Learning DAILY

Matthew 13:44, “Again the kingdom of God is treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buts the field.”

Matthew 13:45-46, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who when he found one pearl of great price, went and sold all he had and bought it.”

Where do you keep your “treasure”?  If you have a safe in your home, you might put valuables such as jewelry or money or any items of value in it.  Most people keep money in the bank in order to spend as needed.  Perhaps you have a lock box at the bank to keep valuable items in.  In ancient Israel the people did not have banks; the safest place to keep valuables was to bury them in the ground.  You can understand the problem that came up when someone found the treasure of another person.  Legally the treasure belonged to the owner of the property.  But, the finder of the “treasure” could buy the property, then, everything in it would belong to the finder (David Jeremiah Study Bible). 

In the parable of the hidden treasure, we do not know who the finder of the treasure was or his relationship to the owner.  All we know is the great joy he had over finding it.  Imagine for a moment what you would experience over winning the lottery (Just for the sake of what I am trying to get you to understand!).   I am sure you would think about all you were going to do with your winning.  Perhaps, you would not tell anyone for a while so you would not be bothered by anyone.  The finder of the treasure buried it again so no one would find it.  Then he sells everything he has in order to buy the field and become the owner of the treasure.

In the parable of the hidden treasure the finder is a poor man who finds a treasure that will make him rich for life.  In the parable about the pearl, the merchant is a wealthy man finds a valuable pearl to be bought.  During this time a find such as this must have been very rare because the merchant leaves to sell all he has in order to return and buy this wonderful pearl.

The two parables teach two truths.  The parable of the hidden treasure teaches that the Kingdom of God is a priceless treasure; when we give up all we own to obtain it we get in return something enormously greater.  The Kingdom is a priceless treasure that is to be desired above all else.

The second truth is similar.  When you find a pearl of great price it is worth selling or giving up everything that would prevent you from obtaining it.  Selling all means that we must transfer our whole heart from other interests to what is most important. 

The pearl of great price and the treasure is Jesus Christ and His Kingdom.  He is worth giving up all we have to obtain the salvation that He offers through the cross and His resurrection.  When you find Him, nothing will be spared to make Him your own.

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