The Hidden Treasure, the Pearl, and the Dragnet

(Matthew 13:44–53)

From Exegetical Commentary on Matthew, AMG Publishers, 2006.

Jesus called His first four teachings in this chapter “parables”, while the rest are included in this category in a summary statement in verse 53. A parable is a simile, a comparative using the word “like” or “as” (homoía [3664], similar, like). In His parables, Jesus made good use of ordinary physical objects to explain unseen or intangible spiritual realities.

[44] The kingdom of heaven, He said here, is comparable to a “treasure (thēsaurós [2344], something precious) hid (kekrumménō, the perfect passive participle of krúptō [2928], to hide) in a field.” This is the same basic verb used in Matthew 11:25 and 13:35. In Luke 17:20, 21, Jesus said that His present kingdom rules invisibly in the hearts of believers and is therefore hidden (kekrumménō) from physical eyes, though its impact in the world is apparent.

The person who found the treasure of the kingdom of heaven realizes its inestimable value and that material things are worthless by comparison. Although this treasure is hidden in a field, it can be found by all who seek it.

Finding the treasure creates a “joy” (chará [5479]) so great that a person is willing to exchange everything for it. While this parable does not teach that the kingdom of heaven can be bought, it does teach that salvation is worth more than all we possess, that our salvation should not be taken lightly, and that it is worth parting with worldly things we hold dear to fully enjoy our new wealth. A person who does not joyfully give of his material possessions to enable others to find the treasure of the kingdom of heaven is not a true possessor of that treasure. He does not freely possess his possessions; they, rather, possess and enslave him. A reluctant, sorrowful giver is a hypocrite.

[45] The parable of the pearl is similar, except that the man seeking good pearls is a “merchant” (émporos [1713], a tradesman who travels from place to place looking for bargains and opportunities to buy and sell). This infrequently used New Testament word is found only here and in Revelation 18.

[46] In all his searchings and dealings, the merchant, we are told, finds only “one pearl of great price (polútimon [4186] from polús [4183], very great; and timē [5092], honor, special attributed value.” Like the treasure hidden in the field, the pearl, representing our salvation, is so precious that the prospective owner sells all he has to own it. There are no half commitments or cheap transactions here. When the pearl is owned, everything else drops in value.

The concurrent action of the aorist active participles, heurōn (“having found” [from heurískō {2147}]), and apelthōn (“having gone away” [from apérchomai {565}]), shows that the merchant, immediately on finding the pearl, sold his possessions to buy it. The lack of an extended period of consideration reveals the depth of spiritual hunger and the full recognition of incomparable value in this soul.

The merchant, now, “has sold” (pépraken, the perfect tense of pipráskō [4097], to sell) everything he had to buy the pearl. The root of this verb, peráo, means to transport to a distant land, implying that he apparently went as far and wide as necessary to accomplish this task.

There are two interesting points of comparison between the “man” who finds the treasure and the “merchant” who finds the pearl. First, the verb “sell” (pōleí [4453]; v. 44) in the first parable tells us that the man engages in local, as opposed to distant, selling. Secondly, the same man finds his treasure—it appears, accidentally, while the merchant is actively “seeking fine pearls.” From these points, we learn that two types of people respond to the Word: those with no prior spiritual interest who have new desires created in their hearts on first hearing the gospel, and those like the merchant who have been “seeking pearls” perhaps all their lives.

[47] Now we come to our last parable. In this verse we have the only occurrence of the noun “net” (sagēnē [4522], a dragnet, seine) in the entire New Testament. This was a long sweep net, the ends of which were spread out by boats to cover a large portion of open sea, then drawn together and taken to shore with the netted fish. Ensuring a good catch required several people doing various tasks; no one person could handle the entire netting operation by himself.

This parable should be taken in conjunction with the parable of the wheat and the tares in verses 24–30. As the tares and wheat grow together, so also two kinds of fish are netted. The servants cannot collect tares without rooting up wheat, and fishermen cannot net only good fish. This may be compared with the mixed responses in an evangelistic meeting. The same invitation is issued to all. Some genuinely repent and believe; others pretend. Possibly the ratio of shallow, temporary decisions to deep-rooted, permanent ones is the same three to four deduced from the parable of the sower in verses 1-9, but we should never be discouraged by such numbers. In the short run, the Lord has “much people” (Acts 18:10) in this or that city; in the long run, a “multitude, which no man could number” are saved (Rev. 7:9).

[48] When the fishermen draw the net to shore, they have “gathered (sunélexan, the aorist tense of sullégō [4816]) of every kind.”

An evident difference exists between the “good” (kalá [2570]) and the “bad” (saprá [4550], worthless) fish. The fishermen collect the good fish in “vessels” (aggeía [30], receptacles, containers), and “cast (ébalon, the aorist tense of bállo [906], to cast) out” the bad ones, either outdoors or back into the sea.

[49, 50] This judgment is probably the same as the one given in the parable of the wheat and tares. Both occur at the “end (sunteleía [4930], completion) of the age,” and both are accomplished by angels (vv. 39, 41). Finally, the term “thus” (hoútōs [3779], so) beginning verse 49, shows this as an amplification of the foregoing text. “Angels” in verse 49 is the natural antecedent to “they” in verse 48.

The Responsibility of Understanding

 [51] Now Jesus asked, “Have you understood (sunēkate, the aorist active indicative of suníēmi [4920]) all these things?” What things did the Lord hope His disciples had learned? Let’s summarize:

• The Son of man scatters the Word of God (v. 37).
• The good seed are the children of God (v. 38).
• Not all seeds fall on fertile ground (vv. 21, 22).
• The devil scatters tares among the wheat (v. 25).
• Believers must not attempt to uproot what appear to be tares (v. 29).
• God permits tares (unbelievers) to grow together with wheat (believers) until the harvest (v. 30).
• The destiny of the wicked is conscious suffering in the furnace of fire (vv. 42, 50).
• Believers will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their heavenly Father (v. 43)
• Suffering unbelievers will witness this shining with hopeless remorse over not repenting (vv. 42, 43).
• The kingdom of heaven is like a great treasure (v. 44).
• The kingdom of heaven is like a pearl of inestimable value (v. 45).
• The kingdom of heaven is worth parting with all we possess to gain this treasure  (v. 46).
• These truths are to be perceived and heeded from the illustrations given in parables and similes (v. 53).

[52] When the disciples answer, “Yes (naí [3483]), Lord” (TR, MT; v. 51), Jesus concluded, “Therefore every scribe (grammateús [1122], a professional student, a teacher of the law) which is instructed (mathēteutheís, the aorist passive participle of mathēteúō [3100], to disciple) unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder (oikodespótē, the dative of oikodespótēs [3617] from oíkos [3624], house; and despótēs [1203], a despot, absolute ruler, one who masters his house), which bringeth forth (ekbállei, the present tense of ekbállō [1544], to eject; from ek [1537], out of; and bállō [906], to put) out of his [personal] treasure things new (kainá [2537], qualitatively new, here meaning things that he has gained in his new life in Christ) and old (palaiá [3820], previously secured and held possessions).”

The householder knows the value of the kingdom of heaven (v. 44) and the benefit of sharing this treasure with others. Accordingly, he knows what possessions to retain for his own needs and for those of the household (oíkos) for which he is responsible as master (oikodespótē) and what to share or dispense (ekbállō) so others may find the treasure of the kingdom of heaven.

A Greek verb that denotes such prudence is apotássomai ([657], variously translated as “forsake” or “send away”, see Mark 6:46; Luke 9:61; et. al.). Luke 14:33 is pertinent here: “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh (apotássetai) not all that he hath, he cannot (the absolute negative, ou [3756]) be my disciple (mathētēs [3101]).” Sharing should not be reckless but orderly (táxis [5010], the noun akin to tássō [5021], to set or put in order, which is the basic verb in the compound apotássomai; from apó [575] and tássō, thus meaning to arrange away from oneself). In summary, prudent children of the kingdom dispense what is above and beyond their needs, not recklessly but orderly and promptly.

[53] When Jesus “finished (etélesen, the aorist tense of teléō [5055], to complete) these parables, he departed (metēren, the aorist tense of metaírō [3332] from metá [3326], after; and aírō [142], to take up; used only twice in the NT) thence.”

Jesus had accomplished His purposes in Galilee and now headed for Judea. Galilee was a ministry of compassionate healing and teaching; Judea was to become a ministry of self-sacrifice for His people.

Dr. Spiros Zodhiates (1922-2009) served as president of AMG International in Chattanooga, Tenn. for over 30 years, was the founding editor of Pulpit Helps Magazine, and authored dozens of exegetical books.