he hideth, and for joy thereofon perceiving what a treasure he had lighted on, surpassing the worth of all he possessed. (7) Few men understand how great the riches of the kingdom of heaven are, and that no man can be a partaker of them but he that redeems them with the loss of all his goods. And now, lastly, let us look at the point where the parables converge. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. The parable had its fulfilment in them when they, at the bidding of their Lord, forsook all and followed Him. Such, it need hardly be said, has been the story of thousands of the saints of God in every age of the Churchs life from that day to this. This parable likely also fired the imaginations of Jesus' listeners, because it pictures unexpected good fortune. And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? That means obedience. You can check these in your browser security settings. He, too, knew that nothing he owned could compare to the great treasure he had finally found. Jesus compared the kingdom of God to the hidden treasure. i. Salvation is offered to us as a free gift, entirely by the grace of God. Notice that there are two things in this story which are immediately recognizable because we have had them before. Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International. Matthew 13, verse 44: "In his joy, he went and sold all he had and bought that field." These two short parables tell the story of the whole Bible. Yet He carefully said that the field is the world. Something is hidden in the world. 2007 BibleLessons4Kidz.com All rights reserved worldwide. b. These two would grow up together and sometimes would be difficult to distinguish, especially at the beginning, but eventually would make their real nature known. God has gathered this nation together again, brought in the people from the outlying countries of the world, gathered his dispersed from the four corners of the earth, and brought them back into the land. Brought to you by KidzLife, Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Readers Version, (NIrV). He found one that was very valuable. They have not yet grasped again the lost secret of their nation -- that the nation which walks in right relationship to him, God will heal. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. One of the fascinating things about studying Scripture, especially in a series of parables, is to try to answer questions like that -- to seek to fit the puzzle of the parable to the pattern of life, and see where they correspond. Now, lets turn to Matthew 13:44 and read what Jesus said about hidden treasure. What would it be? Even the Jewish people themselves misunderstand it to a large degree. (Matthew 13:44). He was left with nothing. He was in Israel not long ago. 4. Next week we will go on to see how this parable ties very closely with the next one, the parable of the pearl of great price. New American Standard Version So it will be at the end of the age. The parables describe how the kin (g)dom of heaven emerges from something almost invisible to the eye and grows exponentially, offering us sustenance, a treasure worthy of all our attention and resources. Click to enable/disable _ga - Google Analytics Cookie. Finally, there was good soil. " This seems like a very imaginative story to us, but to the people Jesus was talking to, this would not have been all that uncommon. They speak skeptically and will refer to Him only as this Man.. Jesus said, I have come so they can have life. But these last three were spoken only to the men of faith, the disciples, who were ready to believe what God said. 13:49). Before we read the parable, I want to tell you another true story. The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls: Again, Jesus is the buyer and the individual believer is the pearl that He sees as so valuable that He would happily give all to have it forever. And Congress is trying to put its finger on where you begin and how you relate peace of heart in an individual to peace among men. Matthew 13:44 Meaning of Heaven Is like Treasure Hidden in a Field Oct 15, 2020 by Editor in Chief Matthew 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. But with those dark glasses on, you cant see all the nice colors. The nation's glory was gone. They concern those aspects of the kingdom of heaven at work among men which are readily recognizable and visible in history. The best pearls were worth extraordinary sums of money. (As we saw last time, the parable of the leaven also has been misconstrued to mean something quite different from what our Lord ever intended.) Only when Israel comes again into its right relationship to God is it ever possible to have world peace. And in those words, "he gave all that he had," the mystery of the darkness of the cross of Jesus Christ is implied. Thank your volunteer. The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field. Psalms 135:4 KJV). Our Lord came and he bought the whole field so that someday he might use the treasure hidden in it to make the world blossom with glory. They put their trust in Jesus. This is what Paul tells us in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh chapters of Romans. In this parable, we learned that different people hear Gods truth and accept it in different ways. All this has happened exactly as our Lord said and all of it is visible in history. This week, well look at a parable in which Jesus told how much the kingdom of God is worth. Years ago I was struck by the closing words of a great address that Winston Churchill gave at Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1950: What prizes lie before all the people if they are worthy of them: peace, food, happiness, leisure, wealth for the masses never known nor dreamed of, the glorious advance into a period of rest and safety for all the hundreds of millions of homes where little children play by the fire, and girls grow up in all their beauty, and young men strive and win in the free enterprise of life. Yet the point is clear, both in the world and in the kingdom community. Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. It is intriguing to realize that Scripture deals with this subject as well. Satan has a shoot of iniquity for every shoot of grace; and, when God revives his work, Satan revives his also. (Clarke), iii. Matthew 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid; and from joy over it he goes and sells all he has, and buys that field. Application: When we discover that we can enter Gods kingdom, we have a choice to make, just as the man in the field did. The Lord Jesus says that he came and uncovered for a brief time the secret of world peace and prosperity. Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! The main idea is that the disciples who had just claimed to understand what Jesus taught are now responsible to bring forth their understanding to others, as if they were distributing from the storehouse of their wisdom and understanding. If you want to put that treasure into one word, as revealed by the Scriptures, that word is Israel, the nation of Israel. b. They said to Him, Yes, Lord. We wonder if the disciples really did understand Jesus here. When they were cut and polished, they were worth millions of dollars. Both men GLADLY, JOYFULLY gave up everything else to claim their new found treasure. The nation would not have it, would not have him, and they rejected him. Read the Scripture: Matthew 13:44 In the great series of parables in Matthew 13 our Lord gave us, as he said, "The secrets of the kingdom of heaven." The kingdom of heaven is God's work among men, God's rule and authority in the midst of human affairs. The multitude went away (as most people do from sermons) never the wiser, understanding nothing of what they heard, nor caring to understand it. (Poole), b. law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus makes him free from the law of sin and death, , ut pleno jure thesaurum possideret omnemque litium occasionem praecideret, , Three other parables: the Treasure, the Pearl, the Net. That is Israel's purpose and there was a time in their developing history when it was partially fulfilled. And you and I are making a great mistake if, as Americans, we think that this country is being held together by the Constitution of the United States or by the Declaration of Independence. MATTHEW 13:45-46. Julian the apostate, as he is called, once asked a certain Christian, What do you think the carpenters son is doing now? Making coffins for you and for all his enemies, was the prompt reply. (Spurgeon). (Just as a comparison, the diamond on a womans wedding ring may be about one-quarter or one-half of a carat.) He lamented over this recalcitrant city and said, "O Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! Instead of being received by the rulers and leaders of the people he was rejected. Teacher: Call up a volunteer. The treasure was so important to him, that he joyfully gave up everything else in the world to gain that treasure. The person who finds the treasure joyfully "sells all" to buy the field (13:44). They will come and study this little nation of Israel in which the secret of world peace has always been hidden, the strange, chosen nation for which our Lord gave his life. When the world sees again a visible manifestation of what God intends a nation to do, then the nations will learn world peace. He probably laid awake each night thinking about the treasure until it was his. He felt the condemnation of a righteous God. Ask: Does anyone know where pearls come from? Mr. Hill, the man who found emeralds in his backyard, hired guards to keep watch over his treasure. How often would have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! This parable and the one following are different in character than the previous three. But the wonderful thing the Lord tells us here is that he has not given up his purpose. There is an honest cry from the harassed heart of a statesman who is desperately trying to find the treasure that is hidden in man, the secret of world peace. You see, as our Lord indicates, it is something related to the field, to humanity. But in this parable, the man was actively looking for the treasure. You will never understand what God is doing in history unless you understand those three chapters because they make clear God's relationship with this strange and wonderful people, Israel. These two parables speak of how highly the King values the people of His kingdom. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. It is hidden from most people. Teacher Note: These parables are not a plea for us to sell all we have in order to obtain the kingdom - for we truly have nothing to offer God (Ephesians 2:5-9). Every scribe: Jesus used the term here simply to describe a teacher. We speak of the Jews as "the chosen people," and unfortunately a very grave misconception of that phrase has arisen. In these two parables our Lord is telling us the reasons for the cross. Maybe he was a hired helper for the man who owned the field, or maybe he was just passing through. Application: The point of these two parables is the great value of being a part of Gods kingdom. When a man found it, he hid it again. What a beautiful dream. The point of the parable lies in his "earnestness," his anxiety, his care, and his actually obtaining it. And it is hidden within that human field so that Jesus had to buy the field in order to get the treasure. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'" Say: Jesus began His story with the words, The kingdom of heaven is like Lets talk about the kingdom of heaven for a minute. On our own, we cannot be part of Gods kingdom. Pearls were especially valuable in Jesus day. The United Nations exists for this very purpose. And sometimes a piece of sand or shell gets in. The rocky places stood for the people who like hearing Gods word at first, but they dont let it take root in their hearts. You can also change some of your preferences. Copyright 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society / Used by permission of IBS-STL. (You see, congressmen don't spend all their time smoking cigars and kissing babies.) But was not that an honest occupation? (Trapp), iii. They each have the element of a man who discovers something valuable and sells all that he has and buys it. Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. He told me that this congressman had said that the House of Representatives today is struggling with the question: What is the relationship between peace in the individual heart and peace between nations -- world peace -- and how do you move from one to the other? All rights reserved. You can see that these parables are very much alike. It was a partial demonstration, never complete, never full. The kingdom of God is the treasure. There would be a partial failure of the seed of the Word because of the conditions of some of the hearts into which it fell. The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet: Jesus shows that the world will remain divided right up until the end, and the Church will not reform the world, ushering in the kingdom. Then, as you can read in Mark's Gospel, our Lord went into the temple and he stopped the sacrifices. Paul says of Israel, So I ask, have they stumbled so as to fall? He has but hidden them away again. He is saying that you should be willing to. i. And in that we can see revealed the heart of God who looks at this broken and fragmented world, with all its injustice, heartache, sorrow, violence, and slaughter, and yet has not forgotten his purposes and has preserved the secret of world peace in a treasure hidden among the nations which he shall someday bring forth again. 13:45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: So we already have clues as to what these mean.The man in these parables is always Jesus himself. If you want to see how God will act with you as an individual then look at the way he has been acting with Israel as a nation. Just as in the first parable, the valuable pearl was a symbol of the kingdom of God. Matthew 13:45 "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. The "sea" here is clearly the world, since that is where people are gathered from by the angels (Matt. Share your treasure! In Verses44 and45 Jesus says. The problem with his emerald treasure was that there was a limited supply. Instead, Jesus is the man who gave all that He had to buy the field. And the crowds who had followed him, the multitudes who had hung upon his words faded away. Yesterday I spent a few hours with Dr.Billy Graham. Jodi has a passion for Biblical ac More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. (Romans 11:15 RSV). I want to read these twin parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price because they link so closely together, although we will look only at the first one this morning. A furnace of fire represents one destiny and radiant glory (shine forth as the sun) the other destiny. Finally Jesus left the city once more and went out to his death. This casts special scorn upon the great evil angel. Jesus takes away the sin of everyone who trusts in Him (John 1:29). When our Lord came into the world and came to Israel he found that this treasure had been lost to the world. But such is not the case; God did not choose Israel for that purpose. In the interpretation of the parable, the case described is that of a man who, not having started in the pursuit of holiness or truth, is brought by the seeming accidents of lifea chance meeting, a word spoken in season, the example of a living holinessto the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, i.e., to Christ Himself, and who, finding in Him a peace and joy above all earthly treasure, is ready to sacrifice the lower wealth in order to obtain the higher. There is additional significance in saying, The field is the world instead of The field is Israel. This brief statement presupposes a mission beyond Israel. (Carson). The life of this land, like that of any other land, is preserved by righteousness. Finding the treasure appears to be by chance. Such, we may well believe, had been the history of the publicans and the fishermen who made up the company of the Twelve. 36-43 This parable represents the present and future state of the gospel church; Christ's care of it, the devil's enmity against it, the mixture there is in it of good and bad in this world, and the separation between them in the other world. He would be really endeavoring to gain property belonging to another at far less than its real value, and the principle of real integrity would require him to inform the owner of the discovery. So he went and sold everything he had. b. The person has a change of heart, and he or she truly wants to do Gods will. Jesus announced Gods kingdom, and this would lead many of his hearers to expect a cataclysmic disruption of society, an immediate and absolute division between the sons of light and the sons of darknessIt was to this impatience that the parable was primarily directed. (France). But the exciting thing about Scripture is that in it we are always dealing with fact, not fancy. Or maybe the field was for sale and the man was looking it over before deciding whether to buy it. Matthew 13:44-50; Acts 26:9-20; Ephesians 2:8-9; Jeremiah 29:13; Luke 14:25-33; Lesson Introduction Game: Pearl Race. To follow knowledge, like a sinking star. We often think that spiritual people will be much more strange than normal. Then he went and gave all that he had and bought that field of humanity. These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. He merely states the way in which people do "actually" manage to obtain wealth. In this little parable he reveals that he came and found this treasure, the secret of world peace and prosperity, hidden in this nation. 45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. This week I was talking with Bill Gwinn, the director of Mt. Consider the words of Jim Elliot, He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose. The emphasis is not on what we give up, but on the unfathomable new life that is being offered to us. That is what keeps a nation strong. May be reproduced for personal, nonprofit, and non-commercial uses only. The truth often lies buried: it is like rich veins of ore in the sacred Scriptures; it must be searched out with diligence, and its discovery will repay a man for all his sacrifices, Luke 14:33; Philippians 3:8. the which when a man hath foundthat is, unexpectedly found. Matthew 13:45 Parallel Verses [ See commentary ] Matthew 13:45, NIV: Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. The tares represent false believers in the world, the sons of the wicked one, who (like tares among wheat) may superficially look like Gods true people. Jesus is not saying that you must go out and sell everything you own. And she brought with her a great retinue bearing exotic spices, gold, silver, precious stones, beautiful cloth, an amazing array of presents for King Solomon. He is saying that NOTHING compares in value to the new life that the King wants to give you. Last week, we read Jesus parable about the four soils. iii. With these clues that our Lord himself has given us, we now have the key to the understanding of this parable. New life in Gods kingdom is much more than going to heaven when we die - although that will be wonderful! They know there is some kind of tie between them, but they don't know what it is. It would grow into an ungainly tree with many great branches, a powerful, prestigious structure that would attract birds of prey, evil men who would come into the church and build their nests there, i.e., establish their authority there, and thus would produce something entirely different than the effective, pungent, but low-profile approach to humanity that the Lord desired. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field." Explanation and Commentary of Matthew 13:44 A buried treasure and a pricy pearl Matthew 13:44-46 44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. Not every oyster has a pearl, and not every pearl is big or round. III. Thus the extravagance of the parable dramatizes the supreme importance of the kingdom. (Carson), ii. We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. By no means! He went into the city riding upon an ass in fulfillment of the prophecy of Zechariah, "Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass," (Matthew 21:5, Zechariah 9:9). Then, building on that, in the second parable the Lord said that he would take the sons of the kingdom, who are produced by the seed of the Word, and sow them like wheat throughout the world. Get the treasure wedding ring may be matthew 13:44 45 explained for personal, nonprofit and... Of dollars few hours with Dr.Billy Graham values the people he was just passing.... Heaven at work among men which are immediately recognizable because we have had them before could compare the. In your browser security settings exactly as our Lord himself has given us, we read the parable I. That different people hear Gods truth and accept it in different ways, to humanity happened exactly as Lord... Talking with Bill Gwinn, the field was for sale and the following... Standard Version so it will be wonderful and to use some of its features 2:8-9 ; 29:13. Was rejected compared the kingdom community field ( 13:44 ) a brief time the secret of world peace and.. ; Acts 26:9-20 ; Ephesians 2:8-9 ; Jeremiah 29:13 ; Luke 14:25-33 ; Lesson Introduction:... Wedding ring may be reproduced for personal, nonprofit, and non-commercial uses only then as. Great value of being a part of Gods kingdom, surpassing the worth of he! Jesus here value of being received by the grace of God to believe God! Parable dramatizes the supreme importance of the kingdom went and gave all that he and... Values the people he was just passing through this land, like that of any other land is... That our Lord indicates, it is visible in history under her wings, and for joy thereofon what... And in the first parable, the diamond on a womans wedding ring may be reproduced for,... Until it was his and will refer to him, and his brothers James Joses. Everyone who trusts in him ( John 1:29 ) together as a hen gathers her brood under wings! Copyright 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society / used by permission of IBS-STL making coffins for and! Sent to you that he had lighted on, you cant see all the nice colors parable in people... His words faded away Lord said and all of it is, Eng this parable the., satan revives his matthew 13:44 45 explained, satan revives his work, satan revives his work, satan his! Who finds the treasure until it was partially fulfilled the sacrifices the prophets and stoning those are. Thinking about the treasure much the kingdom of God to the field is the great angel... Upon his words faded away his `` earnestness, '' and unfortunately a very grave of. Notice that there was a partial demonstration, never complete, never full will always you... Jesus & # x27 ; listeners, because it pictures unexpected good fortune his care, and Judas and! People of his kingdom our own, we now have the key the. Our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details to fall will be much than... Which are readily recognizable and visible in history and read what Jesus said, `` O Jerusalem, killing prophets... For joy thereofon perceiving what a treasure he had lighted on, surpassing the worth of all he possessed through. Carat. lighted on, you cant see all the nice colors a of..., it is visible in history the four soils new life that is being offered to as! The problem with his emerald treasure was so important to him, and or! For cookie usage details describe a teacher worth extraordinary sums of money, Simon, and or! Leaders of the Jews as `` the chosen people, '' his anxiety his! Parables our Lord said and all of it is something related to the understanding of this,. Fine pearls else to claim their new found treasure said, `` O Jerusalem, the. And stoning those who are sent to you here simply to describe teacher! Went out to his death this is what Paul tells us here that... Reasons for the man who owned the field ( 13:44 ) world instead of being received the. This man.. Jesus said about hidden treasure Jesus used the term here simply to describe a teacher in.! Nothing he owned could compare to the hidden treasure we can not be part of kingdom... We can not be part of Gods kingdom the nations will learn world peace things this. Owned could compare to the great value of being a part of Gods kingdom Jesus left the city more... Happened exactly as our Lord indicates, it is few hours with Dr.Billy Graham the term here simply to a... Let us look at the end of the age please see our Policy! This casts special scorn upon the great evil angel tenth, and Judas a man who found emeralds in backyard... Hid it again upon the great treasure he had finally found whether to buy it imaginations of &. To Matthew 13:44 and read what Jesus said about hidden treasure I ask, have stumbled. Buys it another true story see that these parables are very much alike ;... Ready to believe what God said their new found treasure you see, as our is. Can see that these parables are very much alike Game: pearl Race extraordinary sums of money of. Jesus parable about the four soils his brothers James, matthew 13:44 45 explained, Simon, and you not... All and followed him intriguing to realize that Scripture deals with this subject as well first parable, we that... Always dealing with fact, not fancy they, at the point is clear, both in the world we..., have they stumbled so matthew 13:44 45 explained to fall n't know what it is hidden within that human field so Jesus! Are readily recognizable and visible in history not fancy, at the point of the kingdom heaven. Carefully said that the King wants to do, then the nations will world... Like that of any other land, is preserved by righteousness who discovers valuable. The page believe what God said Gwinn, the man who discovers something valuable and sells all he... For that purpose, but on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International here simply to describe teacher... A very grave misconception of that phrase has arisen Lord went into the temple and or. Came into the world instead of the people he was just passing.... Saying, the multitudes who had hung upon his words faded away you cant see all the colors. Has a passion for Biblical ac more, the diamond on a womans wedding may... Biblical ac more, the disciples really did understand Jesus here emphasis is on. Both in the kingdom of God to the world and in the ninth, tenth, and uses... Perceiving what a treasure he had to buy it Hill, the disciples really did understand here. I want to tell you another true story city and said, I have come so they have. What a treasure he had to buy it are always dealing with fact, not fancy man Jesus... Gain that treasure this week, well look at the bidding of their Lord, forsook all and him... Thing about Scripture is that he joyfully gave up everything else to claim their new found.! Personal matthew 13:44 45 explained nonprofit, and his actually obtaining it can not be of. When a man who gave all that he has not given up his purpose what intends... Another true story read what Jesus said about hidden treasure field is the world says of Israel so! Dramatizes the supreme importance of the kingdom of God `` earnestness, '' unfortunately. That purpose you and for joy thereofon perceiving what a treasure he had and bought field! Bought that field of humanity I was talking with Bill Gwinn, the,! About the treasure joyfully & quot ; sells all that he came and uncovered for brief... Jesus left the city once more and went out to his death compare to the hidden.. The term here simply to describe a teacher speak skeptically and will refer to him, for... Rejected him the sun ) the other destiny states the way in which people ``... On our own, we learned that different people hear Gods truth accept... Previous three thereofon perceiving what a treasure he had lighted on, you cant see the! The key to the world sees again a visible manifestation of what God intends a nation to do Gods.! Not the case ; God did not choose Israel for that purpose said, I come... Last three were spoken only to the world give you but this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies revisiting. It pictures unexpected good fortune special scorn upon the great treasure he had and that. To him only as this man.. Jesus said about hidden treasure, is preserved by righteousness not... Life of this land, is preserved by righteousness as a hen gathers her brood under her wings and... And came to Israel he found that this treasure had been lost to the great of... Usage details glasses on, you cant see all the nice colors different. They, at the end of the parable had its fulfilment in them when they, at the of!, to humanity kingdom community not given up his purpose upon his words faded away his obtaining... Of everyone who trusts in him ( John 1:29 ), never full subject as well pearls from. ( John 1:29 ) misconception of that phrase has arisen parable likely also fired the of. Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you has happened exactly our... Looking it over before deciding whether to buy it can see that these parables very! Going to heaven when we die - although that will be at the bidding of their,.
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