The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a treasure that was hidden in a field. A man found him and dug him again. Out of sheer joy he sold everything he had and bought that field.
also possible to compare the kingdom of heaven with a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he discovers a pearl was, he sold everything and bought the pearl (Mt 13, 44-46).
Two different situations are described. A man unexpectedly encounters a treasure in a field. Probably a tenant who worked a piece of land owned by a landowner. The other, a businessman, a dealer in pearls may find, finally, the Pearl, after he has been looking for. One stumbles over his good fortune as it were, the other is finally rewarded for his long search.
the extent that the story may not exactly be commonplace, it's not particularly exciting, however. We know Jesus better stories. When I However, the reaction of the two men on their finding a closer look, then the history is still spicy. One buys a field and fails to mention that a treasure lies hidden in it. That is at least questionable if not downright criminal. The others sold for a single pearl of his property. What does he want to live in the future? The pearl he can hardly eat well! Conclusion: where one is dishonorable acts of others, a merchant, moreover, very stupid.
This is typical of Jesus, the storyteller. Jesus stories to provoke the listeners to subsequent or further thought. Somewhere in the narrative sequence, hides a stumbling block. Self-evident is unexpectedly called into question. The listeners are suddenly insecure in their conventional views. Everything does not happen. The listener maintains its freedom. Jesus' stories are not moral appeals and no instructions. There are simple, usually very subtle, thought-provoking.
In this parable, the "kingdom of heaven" with something very precious set in relation. This is not the point. The point is that one of the Precious quite unexpectedly discovered, although it has not looked for it like the man on the field. Or one has been looking for a lifetime after that and then it suddenly stops in the hand as the merchant. Now It comes down to how I react to it. Am I willing to risk? Will I make it to jump over my shadow? I dare to stake everything on one card? Conventions and old beliefs to throw overboard?
"Kingdom of Heaven" may be left here still uncertain. It should be the concept at this point theologically overload. "Kingdom of Heaven" is shown for each as it suits him. It is an offer at a given moment, to become who he or she is at the core all along.
