“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Key words / concepts

1. Kingdom of heaven
2. treasure:
3. hidden: INTENTIONAL
4. field: reference to Scripture (Lenski)
5. covers up
6. found
7. joy
8. sells all to buy the field

The treasure is worth more than everything else he posesses.  It not only makes sense to sell all in order to buy the field; it would not make sense / would be foolish to do otherwise.

The man is motivated to action by the joy of his discovery.  He knows he cannot have both his posessions and the treasure.  But the thought of his potential gain far outweighs any thought of loss.

45

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,

1. Kingdom of heaven
2. merchant in search of fine pearls
3. finds one pearl of great value
4. sells all to buy the pearl

While the word “joy” is not present in 45-46, the concept is clearly present; the pearl merchant's reaction is not simply economic.

46

who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

47

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.

1. Kingdom of heaven
2. net
3. gathers every kind of fish (good and bad)
4. (48) fish sorted

1.      good fish kept

2.      bad fish thrown away

5.  (49) angels will separate evil from righteous
6. evil thrown into furnace

48

When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad.

49

So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous

50

and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

51

“Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.”

52

And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”