204
j here onaly in N.T.
47. “"Πάλιν ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν σαγήνῃ
βληθείσῃ ets τὴν θάλασσαν, καὶ ἐκ παντὸς γένους συναγαγούσῃ - k here only. 48. ἤν, ὅτε ἐπληρώθη, “dvaBiBdoartes ἐπὶ τὸν αἰγιαλόν, καὶ
καθίσαντες, συνέλεξαν τὰ καλὰ eis ‘dyyeta,! τὰ δὲ σαπρὰ ἔξω
5Ι. Λέγει αὐτοῖς 6 Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ, “Nat, κύριε.'3
x. 34 (επιβιβ.). >» x is 9
Ι λετε only ἔβαλον " 49. οὕτως ἔσται ἐν τῇ συντελείᾳ τοῦ αἰῶνος: ἐξελεύσονται (αγγειον. ε » λ ‘ a πι 5 , a , Ch. xxv, Οἱ ἄγγελοι, καὶ ἀφοριοῦσι τοὺς πονηροὺς ἐκ µέσου τῶν δικαίων, 4), vide ‘ x a 2 8 3 9 a , 9. A critical 5Ο. καὶ βαλοῦσιν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν κάµινον τοῦ πυρός: ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ note I. A
κλαυθμὸς καὶ 6 βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων. > a 2 «6 , A , >» Ιησοῦς,” “‘XuvyKate ταῦτα πάντα;
m vide 52. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, “Ata τοῦτο πᾶς ypappateds "'µαθη- below and . 3 5 PS Be ising > » @ > , atCh, τευθεὶς eis τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν ὅμοιός ἐστιν ἀνθρώπω XXVii. . 3 A - A ‘
57° οἰκοδεσπότῃ, ὅστις ἐκβάλλει ἐκ τοῦ θησαυροῦ αὐτοῦ καινὰ καὶ παλαιά. 1 ayyn in SBC. 2 NBD omit λεγει a. ο. |., also κυριε after vat.
3 SSBCE have τη βασιλεια. The reading in Τ.Ε. is a grammatical correction.
these two parables the Kingdom of Heaven appears as the object of a glad though accidental finding of a sure possession ; in the latter as the object of systematic quest and venturesome faith. The difference between seekers and finders must not be exaggerated. The pearl merchant was also a finder. No one would set out on a journey to seek one unique pearl (Koetsveld). The spiritual class he represents are seekers after God and wisdom, finders of the Kingdom of God, of a good beyond their hope. Such seekers, however, are on the sure way to find.
Vv. 47-50. The Net. σαγήνῃ, vide on iv. 21.—ék παντὸς γένους συν.: a matter of course, not intended but in- evitable ; large movements influence all sorts of people.—Ver. 48. καθίσαντες συνέλεξαν: equally a matter of course; a thing to be done deliberately, of which the sitting attitude is an emblem. There is a time for everything; the time for sorting is at the end of the fishing.— σαπρὰ, vide on vii. 17. Vv. 49, 50 con- tain the interpretation in much the same terms as in 41, 42.
Vv. 51, 52. Conclusion of the parabolic collection.—Ver. 52 contains an im- portant logion of Jesus preserved by Matthew only, and connected by him with the parabolic teaching of Jesus. In this connection καινὰ καὶ παλαιά of course points to the use of the old familiar facts of nature to illustrate newly revealed truths of the kingdom. But we should not bind ourselves too strictly to this
connection, keeping in mind Matthew’s habit of grouping ; all the more that, as Wendt has pointed out (Die Lehre Fesu, ii. 349), the idea expressed by γραμματεὺς does not get justice. It naturally points to acquaintance with the O. T., and combined with μ.αθητευθεὶς ε.τ. B. teaches that that knowledge may be usefully united with discipleship in the lore of the kingdom. In Wendt’s words: ‘One remains in possession of the old, recog- nised as of permanent value, yet is not restricted to it, but along with it possesses a precious new element '.---μαθητεύειν is here used transitively as in xxviii. 19, Acts xiv. 21.--ἐκβάλλει points to free distribution of treasures by the house- holder. He gives out new or old according to the nature of the article. The mere scribe, Rabbinical in spirit, produces only the old and stale. The disciple of the kingdom, like the Master, is always fresh-minded, yet knows how to value all old spiritual treasures of Holy Writ or Christian tradition.
Vv. 53-58. Visit to Nazareth (Mk. vi. 1-6, cf. Lk. iv. 16-30). In Mk. this is the next section after the parables, deducting what had previously been reported in Mt. (chaps. viii. and ix.), a pretty sure sign that our evangelist has Mk. under his eye. We can here see how he handles his source—substantial reproduction of the contents, no slavish copying of style, editorial discretion in reporting certain details. No attempt should be made to connect with the foregoing passage, except perhaps by