The Parable of the Hidden Treasure

It has been often said that a parable is an earthly story, with a heavenly meaning. This is a true statement. The Lord used common every day occurrences to teach people about the kingdom, prayer, stewardship, and many other things. As we study the parables keep in mind, that there is a central theme to each one. With these things in mind, let us examine the parable of the Hidden Treasure.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. (Matthew 13:44)

This would have been a understandable, if not common event in the first century. People of this time did not have banks or vaults to keep their money, but like squirells would create a cashe of their wealth. The man in the account finds one such “treasure” and sells all to buy the field. In this region possession was 9/10 of the law. Owning the field would make this treasure his. So it is with joy that he sacrifices to gain his property and the riches that went with it.

In this parable of the Kingdom, the treasure is the kingdom, and the man is a lost soul. The man finds the treasure quite by accident, when he wasn’t looking for it. The New Testament is filled with examples of those who found the kingdom without seeking it. Take Saul of Tarsus for one such example. On the road to Damascus, with papers in hand authorizing the persecution of Christians, the Lord appears to him. Three days later he is baptized into Christ and began to preach the Gospel, a task he would sacrifice power, prestige and ultimately life for. (Acts 9-26) Yet he counted it joy to suffer for Christ sake. (Phil 1:20-21) Not what Saul thought would happen when he left Jerusalem! Notice the Philippian jailer in Acts 16.:23-34. This Gentile was asleep in the prison, when an earthquake struck opening all of the cell doors. He was about to commit suicide (in place of facing the harsh discipline of his masters), until Paul stopped him. The jailor then asked what he needed to do to be saved. What a great question! Paul preached to him and all his house, and that same hour they were baptized into Christ. That afternoon when Paul and Silas were cast into his prison for being Christians and teaching Christ; I would wager that becoming a Christian was the last thing on his mind. However that night he stumbled upon the Kingdom, and with joy sacrificed to receive it. (It was a sacrifice in the first century for a Gentile to convert).

Both of these men were like the man in the parable. They blindly stumbled into a great treasure, and gladly sacrificed to obtain it. We all need to be like these men, when we find the truth of the Kingdom; it is worth whatever the cost to obtain that eternal home in heaven that is the reward of all those faithful servants of the Kingdom!!!

-- Josh Robinson