Treasure Parables

The Parable of Hidden Treasure

Why was this parable only one verse?

It implies that Jesus was dealing with familiar imagery. The hearers would understand the legal and cultural context with no explanation. People today put their money in a bank, or invest it in various ways. Other valuables can be locked in a safe-deposit box. Banks and the like did not exist in Jesus time. The closest they had were the money-changers that worked in conjunction with the temple and not the banks. So there was no safe place to store money like we have today. Most people at that time had their money tied up in land or possessions. If someone was very wealthy and had coin and jewels they would tie them up and hide it.

Conquering armies at that time also believed in the “spoils of war” and felt it their right to steal, loot, and plunder the locals. You also must remember that such political upheavals were fairly common. So to protect their property and values the people would bury the items in a sealed earthen jar.

What strikes you as strange about this parable? Why did the man find the riches, and then cover it back up?

This story appears to us to be kind of shady. A man finds a treasure and then buries it again, then buys the field. Did he not have a duty to report it to the land owner? At that time he did not. The landowner does not have the right to things buried on his property under Jewish law ans custom, unless he could prove the found items belonged to him. Here is a sample of how the custom worked. If an object was found hidden in persons home it would belong to them. But from the door-jamb inward it belonged to the owner of the house. If it was the door-jamb outward it was not their property. The code even went so far as to say if a hole develops in a wall of a Jewish person and someone finds hidden valuable in the wall, where in the wall it was located became important. If it was found in the mid-point of the wall outward it belonged to the finder. If it was in the mid-point inward it belonged to the home owner. The fact that the man could buy the field from the owner proved that the treasure did not belong to field owner or else he would just have gone and dug it up before he sold it. Therefore by Jewish law the treasure belonged to the finder.

What’s the point of this parable?

The point is that man found something so valuable that he sold everything he owned in order to get it. He was so overjoyed, so overwhelmed by the value of this discovery that he was eager to surrender everything he had in order to gain that treasure.

The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value or Price

Why is this parable about a pearl?

In Jesus time Pearls were of great value. In fact they were viewed the same way we view diamonds today. They were as valuable as any precious gem we have today and they made wealth very portable. Their value came in their scarcity. Pearls were difficult to get as men had to free dive in Red Sea and Persian Gulf to gather the oysters that may contain a pearl. This was an incredibly dangerous job as they had no Scuba equipment, no wet suits, no weight belts, or any other breathing apparatus that we have today. They literally tied rocks to themselves, took a long breath, and jumped off the boat to find the pearls.

How is parable similar to the previous parable?

They are both explaining treasure

How are the two parable different?

One stumbles across the treasure and one is seeking it.

Six Vital Truths about the Kingdom

First: The kingdom is Priceless in Value

In Christ we have an eternal treasure that is beyond compare. The treasure is incorruptible, undefiled, unfading, eternal, and reserved in heaven for believers.

Second: The kingdom is not superficially visible

The treasure was hidden in the first parable and had to be sought in the second parable.

Third: The kingdom is personally appropriated

The key figure in both parables is an individual. Each finds something of great value specifically for them individually and appropriates it or takes it for their own. Remember the time this was given, the Jews Jesus was talking too believed that because of their ethnicity they were automatically part of the Messiah’s kingdom. Romans talks about this and reminds us in chapter 9 “They are not all of Israel who are of Israel” and Romans 2 tells us that He is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward int he flesh; but a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit” Both these verses remind us that outward signs and ethnicity doesn’t make one of God. In our time we find people who have similar beliefs, I was baptized, I attend church, or I am a member of a church. none of these guarantees entrance to heaven. Personal union with Christ is the only entrance into heaven and that union is demonstrated by the fruit it produces.

Fourth: The kingdom is the true source of real joy

Joy is a good thing. We were made to seek happiness, and we can only truly find joy in our union with Christ.

Fifth: Not everyone comes to the kingdom by the same approach

This is such an important point. We can see the obvious similarities between these two parables, there are also some important differences. In the first one the man stumbled across this treasure. This reminds me of Paul who was not looking for the kingdom of God, he thought he already was a member. Paul was walking to Damascus when God literally blasted him from heaven knocked him in the dirt. When Paul arose from the ground he was a new creation a redeemed man. He was quite literally satisfied with is own self-righteousness until he stumbled into a fortune that made his own religious accomplishments look pile of filthy rags, or rubbish, but really the sentiment is that of a sack of manure.

Sixth: Saving faith has a high cost

Notice that in each of these parables the person purchased their treasure in the form of a pearl or buying a field. Please do not misunderstand this, man can not “purchase” salvation and that is not what the parables are teaching. What they are conveying is the fact that following Christ means you let go of everything else and give up all trust that anything or anyone else beside Christ can gain us merit with God. It is total surrender to the person and work of the Savior. I think this is most exemplified by Jesus in Matthew 16:24-26 where he tells his disciples “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” This is an allusion to When Jesus would have to bear his own cross and carry it to the place of his death. Jesus is asking the disciples, and by extension anyone that follows him, to join him in his death march. Follow me regardless of the cost and you will find life eternal.