Matthew 13,44-46. Trinity IX

Matthew 13,44-46   4324

Trinity IX 55 

Pantaleon, physician, Martyr 303/5 (Diocletian, 284-311/12; persecution 302-11)

Johann Sebastian Bach, Kantor, ✠ 1750 

George Frederick Handel, Hymn writer, ✠ 1759

28. Juli 2024 

1. ℣ behold, God helps me: 

  ℟ Yahweh sustains my soul (Psalm 53,6 vul mas). 

Ecce enim Deus adjuvat me Dominus susceptor animæ meæ. lxx

Ecce Deus auxiliatur mihi Dominus sustentans animam meam. mas

O almighty and Gracious God, we thank you for remembering us in our anxious hours and Your mighty hand graciously comforting us. You have done great things for us; Your love and mercy have helped us.  Amen. (Stark 383; English transl. 274). 

2. »Jesus said: „The reign of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the reign of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.“«

3. God scours the world seeking beautiful pearls. Amongst all the people of the world, God finds Noah and his family. Among all the people of Jericho, God finds Rahab and her family. Out of all the fig trees in Galilee, Jesus finds the one under which is Nathanael.

4. The world saw nothing special in these individuals. Noah was despised because he would not revel in the wickedness of those around him. Rahab was shamed for her loose morals. Nathanael was just another Galilean Jew cooling off under the shade of a tree. Each of them were a precious pearl to God. Even today he goes here and there to find pearls.  

5. Each of us are treasures to God. He looked high and low to find us, and finding us, He purchases us. Why would God do this?

6. God is reestablishing His reign in His fallen creation (Gibbs 716). Sinful humanity, however, was in the possession of another, the Devil, for Adam had sold all of humanity over to the Devil at the time of the Fall. The asking price for the pearl was Christ’s death, for knowing God’s own law, Anima quæ peccaverit, ipsa morietur: The soul who sins shall die (Ezekiel 18,20a), the Devil demands only death can ransom a sinner. Surely, Jesus would not, could not, afford this exorbitant price, he reasons, but so valued are we, that God the Son sold all that He had and bought us! The Apostle explains it to the Philippian Christians: »ὃς ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα θεῷ, ἀλλὰ ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσεν μορφὴν δούλου λαβών, ἐν ὁμοιώματι ἀνθρώπων γενόμενος· καὶ σχήματι εὑρεθεὶς ὡς ἄνθρωπος ἐταπείνωσεν ἑαυτὸν γενόμενος ὑπήκοος μέχρι θανάτου, θανάτου δὲ σταυροῦ· who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, having taken the form of a slave, having born for Himself in the likeness of men; and having been appeared/found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, death on a cross.« (Philippians 2,6-8). 

7. „[Jesus] gave up the glory He possessed from eternity past as He emptied Himself and took on the form of a servant in His incarnation. His entire ministry, culminating in His death and resurrection, can be compared to that extravagant action of purchasing“ (Gibbs 720).

8. „We have been acquired. Christ has purchased us at the price of everything that He had. In the breathtaking reckoning of grace, we are as a treasure to Him. Secure in that confidence, we can continue to follow Him“ (Gibbs 721).  

9. You come to me, and make it light,

What to me seems almost out of sight,

And bring to a good end,

What You Yourself did begin,

Through the wisdom of Your hand.

   (Ich weiß, mein Gott, daß all mein Tun elkg 768,13 2021 Paul Gerhardt 1653) 

This is most certainly true. 

10. Et pax Dei, quæ exuperat omnem sensum, custodiat corda vestra, et intelligentias vestras in Christo Jesu. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4,7).  Amen. 

11. Let us pray. O God of our fathers, Lord who keepest Thy mercy, who madest all things by Thy Word, and by Thy wisdom formedst man that he should have dominion over all things that were made by Thee, and rule the world in holiness and righteousness, and execute judgment in uprightness of soul, give us wisdom, her that sitteth by Thee on Thy throne; send her forth out of the holy heavens, and from the throne of Thy glory bid her come that being present with us she may toil with us that we may learn what is well-pleasing before Thee, that in our doings she may guide us in ways of soberness and guard us in her glory.  Amen. (Trinity IX, Vespers Collect. The Daily Office.) 

To God alone be the Glory 

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

 

All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, Septuaginta, Vol. I and II 2. Revised Edition © 2006 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28. Revised Edition © 2012 Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart. 

Evangelisch-Lutherisches Kirchengesangbuch. Copyright © 2021 Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche, Hannover. 

   Bayer, Oswald. Martin Luther’s Theology. Copyright © 2008 William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

   Bayer, Oswald. Theology the Lutheran Way. Copyright © 2007 William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Gerhard, Johann. Postilla, Vol. 2. Copyright © 2007 Marc Tangner.

Gibbs, Jeffrey A. Matthew 11:2 – 20:34. Copyright © 2010 Concordia Publishing House. 

   Starck, Johann. Tägliches Hand-Buch. Copyright © 1852 Enßlin & Laiblin.

Starck, Johann. Tägliches Handbuch. Franz Pieper, tr. Copyright © 19oo Concordia Publishing House.

   Starck, Johann. Starck’s Prayer Book. Copyright © 2009 Concordia Publishing House.

The Daily Office. Copyright © 1965 Concordia Publishing House.