THE HIDDEN TREASURE AND THE PEARL

A PARABLE STUDY

By

Alan Campbell B.A.

“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. Again the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it“ - Matthew 13:44-46

INTRODUCTION

In the thirteenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew there are seven Kingdom Parables and we find that they can be divided up as follows:

A) THE SOWER AND THE SEED Which the Lord Jesus addressed to the multitudes and then explained to His disciples in private.
B) THE WHEAT AND THE TARES Which again was told to the multitudes and then explained privately to the disciples.
C) THE MUSTARD SEED

Both of which were addressed to the crowds, but for which no explanation is given.
D) THE HIDDEN LEAVEN
E) THE HIDDEN TREASURE These three were told privately to the disciples and again no explanation is given.
F) THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE
G) THE DRAGNET

 

We shall be looking in detail at The Hidden Treasure and The Pearl of Great Price, but before we do so we need to ask ourselves:-

WHAT ARE THE PARABLES ALL ABOUT?

Parables were a unique feature of our Lord's teaching ministry. Thus we read:-

“Without a parable spake He not unto them." - Matthew 13:34

We should also take note of the fact that Parables were given not only to reveal but also to conceal; therefore Jesus said to the Disciples:-

“It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to them it is not given ... therefore speak I unto them in parables: because they seeing, see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand . . . but blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear.” - Matthew 13:11-16

You will also observe in reading the Parables of Matthew 13 that the basic, primary and essential topic is THE KINGDOM. Whilst it is possible to use these Parables to preach and to present the evangelistic message of personal salvation, or for that matter the message of the Christian’s growth in grace, the main thrust of Jesus’ message was the Kingdom of God and so they must be seen first and foremost in their Israelitish context.

So we begin our study by asking:-

WHAT IS THE FIELD?

Our parable commences:-

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field.” - Matthew 13:44

We do not have to look very far for our answer, for a few verses earlier our Lord had categorically stated:

“The field is the world." - Matthew 13:38

However as the story proceeds you will find that it is not the field which is of primary importance, but rather the treasure which is hidden therein. The field is purely incidental or by the way. The man is prepared to pay the highest price possible for the field in order to possess the treasure buried in it. His main aim in making the purchase is the treasure rather than the field, please keep this in mind. It is because of the treasure that the whole field or world is bought at such a tremendous price.

WHO IS THIS MAN?

Many who have not given sufficient thought or study to the matter have claimed that the man in the Parable represents the sinner who when he finally realises the true value of salvation gives up everything to obtain it. This explanation however runs contrary to the whole message of the Scriptures that salvation is free to the sinner, without money or price; in fact there is nothing he or she can do of themselves to obtain it.

“But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many." - Romans 5:15

“For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” - Romans 6:23

So salvation comes to us as a free gift, by grace through faith alone. Therefore the unidentified man in our story is none other than the SON OF MAN, THE MAN CHRIST JESUS. Not only is He the one who created and formed both the field and the treasure in the first place, but He knows where it has been hidden, and it is He who comes to seek it out and purchase it or buy it back. The man in the story is identical to the Good Shepherd who left the ninety nine sheep to seek and to recover the one which had strayed from the fold. He knows the value of the treasure and He is prepared to pay the price, even all that He has to obtain it.

WHAT IS THE TREASURE?

As in so many other instances we find that the Scriptures explain themselves. The Hidden Treasure is neither Christ nor is it the experience of salvation. Turn to the Old Testament and there we read:-

“Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a PECULIAR TREASURE unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.” - Exodus 19:5-6

So God’s Word clearly states that the Israel people are the Treasure. What was in fact taking place at the foot of the Holy Mountain of Sinai, in the passage we have just read, was a marriage ceremony. The husband was Almighty God, the bride was the nation of Israel, and Moses was the officiating minister. The terms of the marriage contract were that Israel promised to love and worship the one true and living God and keep His Commandments, Statutes and Judgements. He in turn promised to bless the Israelites both materially and spiritually above all the other nations of the earth. They were to be God’s witnesses, His peculiar treasure. Just as a bride at her wedding takes her vows and says “1 do,” so the people of Israel answered to Moses

“All that the Lord hath spoken we will do." - Exodus 19:8