St Matthew Chapter XIII : Verses 44-53
Contents
- Matt. xiii. 44-53. Douay-Rheims text & Latin text (Vulgate).
- Notes on the text.
Matt. xiii. 44-53
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| The hidden treasure. J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum. |
Simile est regnum cælorum thesauro abscondito in agro : quem qui invenit homo, abscondit, et præ gaudio illius vadit, et vendit universa quæ habet, et emit agrum illum.
45 Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant seeking good pearls.
Iterum simile est regnum cælorum homini negotiatori, quærenti bonas margaritas.
46 Who when he had found one pearl of great price, went his way, and sold all that he had, and bought it.
Inventa autem una pretiosa margarita, abiit, et vendidit omnia quæ habuit, et emit eam.
47 Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a net cast into the sea, and gathering together of all kind of fishes.
Iterum simile est regnum cælorum sagenæ missae in mare, et ex omni genere piscium congreganti.
48 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.
Quam, cum impleta esset, educentes, et secus littus sedentes, elegerunt bonis in vasa, malos autem foras miserunt.
49 So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall go out, and shall separate the wicked from among the just.
Sic erit in consummatione sæculi : exibunt angeli, et separabunt malos de medio justorum,
50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
et mittent eos in caminum ignis : ibi erit fletus, et stridor dentium.
51 Have ye understood all these things? They say to him: Yes.
Intellexistis hæc omnia? Dicunt ei : Etiam.
52 He said unto them: Therefore every scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven, is like to a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure new things and old.
Ait illis : Ideo omnis scriba doctus in regno caelorum, similis est homini patrifamilias, qui profert de thesauro suo nova et vetera.
53 And it came to pass: when Jesus had finished these parables, he passed from thence.
Et factum est, cum consummasset Jesus parabolas istas, transiit inde.
Notes
44. a treasure. Our Lord here points out the value and advantages of the true faith. These parables were spoken to the disciples only. They had found that treasure, and given up all to secure it.
hidden in a field. Without the assistance of the Holy Spirit, man is incapable of appreciating spiritual gifts.
“ A writer on Oriental literature and customs mentions that in the East, on account of the frequent changes of dynasties, and the revolutions which accompany them, many rich men divide their goods into three parts : one they employ in commerce, or for their necessary support ; one they turn into jewels, which, should it prove needful to fly, could be easily carried with them ; a third part they bury. But as they trust no one with the place where the treasure is buried, so is the same, should they not return to the spot before their death, as good as lost to the living (Jer. xli. 8), until, by chance, a lucky peasant digging in his field, lights upon it” (Trench, Notes on the Parables, p. 126).
having found. The man came upon it unexpectedly. Thus many, like the Samaritan woman, find Christ without having sought Him (St John iv.), whereas others, like the Greeks who visited Jerusalem in Holy Week, seek earnestly for Him.
hid it. “ If this mean anything, it only seems to mean that he who finds the kingdom of heaven — that is, the Gospel — ought to be careful that it do not slip from his grasp, and to take all pains to secure it. This is to hide it, not that another may not find it, but that he himself may not lose it” (Maldonatus, p. 444).
for joy thereof. This may be rendered “ on account of his joy ” (as the pronoun αὐτοῦ may be masculine or neuter), or it may mean the joy over the treasure. Either rendering suits the context.
buyeth that field. The Jews held rightly that a treasure found in a field belonged to the owner of the field. There is no question here of the man’s honesty or dishonesty, nor does Christ hold him up as an example in this respect, but in that he sacrificed all to purchase the treasure which he had found.
Explanation of the Parable of the Hidden Treasure.
The Treasure. Jesus Christ.The Field. The Church.The Man who sold all. He who sacrifices all for the true Faith.
Lessons. — (a) The Christian must sacrifice whatever may hinder his salvation. (b) The knowledge of the truth is a priceless treasure.
45. a merchant seeking good pearls. Pearls were greatly valued by the Orientals, and they differed considerably in value.
A merchant was called “margaritarius,” from “margarita,” a pearl, whence the Christian name Margaret. The word is probably derived from the Sanscrit “ manaarita,” i.e. pure.
46. when he had found. After diligently searching. Unlike the man in the preceding parable, he did not come upon it accidentally.
one pearl of great price. Lit. “one very precious pearl” (ἕνα πολύτιμον μαργαρίτην)
The ancients had a legend that pearls were formed from the dew of heaven only when it lightened, and this tradition explains the words of St Clement of Alexandria: — “This pearl is the most pellucid and pure Jesus, whom Mary conceived from the Divine lightning.”
sold all. St Paul may be given as an example of one who sold all for the sake of gaining Christ. Furthermore I count all things to he but loss, for the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but as dung, that I may gain Christ (Phil. iii. 8).
bought it. Thus Solomon advised : Buy truth, and do not sell wisdom, and instruction, and understanding (Prov. xxiii. 23). Inasmuch as men have often to sacrifice earthly things for the sake of their faith, they may be said to purchase it, i.e. the power to retain it, but the faith itself is a pure gift of God, which is granted in answer to our petitions.
Cf. All you that thirst, come to the waters : and you that have no money, make haste, buy, and eat : come ye, buy wine and milk without money, and without any price (Is. Iv. 1).
Explanation of the Parable of the Pearl.
The Merchant. The one who seeks after truth.The Pearl of Great Price. Jesus Christ.The Purchase of the Pearl at the price of “all” his Good. The renunciation of earthly things in order to obtain spiritual blessings.
Lesson. — We must seek the truth, and give up all that hinders its acquisition.
47. like to a net. A draw net. This parable resembles that of the Cockle, but there the chief point brought out is the coexistence of good and evil in the Church militant : here the attention is directed to the ultimate and complete separation of good and evil at the “ consummation of the age.”
all kinds of fishes. The words “ of fishes ” are not expressed in the Greek, but are supposed by the context,
48. they drew out. In the parable those who gathered and those who “ drew out ” were necessarily the same : in this, the parable falls short of the truth taught by it, since men gather souls into the Church, whereas at the last day, the angels will effect the separation of the good from the bad.
sitting by the shore, they chose out. Tristram writes thus : “ The greater number of the species taken on the lake are rejected by the fishermen, and I have sat with them on the gunwale while they went through their net, and threw out into the sea those that were too small for the market, or were considered unclean” (Nat. Hist, of Bible). Fishes not having scales and fins were considered unclean.
the bad they cast forth. Cf. You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted It is good for nothing any more but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by men (supra, v. 13).
49. separate. Completely sever ( ἀφοριοῦσιν),
the wicked .... the just. Jesus here drops the parable, and expresses plainly the truth it teaches.
50. And shall cast them, etc. St Gregory the Great says these words are “to be feared rather than explained” (“Timendum est potius quam exponendum”).
51. Have ye understood, etc. ? In some MSS. this question is preceded by “ Jesus said to them,” but these words are not in the best MSS., nor in the most ancient versions. They probably were inserted to introduce the passage when it was chosen for a lectionary.
all these things. This is generally taken as referring to the truths taught by the parables.
52. Therefore, — i.e. since you have understood.
every scribe. Every teacher or doctor in the Messianic kingdom.
instructed in the kingdom, etc., — i.e. enrolled as a disciple for the kingdom of heaven (μαθητευθεὶς ⸂τῇ βασιλείᾳ⸃)
treasure. Lit. “ treasury,” or chest containing his stores. These household treasuries contained the family heirlooms and also the fresh acquisitions.
new things and old. The good teacher “ must, then, be prepared to employ examples of all sorts, taken both from the Old Testament and the New ; and bring to bear varied knowledge, derived from all legitimate sources, cultivated and perfected by daily meditation and spiritual exercises, in instructing the people ” (MacEvilly, St Matt., p. 257).
Explanation of the Parable of the Draw Net.
The Net. The Church militant.The Sea. The world, with its turmoil.The waters of Baptism.The Fish. The members of the Church, good and bad.The Casting of the Net. Christ’s commission to His Apostles.The Fishermen. The Apostles and their successors.The Gathering of all kinds. The Jews and Gentiles.
Lesson. — The wicked will be separated from the good at the day of judgment.
53. he passed from thence. From the second gospel we learn that Jesus said to His apostles on that day, when evening was come : Let us pass over to the other side (iv. 35). Here we must place several events which St Matthew has anticipated : —
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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