Looking into the lectionary
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 12)
17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
July 26, 2026
After last week’s parable about a master who shows remarkable patience with the weeds in his field, this week the lectionary brings preachers and teachers five additional parables, each introduced by “the kingdom of heaven is like …”.
Throughout the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus describes the alternative vision of what God intends life to be as “the kingdom of heaven.” Not merely some distant place we might go after death, the kingdom has drawn near in Jesus’ own life and ministry, in what he teaches and preaches, particularly in the Sermon on the Mount. Through his healing of the sick and comfort for those who grieve, through the disciples he invites to follow him and the tax collectors and sinners he chooses to hang around with, we see what life in the kingdom of heaven is supposed to be. This kingdom first perplexes the political and religious authorities and then is perceived to be a threat, ultimately leading to Jesus’ death on a cross.
As we read the parables in Matthew 13, we need to look for what is odd or out of place. What seems strange or leads to deeper questions? Parables are designed to intentionally puzzle us and keep working on us, leading us to discover more and more about Christ and the kingdom. So while a single sermon would be hard-pressed to address each of these five parables with the depth they deserve, perhaps we might consider some of the questions they raise.
For example, the parable of the mustard seed appears to be a simple story about how something small can produce a big outcome. And yet, we might ask, “Why is this person planting a mustard seed in the first place?” In first-century Palestine, mustard had some medicinal value as a spice, but the plant was considered an invasive weed — something like kudzu or crab grass. Who intentionally plants that in their garden? It will take over everything as it grows into a glorified shrub. Jesus’ original hearers expected the reign of God to be like a cedar of Lebanon standing tall on a mountain, not some unwanted shrub that might get about head high if it was lucky. How is the kingdom of heaven like this?
Reading the next parable about a woman mixing yeast in flour raises questions when we discover that the “yeast” is actually the Greek word zyme. Professor David Buttrick writes in Speaking Parables,
“Zyme was a chunk of leavened bread that has been stored in a dank place until it molds; in effect, the bread is rotten. Often, the dough it leavens will have a sour taste and smell. As a result, leaven became a familiar metaphor for corruption.”
Even more, instead of being mixed into the dough, we learn that the leaven is “hidden” in the dough. All this aligns with how leaven is referenced in other parts of Scripture as leavened bread cannot be used in religious ceremonies or sacrifices and Jesus warns the disciples to, “Watch out, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matthew 16:6). Jesus’ original hearers expected the reign of God to be pure and holy, not like moldy bread starter with a corrupting influence that transforms everything it touches. How is the kingdom of heaven like this?
The next two parables appear to emphasize the importance of being completely committed to God’s kingdom. And yet, we learn that the kingdom is like a treasure in a field which is accidentally discovered by someone who reburies it instead of pointing it out to the field’s owner. He then sells everything he owns to buy that field.
Perhaps we might think of someone snooping in a friend’s closet and finding an original Gutenberg Bible in a box marked “old books.” Instead of telling their friend what they found, they sell everything they own and buy their neighbor’s house and everything in it. Shouldn’t the kingdom be open and transparent, a treasure to be shared instead of buried? How is the kingdom of heaven like this?
In the same way, after liquidating everything they owned to buy a pearl of great price, we might wonder how the merchant is going to eat or pay their rent or pay their tithe. Again, it is just odd. Could it be that the kingdom is not a treasure or pearl for us to possess or own, but a gift received only when we accept that God is the one who completely commits to us in Christ’s life, death and resurrection? Could the kingdom of heaven be like this?
Finally, with the parable of the net, we might wonder if there is any way we can influence whether we are a good fish or a bad fish. And surely as followers of Jesus, we should be able to start separating those who belong in the kingdom from those who do not, right? Why wait for the angels? Let’s get this kingdom started now through our efforts. Much like the parable of the wheat and weeds, could it be that the greatest risk to the kingdom is those who are convinced they can make it pure all by themselves?
There are many more questions to ask about each of these parables as they invite us to see how the kingdom of heaven that Jesus lives and proclaims subverts our expectations for God’s reign and the normal operating procedures of the kingdoms of the world. As they keep working on us, these parables will begin to transform us. May it be as Pastor David Lose wrote in a 2014 email from his blog “…in the Meantime”:
“Jesus is saying, ‘This kingdom I’m preaching is invasive, dangerous, and will take you over if you let it.’ And, indeed, for those who get infected with the kingdom bug Jesus preaches, life is never the same.”
Questions for reflection on Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
- How do you respond to the idea that parables are intentionally designed to puzzle us?
- Which of these parables seems most familiar or understandable to you? Which is the most challenging or odd?
- In some of these parables, the kingdom of heaven is like a person. In others, the kingdom is compared to a thing or object. How do these parables provide different angles or entry points for you to understand what the kingdom of heaven is like?
- How would you describe what the kingdom of heaven is like?
View the corresponding Order of Worship for the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Sign up for worship resources in your inbox every Monday.
