Buried Treasure

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field (Matthew 13:44).

I think it’s a fantasy of every boy to discover hidden treasure, whether it be in a cave, in the back-yard, near a beach, or even in the attic or basement of an old house. There’s something about discovering something that will radically change our lives for the better that captures the imagination.

Jesus told The Parable of the Hidden Treasure to do exactly that in the hearts and minds of those who listened to Him. Except this treasure does not consist of material wealth buried under a rock. It is the eternal reward for a life of faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

There are a lot of issues with this parable. A man walks through a field not his own. He finds a treasure hidden in that field. How? That’s not known and unimportant. He conceals the fact he has found it and tells no one about it, not even the owner of the field. He then sells all he has to buy the field, again not disclosing to the owner the treasure in his field. The conduct of the man is blatantly dishonest. He would be buying the field for far less its value. The right thing to do would have been to disclose the discovery to the owner of the field. 

Jesus doesn’t attempt to justify the man’s conduct. That’s not the purpose of the parable. It’s not a morality tale. He merely states the way in which some people go about obtaining wealth. The point of the parable is the man sacrificed everything to obtain the wealth he had discovered and put forth the effort to secure it for himself.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is more valuable than such a treasure. It’s hidden from most people. When a person is spiritually awakened to the truth of the Gospel, he will sacrifice all that he has to obtain it and to seek it with the persistence other people seek for gold. God’s truth often lies buried, hidden in the Scriptures, the prophecies, the parables. It’s like the rich mother lode buried in the Sierras. It will be searched out and found, and its discovery will repay a man for all his sacrifices. This is why those genuinely saved will not walk away in apostasy.

Philippians 3:8, But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. Luke 14:33, . . . whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

“Lord Jesus, it is only through the power of Your Holy Spirit that my eyes have been able to see the hidden treasure of Your Gospel and to know the real value of it. Thank You for giving Your life on the cross to pay the price for the gift of eternal life. I will forever be grateful to You. To Your honor and glory I pray, Amen.”

Pastor