Hidden Treasure

Matthew carried the style of his former profession as a bookkeeper over into the way he wrote his Gospel. The material is arranged as figures on a balance sheet and the columns are grouped together according to the topic. The parables are grouped together in one chapter--the 13th.  Nelson’s Bible Dictionary states: “Matthew offers the most systematic arrangement of Jesus’ teaching in the New Testament. The Sermon on the Mount, for instance, is probably a compilation of sermons spoken at different places and at different times. Most of the healings are recorded.  Matthew, obviously, had Jewish readers in mind. He presents Jesus as the Messiah, the King of the Jews, and a direct descendant from David”! Matthew’s Gospel is called the ‘Royal Gospel’. Its main theme is ‘Christ, the  King’. The New Testament opens with the verse “This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David…”(Matthew 1:1).  The phrase ‘the Kingdom of Heaven” occurs 51 times in this book.

We are here examining the 44th verse – one whole parable contained in a single verse! “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy, he went and sold all he had and bought that field”. Following his discovery, the man went through five stages.

 [1] found, [2] hid it again, [3] was joyous, [4] sold possession, [5] bought treasure.

è The treasure has apparently been there all the time. It was not visible to the naked eye. It was in an open field, scores would have walked over, but no one noticed it. Even the owner of the piece of the real estate didn’t have any knowledge about it. The discoverer must have possessed certain knowledge of hidden treasures and was diligently looking for them. If you don’t know what you are looking for, you will never find it! It is about the hardened of the heart, the stone deaf. Jesus described them in Matthew 13:13--For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand. Isaiah has spoken of their lot: ‘'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’'  Isaiah spoke disparagingly about them:  “Dull the mind of these people, deafen their ears, and blind their eyes. By doing so, they won't see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their minds, turn back, and be healed. (Isaiah 6:10).  Yahweh lamented of this sort: “The ox knows its owner, and the donkey it's master's feeding trough, but Israel doesn't know, and my people don't understand. (Isaiah 1:3). Jeremiah also deplored them: “Even the stork in the sky knows its seasons, and the dove, the swallow, and the crane observe the time for migration. But my people don't know the requirements of the LORD (Jeremiah 8:7). Wise men traveled a long distance to worship the King of Jews, but a foolish king in the neighborhood sought to kill Him. 

è The man who found the treasure hid it again. A precious possession cannot be left lying around. Treasure, by its very nature, is preserved in secretly. Gold and silver are buried in the earth’s deep.  Milk is hidden in the woman’s breast; honey is stored in great heights and guarded jealously by bees. Oil has to be drawn from great depth. Scriptural truth lies deep in God’s words. Anything that is of great value has to be searched and found. The man hid it again safe from the eyes of marauders and thieves. Besides, an object of great value has to be hidden from abuse. Our man who chanced upon an object of great value had to hide it again, kept it a secret until he would be able to take possession of it. In the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:4, the seeds that fell along the path, were taken away by the birds. Jesus warned us not to throw the pearls before the pigs (Matthew 7:6). Jesus told the disciples the secret about the Kingdom of heaven is reserved for those who are ready to understand.

è Unsurprisingly, the man who found the treasure was extremely happy at his ‘prize catch’. He had hidden it at a secure place. All that is left is to find the resources so that he can claim the treasure as his. A Christian’s joy doesn’t depend on the circumstances. He had has accepted Jesus as His personal Saviour rejoices at his possession. Nothing that happens in his life, however disastrous it might be, can take his joy away. Isaiah  12:3 says ‘’You will draw water joyfully from the wells of salvation”.  Jesus told the Samaritan woman “…whoever drinks the water that I will give him will never become thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become a well of water for him, springing up to eternal life (John, 4:14). Hanna expressed her joy when her prayer was answered and she said: “I rejoice in your salvation” (1Samuel 2:1).  Habakkuk delighted in the Lord and proclaimed that everything might go wrong with his life, but he would continue to rejoice in the Lord.
è The man sold everything he had in order to buy the piece of land that contained the treasure, having realized its exceptional value. David said he would rather stand at the entrance of God's house than live in the tent of wickedness (Psalms 84:10); Some boast in chariots, others in horses, but we will boast in the name of the LORD our God (Psalms  20:7).  St. Paul wrote to the Philippians in 3:7, 8 “But whatever things were assets to me, these I now consider a loss for the sake of the Messiah.   What is more, I continue to consider all these things to be a loss for the sake of what is far more valuable, knowing the Christ Jesus, my Lord…Indeed, I consider them rubbish in order to gain Christ ”. Will you be ready to risk your family, your wealth, your job, your social standing, your friends and whatever you hold dear in the world, for the sake of the kingdom of God?

    è   Eventually our man takes possession of the land! Remember that he paid—apparently a considerably large sum—for the land. But the treasure came free! “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine” goes an old hymn. You take possession of Lord; you become His possession, His delightful inheritance.  He knocks at your heart so that he can come in and make you His, make your heart his home. The Bible declares in Psalms 135.4, Malachi 3.17 [and many other places] you are His own treasured possession.

God does not want anyone to perish, but wants everyone to repent. (2Peter 3:9). Jesus came into the world to destroy the works of the devil; to search out for the lost sinner and rescue Him.  He bought mankind for God with His blood. He lamented at Jerusalem “I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings…” With an ancient love, He loved you. He calls you  “You are  apple of His eye’’ (Psalms  17.8). 

·       Proverbs   23:23    Purchase truth, but don't sell it; store up wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

·       Revelations 3:18  Therefore, I advise you to buy from me gold purified in the fire.

·       Romans 8.15.  You have received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba! Father!"

·       Colossians 2:3    In Him are hidden all treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

·       1Peter 2.9.   “Chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s people, etc”

Conclusion: The Kingdom of Heaven is more valuable than anything we can have. We must be ready to give up everything if necessary, in order to possess it. The man who discovered the treasure in the field came upon it by accident but knew its value. The transaction cost him everything he had, but the treasure cost him nothing. Nothing is more valuable than the Kingdom of Heaven, but God gives it freely.

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