The Parable of the Great PearlMartyn Payne |
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Here is a worked example of how you might do The Parable of the Great Pearl (Matthew 13:45). The wondering questions and script are taken from The Complete Guide to Godly Play by Jerome Berryman Prepare a gold box with the figures and objects you have chosen to tell this story – for example, the figure of a seller and of a merchant; pieces of furniture; three ‘pearls’. In addition you will need a large round piece of white felt and some smaller pieces of brown felt, which will eventually represent the ground plan of five different house shapes. 1. Have you seen our box? It’s gold-coloured. Perhaps there’s something inside that’s precious like gold. Parables are even more precious than gold, so perhaps there’s a parable inside. 2. The box is closed. It’s got a lid. We’re going to have to take off the lid before we can see what’s inside. Parables are like that. I don’t know why. Sometimes we have to keep looking and looking before we can see. 3. The box looks like a present. Parables were given to you long ago as presents. You don’t have to take them or buy them. They already belong to you. 4. I know! Let’s look and see if there’s a parable inside! Remove lid and take out the white circle of felt 5. I wonder what this could be. Perhaps it’s… (get ideas from children and play with cloth according to their ideas) Let’s spread it out here in the centre. Take out 5 pieces of brown felt 6. I wonder what these are? (play as above) Let’s set these out here… here,,, here… Yes, that’s good. 7. Now what else is in here? (take out items of furniture – money, chair, candle, chest, table etc.)) Ah… these go in here. (place them one by one behind one of the tables and then stand the merchant behind the table. The seller goes behind another table in another house) 8. (say nothing but with great mystery and ceremony, take out a small box, pause, then open it to show three pearls, which you place silently in three homes – the seller’s and two others) 9. Let’s see if there’s anything else in the box to help us. 10. No, there’s nothing else. All we can do now is begin. 11. There was once someone who said such wonderful things and did such amazing things that people followed him. As they followed him, they heard him talking about a kingdom, but it was not the kingdom they lived in. It was not like any kingdom they had ever visited. It was not like any kingdom they had ever heard of. 12. They couldn’t help it. They just had to ask him what the kingdom of heaven was like. One time when they asked him, he said, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like when a merchant goes to search for the great pearl.’ The merchant ‘walks’ to each of the homes in turn. He picks up the pearl, inspects it, puts it back, and shakes his head. Finally he comes to the seller’s table. He picks up this pearl, inspects it and nods. 13. When he found the great pearl, he went… During these words, he brings out all his possessions one by one (including in the end the home itself!) and takes them to the seller’s home. Don’t hurry. 14. And exchanged…. 15. …everything for the great pearl.
The seller gives the merchant the pearl, and he takes it back to his own (empty) house-space and holds it, looking at it.
I wonder if the person was happy with the great pearl?
Then put the things away one by one in a very unhurried way – this gives children time to think Watch. Here is the great pearl. And the other pearls.
Jesus said: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man looking for fine pearls. When he found a very valuable pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it.’
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