Two Parables

(Plain Text Version)

Two Parables of the Kingdom of Heaven
In His preaching, Jesus used parables to help people to understand His message. Parables are stories based on everyday life, which teach spiritual lessons.  For those who accepted Jesus, parables made it easy to learn the lesson.  For those who wouldn’t accept Him, the parables seemed like pointless stories.  Although they are simple stories, they carry life-changing messages. 
Here are two parables preached by Jesus,  followed by comments from the Fathers (saintly writers) of the early Church:

The Pearl of Great Price
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.    (Matthew 13: 45-46)

Some people go through life, looking for what is good and true.  They find goodness and truth in many places.  It may come as a surprise that there is one truth, which is greater than all the others.  To live according to this one perfect Truth [Jesus Christ], everything else has to be set aside.  (St. John Chrysostom, 398 AD)

The Buried Treasure
The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.     (Matthew 13: 44)

Many people hear the Good News about Jesus without looking for it.  This is like walking through a field, and finding buried treasure. 
Although it didn’t cost anything to find the treasure, it costs us everything we have in order to benefit from it.  It is a joy to give up everything, in order to follow Christ.  (St. Hilary of Poitiers, 354 AD)