Expository Summary - Matthew 13:44-46
The parable of the treasure and pearl are found in chapter 13, which is the 3rd major discourse by Jesus in Matthew, the others being 5-7, 10, 18, & 23-25. Chapter 13 is a series of parables. 4 are taught to a crowd, and 4 are taught to Jesus disciples. In these parables, Jesus teaches his audience about the nature of the kingdom of heaven, and most if not all of the parables in chapter 13 are warnings about God’s future judgment for those who do identify themselves as part of the kingdom.
Keep in mind that when Jesus teaches a parable, he is using a story to illustrate a point, like a sermon illustration today. We should not read too much into the details unless there is biblical warrant, like the parable of the four soils (13:3-9, 18-23). When someone teaches a parable, there is always a context for which it is given and a central message. The people who are listening to this parable are Jewish, and would be familiar with the elements of these parables. Matthew is writing this gospel story to a Christian audience with a strong Jewish background, thus the reason for the term Kingdom of Heaven, rather than Kingdom of God. The word Heaven is used out of sensitivity to Jewish tradition where it was common not to use God’s name.
The parable of the treasure and the pearl are given together and emphasize the same main lesson, that the kingdom of heaven is priceless in value, and we must hold nothing back to obtain it.
The individual in our story may have discovered the treasure after stumbling over it, or may have seen some of it protruding from the ground. Though finding a treasure hidden in the ground around Palestine was not a common experience, for often people would bury their possessions in the ground to protect them. We see this in the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, where the man buries his talent in the ground. In addition, the region of Palestine was often a battle ground. So people would hide burry their possessions in the ground before an approaching army to hide them.
Some have questioned the morality of acquiring a treasure in this way. Since he purchases the field, he is obviously not the owner. Should not the man have informed the owner about this great horde of treasure in his field? Every scholar I read referenced a rabbinical law where this situation and decision is ethically acceptable. Rather than digress on this law, let us remember our earlier point about parables. Parables are not intended to teach a lesson at every level and detail. Jesus is not teaching a lesson on morality, so we should not draw implications from this parable on morality. Jesus does not address the morality of this situation any more than he does the parable where he compares his second coming to a break-in of a thief in the night in chapter 24. In that parable the point is that Jesus return will be a surprise, like a thief’s visit, …and the point of this parable is the priceless worth of the Kingdom of Heaven, which we should hold nothing back to obtain.
In the second parable, Jesus describes the Kingdom of Heaven as Pearls. Jesus paints a picture of a wealthy pearl merchant whose livelihood and constant ambition is to find expensive pearls. Pearls at this time were extremely valuable. Though pearls are still of great value today, at this time they were the equivalent of modern day diamonds. In addition to their natural beauty and scarcity, the process to find pearls was extremely hazardous. Many royalties would define their wealth by flaunting their pearls. Jesus, when he warns believers of casting their pearls before swine, speaks of the priceless value of the gospel and he uses pearls to illustrate this. So when this merchant came across one pearl of inestimable value, he goes and sells everything to attain the pearl. Connected to the previous parable, Jesus is showing the worth of the kingdom and its accompanying sacrifice to obtain it.
We live between the times, and the Kingdom is not here fully, but those who follow King Jesus begin to experience what His final Kingdom reign will be like.
A PRICELESS TREASURE
Having the kingdom is having something of superlative worth. In these stories, the value of the kingdom is seen in the devaluing of everything else. The Kingdom is better than anything else we have now or will have in the future, better than any power, influence, control, or prestige, and the approval of men. The Kingdom is better than any substance that one might use to escape reality.The kingdom is valuable because that is where the King is! It is the abode of the king.
John Piper writes “The longing to be there is not the longing for heavenly estate, but for camaraderie with the King. The treasure in the field is the fellowship of God in Christ.”
Paul in writing to the Philippians states, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” (Phil 3:7-8)
Can you say like Paul and this man, nothing is more valuable to me than having Jesus as my King?
THE SOURCE OF TRUE AND LASTING JOY
The man’s actions after finding the treasure were done from and in joy…from happiness he went and sold all he had to buy the field. Jesus is not trying to strip us of our pleasure; he is offering to us true and eternal pleasure.
When we forsake the Lord, we forsake true joy. Jeremiah 2:13 “For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” Psalm 16:11, “ You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
HOLD NOTHING BACK
In these parables, the act of the man selling his possessions to buy the field or to buy the pearl is meant to represent the spiritual. The transaction of the two men buying is meant to represent the spiritual act of surrender. This is what happens in conversion; there is a spiritual act of surrender.
Have you found something worth loosing everything for? The famous American missionary and martyr Jim Elliot stated that “he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Matthew 16:24-25 “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matt 16:24-25) Do we believe that Jesus is worth surrendering, abandoning everything for? This parable is about a decision, a decision to make Jesus one’s King and be a part of His Kingdom. I have no good news for those who do not trust Jesus’ claim. Just look at the parables surrounding our text today. Jesus is sending a warning that those who are not part of His kingdom will be judged with fierce punishment.
So what about the cross, how does the work of Christ Jesus on the cross relate to the kingdom of God? Listen to what the apostle Paul describes in Colossians 1:13-14, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Can we with assurance claim that we have been transferred from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of his beloved Son? In this verse, that happens when your sins are forgiven. That act is the most wonderful, beautiful, and gracious act of God. Being a part of God’s Kingdom is an act of God’s grace. Let us be encouraged to daily surrender our will to God and His Kingdom, for we have the priceless treasure as our King.
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