Breaking the Word

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. "Do you understand all these things?" They answered, "Yes." And he replied, "Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old." When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there. (Mt 13:47-53)

The kingdom is like a net thrown in the sea. It is not like a net on the shore. Net has a purpose and the net should be doing what it is supposed to do. Net is supposed to gather. It is to gather all types of fish available in the sea. It is not specifically for a particular type of fish. It is supposed to gather, and gather all types of fish and whatever it finds in the sea. The net is dragged only when it is full. There is need for time lapse.

Fishermen sit around the net and separate the good fish from bad ones.  Separation is another major work in fishing. All what is collected is not taken. Good fish are collected for use and the bad ones are thrown away. Only the fishermen will know what is useful and what is not.

The kingdom which Jesus has come to proclaim is a movement that gathers all types of people. Kingdom does not present a criteria list beforehand to invite people. Kingdom takes in people of every religion, race, caste, social status. In the kingdom all live together until the last day. Until the day when the angels come to separate. Judgement is done on the last day. There is no judgement passed while in the kingdom.

"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. 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. (Mt 13:44-46)

There is a treasure hunt in this parable. Treasures are always hidden. Anyone who finds will take it away. Here the treasure is found in someone else’s land. The does not belong to him. If he takes it away then he becomes a thief. He goes to collect money to buy the land in which the treasure is found. Kingdom is so attractive that anyone will long for it and will be happy to gain it at whatever expense.

Merchants are always on their move to buy precious things (pearls) and sell it at higher prices. Treasure is for possession whereas merchants are doing it for business. Even for business the merchant is ready to spend any amount of money to buy the pearls. It could be for possession or for sale for greater value. Kingdom could be for possession or for communicating to the others but the person or merchant is ready for losing all his own wealth.

“Sells all that he has and buys that field or buys the pearl”. Both the parables speak of selling all one possesses in order to gain. Kingdom is greater than all one has. Whatever wealth one may have but it is of no use or less value when compared to the kingdom. Kingdom is of highest value. It will always be more than the value of things one has. Interestingly,  kingdom can be bought by losing all the possessions.