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THE
PARABLES OF THE HIDDEN TREASURE AND THE FINEST PEARL (Mathew 13:44-46)
44 The kingdom of
heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy
went and sold all he had and bought that field. THE KINGDOM IS WORTH EVERYTHING The
word “again” closely links this pair of parables
that were spoken to the disciples and not to the crowd (Verse 36).
Pairing two parables, as in the previous illustration of the
mustard seed and the yeast, underlines their main point.
These companion parables of the hidden treasure and the
exceptional pearl, found only in Matthew, teach the same spiritual
truth: Such is the incalculable worth and the boundless spiritual
riches of the kingdom that one should sell all, or sacrifice
everything else, in order to possess it. The kingdom is worth everything. Jesus taught that finding the kingdom of God is
like finding something as valuable and exciting as finding buried
treasure or a fine pearl. Children
(and adults?) love stories about buried pirate gold! We find the “kingdom of heaven” through the
experience of the new birth when Jesus rules as Saviour and Lord in a
person’s life (John 3:3, 7). The
gift of salvation includes forgiveness of sin, peace, love, joy, grace
to live as God would have us live, eternal life, and heaven.
It is impossible to assess the value of this spiritual
experience for it has far reaching implications in this life and in
eternity. RECOGNIZE
THE VALUE OF THE KINGDOM In
the first parable a hired farm worker, perhaps a peasant, ploughing
his employer’s field found buried treasure by chance. Although banks existed in the ancient world sometimes the best
place to hide valuables was in the ground as the third servant did in
the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:18).
Since this kind of discovery was a rare event, it emphasizes
the importance of the kingdom. Joyfully
and excitedly the man “sold all he had and bought that field.”
The parable is not concerned with the legal ownership of the
treasure or with the right and wrong of the man’s action but with
the priceless value of the discovery. According to Jewish law this man had a right to his discovery. In the second parable
a wealthy “merchant”, who knew what he was “looking
for”, was prepared to pay whatever was necessary for the finest
pearl he had ever found. This
shrewd businessman who “sold everything he had and bought it”
thought the exchange was worthwhile.
In both stories the main character recognized the worth of his
discovery and took decisive action to secure it.
Both gave their all to secure their treasure.
Some might think them foolish paying for such an amount for the
field and the pearl, but they were convinced of their bargain. When we are convinced
of the value of salvation in Christ we, like the apostle Paul, will
gladly: “Consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing
greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost
all things. I consider
them rubbish that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:8).
Jesus taught the kingdom of heaven is worth much more than the
price of discipleship and those who find this treasure cheerfully and
eagerly give up everything else to gain it.
Jesus said disciples will be eventually compensated for their
losses: “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters
or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a
hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” (Matthew
19:29) THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP IS PERSONAL SACRIFICE These twin parables require us to look
carefully at the importance and value of everything in our lives
compared to our commitment to Christ and his kingdom.
We need to value our relationship with God above all else.
The kingdom requires a wholehearted response not a reluctant
commitment as Jesus calls us to single-mindedness and total
commitment: “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me
is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me
is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow
me is not worthy of me. Whoever
finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake
will find it.” (Matthew 10:37-39)
The cost of discipleship is personal sacrifice. To “sell all”, as did the main characters
in these parables, means that our hearts have one ultimate loyalty to
the kingdom of heaven. We
give up all we are, to receive all that Jesus is.
In practice it means an uncompromising commitment to a godly
lifestyle whose values are not the same as those of a secular society
with its arrogant indifference to God, its sensuality and its
seductive status symbols. Am
I willing to pay any price, like the main characters, to be a citizen
in the kingdom? What is
the measure of my devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ? Being a disciple is not a matter of believing
certain doctrines or following certain practices.
Neither is discipleship an optional extra that we can take up
or drop at our personal convenience.
It means being “a bond-servant of Christ” (NASB
Romans 1:1; Galatians 1:10; Colossians 4:12) serving his purposes in
the world. The word
“servant” means a “slave”.
The Christian is a slave of Christ by free choice and because
Christ owns him since his sacrifice on the Cross purchased him from
the slave-market of sin. Jesus stressed obedience to God’s will: “Not everyone
who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
(Matthew 7:21) Jesus asks
for a total and unreserved commitment to the will of God. Reader, what are the treasures in your life?
What is of most value to you that you are prepared to risk
everything else to win and keep it?
Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart
will be also.” (Matthew 6:21) We can tell where our heart is by noting where our treasure
is to be found. The image
of the heart is often used in the Bible to describe, “What makes us
tick”, that is, our human personality with its intellect, memory,
emotions, and will. ALTERNATIVE
INTERPRETATIONS Some
interpreters consider the aspects of hiddenness, the joy of ownership,
searching and finding, and the personal nature of the sale, to be
details of the story that should not be allegorized or given a
symbolic meaning. Others,
however, prefer to find the following meanings in these two parables: Jesus Christ Buys the Pearl That Is the Church A popular interpretation says that Jesus Christ
is the represented by the ploughman and the merchant as giving his all
on the Cross to buy the treasure that is Israel (particularly the
so-called lost Ten Tribes) and/or the Church.
Just as the man paid the price for the field so Jesus gave his
life for the sins of the world (John
3:16-17). Some
interpreters specifically identify the hidden treasure with Israel and
the Church with the pearl. The Kingdom Is Hard To Find The kingdom is “a
treasure hidden” in the field of the “world” (verse
38). Its value is not
always apparent, and the kingdom remains hard to find for those who
are careless or indifferent in seeking it.
Many people remain blind to the importance of Jesus Christ.
Jesus warned that humble child-like trust and teachableness are
essential to faith in God: “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven
and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and
learned, and revealed them to little children.” (Matthew 11:25) Mankind Searches for a Finer Pearl We are all seekers
on a quest for a better pearl. Many
discontentedly seek for a higher standard of living and the status
symbols of the “good life”. Some
seek inner peace and some kind of spiritual experience.
There are many valuable pearls in life apart from salvation in
Christ. Such things as
music, the arts and sciences, education, philosophy, physical fitness,
love of country and family, and qualities like generosity to those in
need, are all valuable pearls. But
this parable teaches that in comparison with a life lived “in
Christ”, which offers purpose and meaning to this life, and
eternal life in the next life, all other pearls are of lesser
importance. The Kingdom Must Be Received For Oneself Both the treasure and the pearl were bought as
a personal transaction. We
do not earn salvation but we must receive it by personal faith in
Christ. It is a matter of
our own relationship with God through Christ.
Paul warned, “For they are not all Israel who are of
Israel” (Romans 9:6 NKJV).
There was a significant difference within the covenant people
between those who believed and those who did not believe.
Physical descent from Abraham by itself did not guarantee
salvation. Similarly, not
all who attend church are necessarily members of the kingdom.
Eternal life is there for the taking, but it must be taken
(John 3:36). There are
two alternatives; the choice is ours. People Enter the Kingdom by Different Roads Perhaps these parables illustrate the way
people find God by different roads.
In the story of the hidden treasure the man found it
unexpectedly, whereas a seeking merchant found the expensive pearl
after careful searching.
Contrast the way the shepherds quickly found the baby Jesus
with the lengthy journey made by the three Maji, traditionally called
the Wise Men. Look at the
difference between the conversions of the thief on the cross and Saul,
the Pharisee trained by Gamaliel, who eventually became the apostle
Paul. One finds eternal
life quickly while another takes years. The
Pearl Is Christ Himself Probably the most popular (but incorrect)
interpretation of this parable is that Christ himself is the priceless
pearl. Yet the context of
Matthew chapter 13 teaches that the sower, the ploughman and the
merchant represent Jesus Christ.
The parable of lost things, in Luke chapter 15, teaches that
Christ finds the sinner; it is not the sinner who finds Christ.
Furthermore Christ (and the kingdom) cannot be bought with
money or good works for He is God’s “indescribable gift”
(2 Corinthians 9:15). Salvation
is by grace and cannot be bought, as it is a free gift (Romans 6:3). FOR REFLECTION
PRAYER Heavenly Father, may I
value your kingdom more than earthly treasures and see in Christ an
eternal treasure. By your
grace may I “sell all” that I might win Christ.
Amen. Jim Peacock M A (Hons), Diploma of Education. |
