; after all, 'the Bible told
them so,' since the scriptures often used 'unleavened' as a metaphor
for the Holy. In a culture like ours where leavened bread is common
and even popular (and where we perhaps spend far less time thinking
about what is Holy, and what is not), we don't hear the story the
same way, and we miss the offense and perhaps the power of what
Jesus is saying." |
|
|
"Mustard, Mustard, and More Mustard,"
Daniel Deffenbaugh, Seeds of Shalom, 2008.
| "In other words, this apparently
insignificant seed not only wreaks havoc on the order of creation,
as many farmers could attest, it is also invaluable in curing many
of the ills that beset us as mortal beings. How much more appealing
to think about the spread of this invasive species, this metaphor
for the Kingdom of God, as a reintroduction of health and healing
into our world." |
|
|
"What Is the Kingdom Like?" Rev. Todd Weir, bloomingcactus.
| "To what would you compare the
Kingdom of Heaven? It is like finding the technology stock you bought
in the 1980s for $50 and suddenly realizing you are a millionaire. It
is like the owner of DeBeers finally finding the perfect diamond and
selling a billion dollar empire to have it. It is like the harassed
physician tired of the HMOs, selling home and BMW and finding bliss in a
mission in Congo. It is like the crack addict waking up with a clear
head and is free to choose a new life." |
|
|
Comments
(commentary) and
Clippings
(technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican
Diocese of Montreal. |
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"Mustard Seed, Leaven, Priceless Pearl,"
Gospel Analysis, Sermons from
Seattle,
Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle,
Washington. Detailed background and exegesis.
| "Underline the phrase, “Have you
understood this?” Jesus asked this question of his disciples and Jesus
asks us this question also. Are we starting to “get it?” Are we starting
to grasp the reign of God for our lives and in our lives?" |
|
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"Exegetical Considerations,"
10th Sunday after Pentecost,
Richard Carlson, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Using Greek
for Sunday Text Preparations.
| "What is the continuity and
discontinuity of divine activity in v. 52 as it relates to the mission of
Jesus depicted up to this point in the narrative?" |
|
|
Exegetical
Notes by Brian P. Stoffregen at CrossMarks.
| "As in the weeds and
wheat parables and the shocking, unexpected, and unclean images in
parables for this week -- we can't be certain about who is good or
rotten, evil or righteous. There is a scholarship and understanding that
is part of the kingdom and it requires both the new and the old; but
there is also a scholarship and understanding that is not part of the
kingdom -- either emphasizing only the old or only the new or looking in
the wrong treasure box." |
|
|
"Violent Parables and the Nonviolent Jesus," study guide, Robert B. Kruschwitz, (other resources at)
"Parables," Christian Reflection, The Center for Christian
Ethics at Baylor University, 2006. |
|
Matthew in the Margins, by
Brian McGowan, Anglican priest in Western Australia. |
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"The Mustard
Seed," Mark Vitalis Hoffman, Lutheran Theological Seminary at
Gettysburg, CrossMarks Christian Resources. The Parables of Jesus - to
learn & teach, to share & discuss, to re-imagine & re-present. |
|
"Mustard Seed!"
Jerry Goebel, One
Family Outreach. "Focus on scripture from a justice perspective." Exegesis, study, and teen study
and activities.
| "We are most like leaven
when we act as invisible agents of change in our communities." |
|
|
"Both the New and the Old," Beverly R. Gaventa, The Christian
Century, 1993.
| "Not every new wind is a Nor'easter
that will shake the church's very foundations. Neither is every stone in
the foundation the makings for a prison. Both the new and the old belong
in the householder's treasure." |
|
|
Sermon
Preparation Thoughts and Questions by Wesley White, 2005.
| "While there are a
multitude of creative images for experiencing the presence of GOD, the
best parable has always been the life of a human being who is able to
listen to GOD and live with Neighbors." |
|
|
"Risk and
Reward," Larry Broding's Word-Sunday.Com: A
Catholic Resource for This Sunday's Gospel. Adult Study, Children's
Story, Family Activity, Support Materials.
| "What is the greatest reward the world
can offer you? What are you willing to sacrifice so you can own it?" |
|
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"The
Mustard Seed and the Yeast,"
"Parables
of the Kingdom," Rev. Bryan Findlayson, Lectionary Bible
Studies and Sermons, Pumpkin Cottage Ministry Resources. Includes detailed
textual notes. |
|
Wellspring of
the Gospel, Ordinary 17A, Catherine McElhinney and Kathryn
Turner, Weekly Wellsprings. |
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| Articles & Background:
|
"Parables of Jesus,"
"Mustard
Seed,"
"Yeast,"
"Hidden Treasure,"
"Pearl,"
"Net," wikipedia. |
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"Matthew's Nonviolent Jesus and Violent Parables," Barbara E. Reid,
O.P., (other resources at)
"Parables," Christian Reflection, The Center for Christian
Ethics at Baylor University, 2006.
| "Jesus' Sermon on the Mount instructs us to not
return violence for violence; instead we should be like God, who
offers boundless, gratuitous love to all. But in the same Gospel
Jesus tells eight parables in which God deals violently with
evildoers. Which of the divine ways are we to imitate?" |
|
| Synopsis (English) and discussion by Dr. Mahlon H. Smith,
Rutgers University. Focus is on literary relationships of texts. Includes non-canonical
parallels and discussion of textual origins.
|
"The
Harvest" (synopsis only) |
|
"Mustard
Seed and Leaven " (synopsis only) |
|
"The
Trained Scribe"
| "This parable asserts the
authority of an ancient scribe to alter a text by interpolating new material that
was not found in the text he was copying." |
|
|
"The
Harvest as Allegory"
| "Then Jesus is reported to supply
his disciples with an interpretation, in spite of his insistence a few lines earlier that
they already knew 'the secrets of the kingdom' and, therefore, needed no
explanation." |
|
|
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| Articles in
ATLAS Journals. (Direct link when you are
subscribed and logged in to
ATLASerials online collection of Religion and Theology Journals.):
| Bailey, Mark L., "The Kingdom in the
Parables of Matthew 13," Bibliotheca Sacra, 1998-1999:
|
| Bloom, Metropolitan Anthony,
"The Life of Prayer," Theology Today, 2004.
Image Browse -
PDF |
| Bridges, Linda McKinnish, "Preaching
the Parables in Matthew's Gospel in Ordinary Time: The Extraordinary
Tales of God's World," Review & Expositor, 2007. (Section on this
text begins on p.343, but is best read in context of entire article.)
Image Browse -
PDF |
| Crook, Zeba Antonin,
"The Synoptic Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Leaven: A Test-Case for
the Two-Document, Two-Gospel, and Farrer-Goulder Hypotheses,"
Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 2000.
Image Browse -
PDF |
| Ford, Richard Q.,
"Body Language,"
Interpretation, 2002. (See also,
"Parables," issue focus of
Interpretation 56.3 (2002).)
Image Browse -
PDF |
| Gaventa, Beverly R., "Both the New
and the Old," The Christian Century, 1993.
Image Browse -
PDF |
| Glick, G. Wayne, "Emancipation?"
The Christian Century, 2006. (Poetry)
Image Browse -
PDF |
| Jacobson, Delmar, "An Exposition of
Matthew 13:44-52," Interpretation, 1975.
Image Browse -
PDF |
| McIver, Robert K., "The Parable of
the Weeds among the Wheat (Matt 13:24-30, 36-34) and the Relationship
between the Kingdom and the Church as Portrayed in the Gospel of
Matthew," Journal of Biblical Literature, 1995.
Image Browse -
PDF |
| Reid, Barbara E., O.P., "Violent Endings in Matthew's Parables and Christian Nonviolence,"
The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 2004.
Image Browse -
PDF |
| Toussaint, Stanley D. and Jay A Quine, "No, Not Yet:
The Contingency of God's Promised Kingdom," Bibliotheca Sacra,
2007.
Image Browse -
PDF |
| Wilmshurst, S.M.B., "The Historic Present in Matthew's Gospel: A Survey and Analysis
Focused on Matthew 13.44," Journal for the Study of the New
Testament, 2003.
Image Browse -
PDF |
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| Reviews:
|
| Sermons:
| "Go
for the Gold," Bishop William H. Willimon, Day 1, 2005. |
|
"What Impresses You?"
10 Pentecost - 24 July 2005, Walter Harms, Göttinger Predigten im Internet: Every Sunday Sermons based on the
RCL by a team of Lutheran theologians/ pastors. |
|
"Who's Who?"
Dr. Angela Bauer, Episcopal Divinity School, 2004. |
|
"The Mustard Seed,"
"Treasures and Pearls,"
Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Sermons from Seattle. |
|
"Looking for the Kingdom of God Too High Up and Too Far Away," the
Rev. Dr. William L. Dols, Day 1,
2002. |
|
"The
Kingdom of Heaven," Rev. Sarah Buteux,
Cambridge Swedenborg Chapel, Cambridge, MA. |
|
"Understanding
the Kingdom," John Jewell, 2002. |
|
"Nonchalant in the Real Estate Office," the Rev. Dr. Norman Pott,
Day 1, 1996. |
| Father
Andrew M. Greeley, "Priest, Author, Sociologist," Commentary and Homily
|
|
| With Children:
|
"Parable of the
Mustard Seed," Illustrating
the Stories (lessons, children's sermons), coloring pages, activity
sheets, crafts, children's songs. MSSS Crafts. |
|
"X Marks the
Spot," Charles Kirkpatrick, Sermons4kids.com. |
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"Yeast and Mustard Seed," Children's Time for Ordinary 17, Richard Fairchild, United Church of Canada. |
|
"Jesus Tells Us
about Heaven," Sunday School
Lessons: Family Bible Study, art projects, music, stories, etc. |
|
"Parable of the
Treasure and the Pearl,"
children's study, puzzles, coloring sheet, etc. Higher Praise Christian
Center. |
|
| Drama:
|
| Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
|
| Hymns and Music:
|
"What Would You Sell?" F. Richard Garland, United Methodist Church
GBOD. |
|
Contemporary/Praise Song suggestions, Together to Celebrate,
David MacGregor. |
|
Hymns with Scripture
Allusions: Matthew 13:31, 38, 39, 40, 44, 46, 49. The Cyber Hymnal. |
|
Hymn
Selections, The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship. |
|
"Long Have I
Suffered," Brenton Prigge, NewHymn. |
|
| Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's
Art Index:
|
| Movies scenes with the following themes,
listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
| In the movie
"A
Simple Plan," a treasure is found in a field, and a man sells
everything he has to obtain it. Turns out that what he sells is what has
been his true treasure all along. |
|
| Study Links and Resources for the Book of Matthew |
|
