The Gospel Of Matthew Chapter 13 Part 9 The Parable Of Treasure Hidden In A Field

 

Jesus' parables are designed to teach us spiritual truths about the kingdom of God and the Church by using natural objects that people are familiar with.

So far, He taught us about how people respond to gospel preaching in the Parable of the Seed and the Sower.

Of the four types of soil mentioned, only one is called good ground where the seed of the gospel can take root and bear fruit.

The second parable in this chapter is the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares which teaches us about the enemy of God who sowed tares in with the good wheat.

This pictures the church of Jesus Christ and his kingdom that is composed of good seed (those who are born again).

Satan is the enemy who came under cover of darkness and sowed tares, which means they are false or counterfeit Christians.

The tares cause much division, discord and disunity in the church but at judgment day, they shall be gathered up and burned.

Jesus gave a third parable called the Parable of the Mustard Seed in order to teach us how the gospel began in humble circumstances but then exponentially grew into Christ's church.

The church is His body and is composed of "living stones" which refer to each individual Christian.

Thus, Christ's church is a growing, living body of believers placed into relationship with each other and with the Father through repentant faith in Jesus. 

The fourth parable is the Parable of Leaven and the Church.

This parable was used by Jesus to show how the gospel and His church resembled the characteristics of leaven.

Leaven is mixed into flour and is unseen, just as a sinner receives the gospel unseen into his or her heart.

Leaven begins to spread throughout the entire lump of dough, just as the gospel begins to transform us into the likeness of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Leaven will manifest itself by the bread dough rising when baked just as the gospel in our heart will manifest itself by producing fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

Leaven makes dough into valuable, nutritious food source just as the gospel at work in us makes us into usable servants for Christ and His kingdom work.

Matthew 13:34-35 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: 35)  That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. 

After the Parable of the Leaven and the Gospel, Matthew tells us Jesus made a statement about His use of parables.

First, Jesus continued to teach them in parables because these truths would be understood by those whose hearts were opened by the Spirit of God.

Acts 11:21  And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. 

Acts 16:14  And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. 

There are many examples of the Spirit of God working in people's hearts to lead them to salvation through repentant faith in Jesus Christ.

The Psalmist prayed for the LORD to open his eyes that he might behold wondrous things from the scriptures (See Psalm 119:18).

Jesus taught in parables because this fulfilled prophecy about Israel's Messiah from a Psalm of Asaph, from Isaiah and from Amos. 

Psalm 78:2  I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: 

Isaiah 29:18-19  And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. 19)  The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. 

Amos 3:7  Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.  

Dark sayings, things that were not know would be declared by Messiah.

Those whom the Lord opened their ears and eyes would see and hear Messiah's parables and rejoice in His truth.

Messiah would reveal the hidden things of God, things kept secret from the foundation of the world.

Heavenly truths and realities cannot be taught to us except through parables using earthly things to illustrate divine truth. 

If God spoke to us in heaven's language those spiritual realities which angels behold, we would not be equipped to receive such high knowledge.

Therefore, it is our great privilege to be taught heavenly things through the parables of Christ, because they help us understand God's promises and our future hope in Christ.

There are four more short parables of Jesus contained in this chapter of Matthew's gospel.

The fifth parable is the Parable of Hidden Treasure.

Matthew 13:44  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. 

This parable is teaching us about the kingdom of heaven and Christ's church.

It is a more personal parable that is aimed at the individual level.

Previously, Jesus used small things like mustard seed and leaven to teach us about how the gospel began to spread into the world.

He also showed us the impact of the gospel at the individual heart level, that it will work in us, to make us more like Jesus.

In this parable Jesus represents His kingdom as having priceless value in itself.

Those who embrace His gospel and the kingdom of heaven on His terms (repentant faith) have a great advantage.

Advantages include the new birth, receiving full forgiveness of our sins, being granted eternal life and knowing that a home in heaven awaits us when this life is over.

Jesus Christ is the true treasure in this parable.

There are an abundance of riches each Christian has received because of having repentant faith in Jesus Christ.

In Jesus Christ are hid all the heavenly treasures of divine wisdom and knowledge (See Colossians 2:3).

All the fulness of the Godhead dwells in Christ (See Colossians 1:9; 2:9).

What is the implication for each Christian of all the fulness of the Godhead being in Jesus Christ?

It means that we stand complete in Christ lacking nothing. 

Our Father declares that we are fully justified before Him because we are "in Christ (See Colossians 2:10).

It means that God fully forgives us when we trust His Son (See Colossians 2:13).

It means that God has blotted out our sins by nailing them to Christ's cross (See Colossians 2:14).

It means that Christ lives in us through the Spirit of God and this is the hope of glory for us (See Colossians 1:27).

It means that we have eternal peace with God through the blood of the cross of Jesus and through Christ, sinners who repent and believe are fully reconciled to God (See Colossians 1:20-21).

It means that the Father has made us fit for heaven and has given us an inheritance with all the saints in His kingdom (See Colossians 1:12).

It means that Jesus rescued us from the Devil's dark domain and the Father has placed us securely into the kingdom of His dear Son (See Colossians 1:13).

It means that the Father has given each Christian all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ (See Ephesians 1:3).

Christ is the treasure hid in this field and He is ours through repentant faith in His saving work on the cross of Calvary.

What is the field in this parable? It is the gospel of Christ which conveys kingdom truth to us.

Thus, the picture of this treasure (Jesus Christ) being hidden in a field (The scriptures) teaches us that we must be workmen who study God's Word (the field) in order to discover truths about Christ. 

The gospel is the field in which this treasure of Jesus Christ is hid.

John 5:39  Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 

Jesus told religious hypocrites to search the scriptures of the Old Testament because they give testimony to Christ.

They contain pictures of Christ in Israel's feasts, holy days, in the tabernacle and temple worship. 

There are many prophecies of Jesus the Messiah from Moses, in the law and in the prophets and in the wisdom books of Psalms and Proverbs.

Go into the field of God's Word and dig in seeking the rich treasures in Jesus Christ as revealed in scripture.

Christ our treasure is hid in the word of the gospel, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. 

Since the gospel is hidden in an open field, this means the treasures of faith that Christ brings to us are available and discoverable.

This means that God invites all to come into the field of His glorious gospel to learn about Christ, salvation, and a home in heaven.

God tells us to seek these things of Christ in the Word and it will fill us with hope.

Isaiah 34:16  Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them. 

Isaiah encourages us to pick up our Bible and seek God as we read it and study His Word.

What God has said in His Word He will do.

He will keep all His promises and all prophecy will come to pass as He declared them through His prophets.

God invites us to come and dig for the treasure of Christ in the field of His Word.

Isaiah 55:1  Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 

We must take heed to God's Word spoken through His prophet Isaiah.

He begins by inviting all people to come and feast upon His Word.

God freely gave us His Word so that we might know Him and learn how to live a blessed life.

Our Father freely justifies us at His throne in heaven when we repent and believe on His Son, Jesus Christ (See Romans 3:24).

In Christ the Father freely gives us all things (See Romans 8:32).

The Father sends His Spirit to live in us so that we might know all things that He freely gives us in Christ (See 1 Corinthians 2:12).

Nothing but Jesus Christ will satisfy our soul and give rest to our soul.

Isaiah 55:2-3  Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3)Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. 

This text tells us that most people have misplaced priorities. Like the culture around us, people are constantly grasping for more money, more possessions, more experiences.

Many people waste their lives seeking the next new thing or some new experience.

Yet, the end of all these pursuits is the same. 

An emptiness remains in their heart because only God can fix what is wrong in us. 

Only God can satisfy the longings that cause us to pursue other things.

Nothing this world offers can satisfy or bring us great delight like God satisfies and delights our soul.

Thus, God speaks to all people whose life is empty, who have spent their time and wealth on worldly things and remain disappointed and unsatisfied.

God says "Listen to Me. Come and drink in my Word and eat the Bread of heaven. I will satisfy your heart and heal your hurts."

Thus, there is an open invitation to all sinners to repent and turn to Jehovah.

We will always find Him ready to forgive us and cleanse us so that we can have a fresh start.

Isaiah 55:6-7  Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7)  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 

This great treasure of Jesus Christ hidden in the field of God's Word continues encouraging us, inviting us to seek the Lord and to call upon Him while He is near.

When we seek Him we shall find Him.

Again, there is a clear call to repentance. The wicked must stop sinning and the wayward ones must amend their thoughts.

Repentance is essentially a turning in our mind from a wrong view of self and sin and God, and going the opposite direction of embracing God.

What happens when someone repents and turns to Jehovah?

That soul shall find a God who cleanses them from sin, who is merciful and ready to forgive us.

To the natural man it does not make sense that holy God whom we have offended with our sins and transgressions, would be ready to fully pardon and forgive us when we repent and trust His Son, Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 55:8-11  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9)  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10)  For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11)  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Jesus spoke and taught truth using parables and when we read His words, we are hearing God speak to us, for Christ is the Son of God, and is named the Word of God (See John 1:1-18).

God's thoughts are not like ours. 

He is the one whom we have sinned against, and yet He is the one who seeks out the sinner to call them to repent and be saved.

God's ways are not like our ways. His path is marked by grace, by mercy, by a love that was willing to sacrifice His own Son for our sins, that we might live in Christ through repentant faith. 

The Word of God is like rain that falls from heaven to sustains our lives and make our crops to grow so that we can reap a harvest for food and have seed to plant for next year's crop.

Such are the glorious hidden treasures of Christ that we find in the field of the scriptures.

When we find these treasures in Christ hidden in the scriptures, we have assurance from God that this Word will not return void.

It will not come back empty handed. Rather, it will accomplish the will of God in us and it will transform us and revive us and fill us with all the fulness of Christ our Savior.

Let us seek the treasures of God in Christ, by digging into the field of the scriptures.

Let us ask the LORD to teach and instruct us so that He can make us more like His dear Son.

Bob