Feb. 28, 2010 – Matthew 13:44 – 14:21
There is a lot in there. You don’t realize how much is packed into the Gospels until you try to reflect on a section at a time like this and realize how much is in each part. First, the kingdom analogies. Treasure, pearl, and fish: When I was reading I kept thinking that these are material things. I guess God knows what we understand the most about and is trying to relate with us on our level. What I think I used to take from these is that the Kingdom is very valuable and we should do what we can to get there. Now I think it is more about sacrificing everything to get there. It is so hard for us to think of selling everything to be with God, but that is what I see here.
And if you were sitting there listening to Jesus, you have to be thinking, “there is no pearl or treasure worth all my other pearls and treasure, why can’t I just keep them both?” I think that is why the parables are stated in such a way that you have to sell everything you have to get the one you found. It also speaks to totally relying on God, because you can’t eat or live off the pearl or treasure unless you resold it, but the parable doesn’t seem to suggest you would resell it, but keep it. It alone will sustain you.
Then it appears we get a flashback to John the Baptist and his execution. It appears the timeline is Jesus is teaching in His native area, the leader is told about the teaching, he says it is John come back to life, flashback to John’s execution, Jesus finds out and leaves the area. So, it is a little confusing exactly where we are in the story when He feeds the 5,000, but you also must see that His ministry is over a 3 year period and we are not given a day by day run down. There isn’t any contradicting time frames because we are not suppose to be able to account for Jesus’ every minute on Earth.
The feeding of the 5,000 (different #’s in different Gospels and multiple times in some) is the only miracle talked about in every Gospel, so the footnotes say. One of the reasons is that it pertains so much to the Eucharist. Another reason, I believe, is because it was such a large event. You can imagine something like that would be talked about among the people for years and years. Then when the Gospels were written and people started hearing the story they may remember hearing about it from their grandfather or great grandfather, making it seem more real. It also seems something that must have really touched the Apostles deeply if it were something they wanted to make so prominent. I do disagree with the footnote. Obviously it is not the only miracle in all 4 Gospels. The Resurrection is in all 4.