For the Lutheran Readings for today, and comments on them, see the Presbyterian Readings in the file for May 24, 2010, a week ago. These traditions differ in relating readings to the weeks following Pentecost.

Episcopal and Presbyterian Readings

Ecclesiastes 2:1-15

The Futility of Self-Indulgence (Cp 1 Kings 4.20-28)

2:1 I said to myself, "Come now, I will make a test of pleasure; enjoy yourself." But again, this also was vanity. 2 I said of laughter, "It is mad," and of pleasure, "What use is it?" 3 I searched with my mind how to cheer my body with wine-my mind still guiding me with wisdom-and how to lay hold on folly, until I might see what was good for mortals to do under heaven during the few days of their life. 4 I made great works; I built houses and planted vineyards for myself; 5 I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house; I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and of the provinces; I got singers, both men and women, and delights of the flesh, and many concubines.

9 So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem; also my wisdom remained with me. 10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them; I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. 11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Wisdom and Joy Given to One Who Pleases God

12 So I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what can the one do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done. 13 Then I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness.

14 The wise have eyes in their head,

but fools walk in darkness.

Yet I perceived that the same fate befalls all of them. 15 Then I said to myself, "What happens to the fool will happen to me also; why then have I been so very wise?" And I said to myself that this also is vanity. (Ecclesiastes 2:1-15, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here from June 2, 2008 (Monday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 1, Year Two), when they were repeated with editing and supplement from June 5, 2006 (Monday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 1, Year Two, and the week of Pentecost Sunday in 2006), when comments were repeated from May 31, 2004 (Monday of the week of Pentecost, Year Two) in an email sent May 31, 2004 for May 30 through June 6.

The author of Ecclesiastes, presenting the persona or voice of Solomon, so to speak, does something very “modern” in today’s reading. He describes an “experiment” he has conducted. “I said to myself, ‘Come now, I will make a test of pleasure; enjoy yourself’ ” (Eccl. 2:1a). But, anticipating the results, he adds, “But again, this also (Mg1, gam) was vanity (lb@h!, hāvel, i.e. lb@h@, hevel in “pause,” accented at the end of the phrase)” (v. 1b). The intensive particle Mg1, gam (“also”) reminds us that Solomon has “applied [his] mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven” (1:13), and he has “acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before [him]” (v. 16), but the result of his application of this wisdom was “but a chasing after wind (H1Ur NOyf4r1, ra’yôn rû ^ach)” (v. 17). Following the summary in chapter 1, we are now presented with specifics, beginning with the “test of pleasure” (2:1). Solomon “said of laughter, ‘It is mad,’ and of pleasure, ‘What use is it?’ ” (v. 2). Peter Machinist says verses 1-2 serve “as a bridge to the preceding vv. [and] introduce, with a note of pessimism, the task at hand. They do so,” he adds, “by proposing, as a point of argument, that life appears to furnish no enjoyment” (The Jewish Study Bible, 2004, p. 1607, on Eccl. 2:1-26). Solomon “searched with [his] mind how to cheer [his] body with wine,” still calling that “wisdom (hm!k4H!, chokmāh)” (v. 3a). He also searched “how to lay hold on folly (tUlk4s9, siklûth), until [he] might see what was good for mortals to do under heaven during the few days of their life” (v. 3b). His experiment includes “great works,” for, as he says, “I built houses and planted vineyards for myself; I made myself gardens and parks (Mys9d2r4P1, pardēsîm), and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees” (vv. 4-5). “Among such functions,” says Machinist, “is the building of gardens, though this is not otherwise attested for Solomon, it is familiar from other monarchs in the ancient Near East and beyond” (ibid., p. 1608, on v. 5).

The word sD2r4P1, pardēs (“park, forest”), which occurs only three times in the Hebrew Bible (Song of Sol. 4:13; Eccl. 2:5; Neh. 2:8; William L. Holladay, Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon, 1971, 10^th corrected printing, 1988, s.v. sD2r4P1, pardēs), is called “a Persian loan-word, though found in Akkadian, whence paravdeisoV [paradeisos] (e.g. Lk. 23:43), and so ‘paradise’ ” (E. T. Ryder, Peake’s Commentary on the Bible, 1962, reprint 1972, sec. 402c, p. 461). The Persian derivation of this word might indicate a late, Persian period date for the Book of Ecclesiastes. Ryder says, “Consideration of affinities and language . . . causes most scholars to assign Ec. to the Greek period, and to regard Ben Sira’s date (c. 180 B.C.) as the lowest possible limit for its composition, which would accord with its lack of any Maccabaean indications” (sec. 401c, p. 460). But, given the picture of Solomon’s international connections described in 1 Kings–for example, the visit of the Queen of Sheba (10:1-13)–not mention the fact noted by Ryder that the word is found in Akkadian, it is not impossible that Solomon himself, or someone close to him, might have used the word. Leong Seow calls the word “sentence (Mg4t4P9, pithgām)” (8:1) a Persian word, as well, adding, “The abundance of Aramaisms (Aramaic loan words, forms, and constructions) also points to the postexilic period, when Aramaic became the lingua franca in Palestine” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, Introduction to Ecclesiastes).

“Solomon” continues to describe his “great works” (2:4): “I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees” (v. 6). He accumulates slaves, herds and flocks (v. 7), “silver and gold and the treasure of kings and of the provinces (tOnyd9m04h1, hamm^edînôth)” (v. 8a), and arranges for various pleasures, as he “got singers, both men and women, and delights of the flesh, and many concubines” (v. 8b). It is reported that, “among his [Solomon’s] wives were seven hundred princesses and three hundred concubines,” and noted regretfully that “his wives turned away his heart [i.e., from the LORD]” (1 Kgs. 11:3). So this “Solomon” sums up the matter: “So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem; also my wisdom remained with me. Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them; I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward (yq9l4H@, chelqî ) for all my toil” (vv. 9-10). According to Machinist, Solomon’s “wealth gives him momentary pleasure as his ‘portion’ (‘chelek’) from his labor (for this key term, see also 2:11; 3:22; 5:17, 18; 9:6, 9. NJPS freely translates here: And that was all I got out of my wealth)” (op. cit., p. 1608, on 2:10). And so this “Solomon” sums up his first major experiment. “Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun” (v.11). Seow calls this passage “a summary of accomplishments like those found in royal inscriptions” (on 2:4-11). These are not results to publish in a scientific journal, perhaps; not even the Journal of Irreproducible Results. (It’s a real print journal, now on the Internet, e.g. http://gort.ucsd.edu/newjour/j/msg02456.html, accessed again May 30, 2010 .A student with two Ph.D. degrees in a scientific field once told me about that one.) While that journal is a joke, I suppose, the problem here is that Solomon’s results are all too reproducible, in the long run, if not sooner. As St. Augustine says, near the beginning of his Confessions, “Thou movest us to delight in praising Thee; for Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee” (from “The Confessions and Letters of Augustine,” on the Internet Web Site, Christian Classics Ethereal Library, at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf101.vi.I_1.I.html, accessed again–by copying and pasting to the URL space–May 30, 2010). None of Solomon’s pleasures could fill what someone has called “the God-shaped void” at the center of his being.

Solomon turns to what Machinist calls his “second experiment”: “The second experiment is in determining if there is an advantage to wisdom over folly. Like the first experiment with wealth, it does not, in Koheleth’s view, finally succeed” (op. cit., on vv. 12-16. using his spelling of Qoheleth). In turning to this experiment, Qoheleth considers “wisdom and madness and folly; for what can one do,” he asks, “who comes after the king? Only what has already been done” (v. 12). “But the wealth has no lasting value for him,” says Machinist, “and will fall to an unknown successor” (ibid., on vv. 11-12). “Then,” says Qoheleth, “I saw that wisdom (hm!k4H!, chokmāh) excels folly (tUlk4s90h1, hassiklûth) as light excels darkness” (v. 13). The verb “excels” represents the phrase “profit from”: Literally, “I saw that there is profit (NOrt4y9, yithrôn) to wisdom (hm!k4H!, chokmāh) from folly (tUlk4s90h1-Nm9, min-hassiklûth) like the profit of light (rOxh! NOrt4yK9, kîth^erôn hā’ôr) from darkness (j`w@Ho4h1-Nm9, min-hachōšek). Verse 14 begins with a couplet: “The wise (Mk!H!h@, hechākām) have eyes in their head, / but fools (lys9K4h1v4) walk in darkness” v. 14a). The New Jewish Publication Society translation prints four poetic lines:

I found that

Wisdom is superior to folly

As light is superior to darkness;

A wise man has his eyes in his head,

Whereas a fool walks in darkness. (Eccl. 2:13-14a, NJPS)

But the final result is the same for the wise and for the fool: “Yet I perceived,” says Qoheleth, “that the same fate befalls all of them” (v. 14b). “For in a similar way to wealth,” says Machinist, “wisdom may at first confer the advantage of ‘finding/observing’ (‘ra’ah’)–perhaps of understanding the limits of one’s situation–but in the end it is negated by the fact that wise and fool alike have the same fate (‘mikreh,’ yet another important word: lit. ‘happening’; see also 3:19:-20; 9:2, 3, 11)” (on vv. 13-14). And Qoheleth concludes, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also; why then have I been so very wise?” And he adds “that this also is vanity (lb@h!, hāvel, i.e. lb@h@, hevel in “pause,” accented at the end of the phrase)” (v. 15).

Tomorrow’s reading continues with the section that Seow has entitled, “the leveling effect of death” (Eccl. 2:12-26). Some people are good because of the expected results or rewards. Others are “good, for goodness sake,” as a certain Christmas jingle has it–though the song is about the coming of Santa Claus (with rewards?). Then there is the cynic

who thinks he has “been good for nothing”! So far, it appears that Solomon feels he has been wise for nothing.

Galatians 1:1-17

1 Paul an apostle--sent neither by human commission nor from human authorities, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead-- 2 and all the members of God's family who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (Galatians 1:1-5, NRSV)

There Is No Other Gospel

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- 7 not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so now I repeat, if anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let that one be accursed!

10 Am I now seeking human approval, or God's approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:6-10, NRSV)

Paul's Vindication of His Apostleship (Cp Acts 9)

11 For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin; 12 for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

13 You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it. 14 I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. 15 But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before me, but I went away at once into Arabia, and afterwards I returned to Damascus. (Galatians 1:11-17, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here with editing and supplement from January 26, 2009 (Monday in the week of the Third Sunday after the Epiphany, Year One), when comments were repeated from June 2, 2008 (Monday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 1, Year Two), when comments were repeated from January 22, 2007 (Monday in the week of the Third Sunday after the Epiphany, Year One), when comments were combined with revision and adaptation from January 24, 2005 (Monday in the week of the Third Sunday after the Epiphany, Year One), and from June 5, 2006 (Monday of the week of Pentecost Sunday, Year Two).

On Galatians 1:1-5

In the salutation of the Letter to the Romans, Paul’s identification of himself as the sender, what we would call the “signature” and put at the end, is expanded to explain what it means to be “an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God” (Rom. 1:1) and, briefly, what that gospel is about (vv. 2-6), this even before his identification of those to whom he is addressing the letter (v. 7a). In Philippians, on the other hand, he simply says “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:1a). In Romans he is introducing himself to a church which he did not found and to which he is still unknown (though he has many acquaintances in Rome (cf. chap. 16). For the Philippians, he has few criticisms, but he wants to thank them for financial help on more than one occasion (Phil. 1:5; 4:10, 15-18). In Galatians the salutation stresses Paul’s apostleship, and, by implication, his gospel. He was sent as an apostle “neither by human commission nor from human authorities, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead” (Gal. 1:1). It is perhaps also significant that he does not name specific persons as associates and “co-senders,” but as senders he includes “all the members of God’s family who are with me” (v. 2a). In the light of what follows, we might see that as an emphasis on his role of leadership within the Christian community.

In contrast to including “all the members of God’s family who are with me” among the senders, Paul merely addresses the readers as “the churches of Galatia” (v. 2b), omitting any praise or characterization of them, in contrast to even the Corinthians, whom he addresses as “those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints” and for whom he later gives thanks in the thanksgiving (1 Cor. 1:3-9) for their enrichment in speech and knowledge (v. 5), and for their “not lacking in any spiritual gift” (v. 7)–compliments with a touch of irony, to be sure, as indicated by problems Paul addresses in the letter.

But for the Galatians, there is no characterization at all in the salutation, and the thanksgiving, a standard feature of Paul’s letters, sometimes represented by a benediction which also points to his relationship with the addressees (e.g. 2 Cor. 1:3-7), is conspicuous by its absence from the Letter to the Galatians. His greeting proper follows the standard form, with the greeting words, “Grace (cavriV, charis) to you and peace (eijrhvnh, eirēnē, cf. Heb. MOlwA, šālôm)” (Gal 1:3a), and continues with emphasis on salvation through God and Christ, “from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father” (vv. 3b, 4). According to Richard B. Hays, “The naming of God as Father anticipates 4:6-7” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Gal. 1:3-4). Sheila Briggs explains, “gave himself for our sins [as] in sacrificial death (Mk. 10:45) as a sin offering (Lev. 4-5). Paul repeats this central early Christian tradition (see also 2:20; 1 Tim. 2:6)” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Gal. 1:4). “The present evil age,” she adds, “implies that there is another age, the ‘age to come’ in Jewish apocalyptic thought (see also 2 Thess. 2:7-8). Christ’s death, therefore cancels believers’ sin and delivers them for this messianic era” (ibid.). The salutation concludes with an ascription of glory to “our God and Father” (Gal. 1:4b) “to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen” (v. 5).

On Galatians 1:6-10

If the lack of commendation in the greeting is not enough to emphasize Paul’s concern, the omission of the so-called Pauline thanksgiving (his normal transition to the body of the letter, cf. Rom. 1:8-15; 1 Cor. 1:4-9; 2 Cor. 1:3-11 [in part a blessing, cf. Eph. 1:3-23]; Phil. 1:3-11, etc.) certainly raises a “red flag”! Instead, he launches immediately into a vigorous tirade against the inroads of the so-called Judaizers.

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed! As we have said before, so now I repeat, if anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let that one be accursed! (Gal 1:6-9 NRSV)

The above follows the formalities of the salutation, immediately. The major concern is “a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you.” In other words, says Paul, “You are deserting me, and the gospel which I preached to you.” After Paul founded the churches of Galatia and instructed them in his gospel, others have come in and accused Paul of preaching an inadequate, perhaps, even false, gospel. Paul will describe their views later, but in the beginning of the letter he asserts that his gospel, which “called [them] in the grace of Christ (v. 6), is the true gospel, and the intruders “want to pervert the gospel of Christ” (v. 7). No one should undo Paul’s work of ministry in Galatia. “But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed!” (v. 8). The true gospel, says Paul, will present nothing “contrary to what you received” (v. 9). He perhaps drops an early hint of the criticisms that have been leveled against him in his denial of “seeking human approval, or God’s approval,” or “trying to please people,” which, if he did, would show that he is not “a servant of Christ” (v. 10). From that we may infer that he has been accused of weakening or watering down the demands of the “true gospel,” true, that is, according to the intruders. They must have said that Paul tries to please people by not requiring his converts from paganism to follow the requirements of circumcision and kosher food, as the ensuing discussion in Galatians will show.

On Galatians 1:11-17

Before Paul gets into the differences between his gospel and the so-called “gospel” of the intruders, he tells the story of his pre-conversion persecution of Christians (v. 13) and his conversion and call as a missionary to the Gentiles (vv. 15-16), with emphasis on the fact that his gospel was “not of human origin” (vv. 11-12, cf. v. 17) but came to him “through a revelation of Jesus Christ,” that is, it was of divine origin (v. 12). His first point is that he received his gospel “through a revelation of Jesus Christ” (v. 12b), that is, not “from a human source” that people taught him (v. 12a); “the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin” (v. 11). From this we see that the opponents were criticizing his gospel as inferior because he got it second-hand; he was not one of the original disciples of Christ. To refute such charges, he relates how, though in his “earlier life in Judaism [he] was violently persecuting the church of God and trying to destroy it (v. 13), and though he was “advanced in Judaism” and “far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors,” that is, the traditions of Judaism (v. 14), God interrupted his life and turned things around completely for him. He received his gospel “when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles” (vv. 15, 16a). His reference to being set apart before he was born reminds us of Jeremiah, who was consecrated and appointed a prophet before he was born (Jer. 1:5), and indicates Paul’s conviction of his divine call to be an apostle to the Gentiles. This was through God’s grace (v. 15). But in the context of refuting the opponents’ criticism, he emphasizes that even then, at his conversion and call, he did not “confer with any human being” (v. 16b), nor, in particular, did he “go ;up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before me” (v. 17a), where he might have met with the apostles, but, on the contrary, he says, “I went away at once into Arabia, and afterwards I returned to Damascus” (v. 17b).

We know his issues related to circumcision–he did not want his Gentile converts to be circumcised as converts to Judaism (Gal. 2:3)–and kosher food, he did not want the kosher food laws to hinder table fellowship (2:11-14). But an underlying issue is that of freedom. “But because of false believers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might enslave us–we did not submit to them even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might always remain with you” (Gal. 2:4-5). In the end, what was at stake for Paul was the truth of the gospel.

Matthew 13:44-52

44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; 46 on finding one pearl of great value, he 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 caught fish of every kind; 48 when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Treasures New and Old

51 "Have you understood all this?" They answered, "Yes." 52 And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” (Matthew 13:44-52, NRSV)

The following comments are based on those of November 3, 2009 (Tuesday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 2, Year One), when comments were repeated from November 6, 2007 (Tuesday in the week of the Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost, references for the week of the Sunday closest to November 2, Year One), and earlier as indicated there. Comments here are also based on those of September 28, 2008 (the Sunday closest to September 28, Year Two), and earlier comments as noted there.

The series of parables in Matthew chapter 13 concludes with the Parables of Hidden Treasure (v. 44, cf. Gospel of Thomas 109), the Pearl of Great Value (vv. 45-46, cf. Gospel of Thomas 76), and the Dragnet (vv. 47-50), cf. Gospel of Thomas 8). There are no parallel versions of these parables in the other Canonical Gospels. Neither the Canonical Gospels nor the Gospel of Thomas has a parallel to the statement about the Christian scribe. The following table compares these parables from Matthew with those in the Gospel of Thomas:

Earlier we have noted that the Gospel of Thomas lacks interpretations of the Parable of the Sower (Mt. 13:18-23; Mk. 4:13-20; Lk. 8:11-15) and the Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds (Mt. 13:36-43). Whereas some see the interpretations in the Canonical Gospels as later expansions of the more primitive tradition as found in the Gospel of Thomas, we suggested rather that the interpretations were omitted by the Gospel of Thomas because they did not fit its theology. For two parables in today’s reading, the Parable of the Hidden Treasure (Mt:13:44; GT 109) and the Parable of the Pearl of Great Value (Mt. 13:45-46; GT 76), the Gospel of Thomas appears to be expanded considerably with several details. It thus appears that the Gospel of Thomas is not above expanding his tradition, though it could be that Matthew has done some abbreviating here.

The series of parables in Matthew chapter 13 concludes with the Parables of Hidden Treasure (v. 44, cf. Gospel of Thomas 109), the Pearl of Great Value (vv. 45-46, cf. Gospel of Thomas 76), and the Dragnet (vv. 47-51, cf. Gospel of Thomas 8). There are no parallel versions of these parables in the other Canonical Gospels.

For Matthew, the Parable of the Hidden Treasure focuses on the value of the treasure itself, which is compared to the value of the kingdom of heaven. One is motivated to sell “all that he has and [buy] that field” in order to acquire the treasure. In the Gospel of Thomas version, the focus is rather on the ignorance of the father and the son, neither of whom are aware of the treasure. In Gnosticism, which some find in some of the sayings of the Gospel of Thomas, knowledge, rather than faith, is the key to salvation. In the Gospel of Thomas version, the man who bought the field doesn’t merely focus on the value of the treasure; rather, when he finds the treasure while ploughing, his life changes as he begins “to lend money at interest to [whomever] he wished.” The kingdom, elsewhere called “the kingdom of the Father,” is not apocalyptically conceived as the end of the age, but rather amounts to a change in vocation and life style.

For Matthew, the Parable of the Pearl of Great Value also focuses on the value of the treasure itself, and again it is the value of the kingdom of heaven that is at stake. The merchant who recognizes its value sells everything he has in order to get it (cf. Mt. 13:45-46).You and I might define “treasure” as a strong 401(k) or other retirement plan. That’s apparently what the man who hid the treasure in the field so he could buy the field and obtain the treasure saw int it. We may question his ethics, but the point is the great value of the treasure, and of the pearl in what Dennis C. Duling calls the “twin parables” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Mt. 13:44-46). Compare Jesus’ words to the one who asked about eternal life (Mt. 19:16-22; Mk. 10:17-22; Lk. 18:18-25), whom we know by combining the records as the rich young ruler: “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me” (Mt. 19:21). Again, the Gospel of Thomas version of the Parable of the Pearl of Great Value expands the parable as compared to Matthew, though the main lines of action are essentially the same. In both the merchant sells his pearls (Mt.) or merchandise (GT) in order to buy the one pearl of great value. In this instance it is the Gospel of Thomas version that seeks to drive the point home, “You also must seek for the treasure which does not perish, which abides where no moth comes near to eat and (where) no (oujdev [oude] worm destroys.” This emphasizes the value and the permanence of the pearl, which could be understood as the way of gnosticism, or that of other movements.

In the Parable of the Dragnet, the different emphases of Matthew and of the Gospel of Thomas come into sharper relief. The story itself is similar. In Matthew “the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind” (Mt:13:47). In the Gospel of Thomas, we are informed that “Man is like a wise fisherman who cast his net into the sea; he drew it out of the sea when it was full of little fishes.” So far, the narrative is similar. But as they continue, in Matthew the fishermen sort out the fish, keeping the good but throwing out the bad (Mt. 13:48). This represents the last judgment “at the end of the age” (v. 49a), when the angels “will come out and separate the evil from the righteous” (v. 49b; cf. vv. 40-42; 15:41-46). In the Gospel of Thomas version, “the wise fisherman” finds “a large good fish,” which he saves, and throws back the small fish. Thus there is emphasis on the value of the large fish, but nothing of the apocalyptic perspective of Matthew’s version. If the great value of the gospel of salvation is the meaning of the pearl and the treasure, the outcome at Judgment Day is a key part of this value. Matthew’s Parable of Weeds Among the Wheat (13:24-30) makes a similar point; whereas the parallel in Mark 4:26-29 makes no reference to weeds, but focuses on the growth of the seed, though the one who scattered the seed “does not know how” (Mk. 4:27).

Only Matthew presents Jesus’ saying about the Christian scribe. “Have you understood all this?” Jesus asks, and the disciples answer, “Yes” (Mt. 13:51). Then Jesus says, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” (v. 52). On the word “scribe,” Elwyn E. Tilden and Bruce M. Metzger say, “an expert in the Mosaic law, having become a disciple of Jesus, is able to preserve past insights and enlarge them” (NOAB, 2^nd ed., on Mt. 13:52). Dennis C. Duling sees “scribe” as “a reference to the disciples in the Matthean groups . . . both the old scriptures and their new fulfillment in Jesus’ ministry are valued” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Mt. 13:52). It is conceivable that we have here, perhaps, a glimpse of Matthew’s own self-understanding.

As noted above, for the Lutheran Readings for today, and comments on them, see the Presbyterian Readings in the file for May 24, 2010, a week ago. These traditions differ in relating readings to the weeks following Pentecost.

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net