The parables of Jesus were his preferred teaching style. Since Jesus (seldom) supplies an explanation for the parable it is up to us to complete its meaning in our own lives. That in itself tells us that Jesus trusts us to come up with the right answer. Chapter 13 of Matthew is a “sermon in parables.” Jesus said to his disciples:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again … Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls.” These two parables which Matthew puts next to each other serve as a constrast. On the one hand, finding the buried treasure was just luck. The discovery of fine pearl was the object of a search. Jesus is letting us know that there is not one way to get to the kingdom of God. Some happen to blunder one day into a wonderful Church and think “I’m home.” Others read and study and think and discuss before surrendering to the truth of God’s love revealed in the gospels.
