The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.
When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy, he went and sold all he
had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in
search of fine pearls. (Matthew 13:44-45)
When we compare
these two verses, we notice differences. By comparing the two men and their
actions, we gain a clearer understanding of this passage. If you have read or heard
these passages before, you found the moral taught was likely doing what needs done
to gain the treasure for yourself. The treasure is salvation and eternal life.
Yet, when we dig deeper, other aspects emerge from these two parables. Each
verse is not a stand-alone parable. We should study each of them and note their
similarities and differences.
While walking, the
man in the first parable found buried treasure. We do not know if he pursued
treasure or just stumbled upon it. Moreover, this man may have deceived the
landowner by concealing the treasure found on his property. He may have paid
less for the land than its true value by withholding the fact of the buried
treasure. Overall, the man sold what he possessed to gain the treasure for
himself. Treasure was valuable to him and to the hearers of the parable.
The man in the second parable was a merchant. He pursued valuable items to buy and resell. When he came upon a very rare pearl, he opted to sell all he owned to buy the pearl. This merchant sought treasures, whereas the first man may have only stumbled upon his find. The merchant looked in each oyster shell that was for sale to find the important and rare nugget—truth. He represents those who seek God and seek to understand Him in deeper ways. The merchant needed knowledge about pearls, their characteristics, and their monetary worth. In the second parable, upon finding the most important thing, he gave up everything else to possess the precious pearl. The pearl symbolizes the gospel truth. In this parable, Jesus taught in His parable that the merchant forsook other knowledge to claim the truth. He firmly grasped what was most important, the pearl of great price—the Truth.
The first man hid
the found treasure. He lied by omission to the landowner. The truth he grasped
was not God’s truth, but the one he wanted, as shown by the means he took to
get it. To him, the ends justified the means. Jesus never taught that. Jesus
taught about righteousness, loving God and people, and telling others the Good
News. Ends don’t justify means. Honor, respect, relationship, and obedience are
more important. The man in the first parable prioritized ownership over
godliness and truthfulness. He forsook all he had. The first parable man gained
earthly treasure that would decay or rust. He chose earthly treasures, not spiritual
treasures—salvation and eternal life.
The second man did
not “steal” the rare pearl, but acknowledged its worth, paid the price, and
gained it to make it his own. The man stole the treasure by not mentioning it.
He didn’t acknowledge the land’s worth. He was more interested in being shrewd
than in truth, honor, and righteousness.
Which man are you
like? Are you searching for God’s truth and paying the full price for its worth
by reading, studying, meditating on, and praying over Scripture daily? Or do
you read a verse, then use it to justify your actions without understanding
God’s purposes for what you read? For example, because God, in the Bible,
allowed servants, you hire servants. Yet you mistreat them and boast about
having servants. The Biblical depiction of indentured servants differs from this
example. The servants in the Bible sold themselves to be servants so they could
pay a debt. God mandated release from servitude after seven years if the
servants were Jews. Added to this, masters were to treat servants with respect
and provide for their needs. If a person today boasted of having servants, and he
mistreated them, his goal would be arrogance and superiority. The purpose of
indentured servanthood in the Bible and this example differed; the first helped
a person, and the second showed arrogance.
Which of these men represent you today: the schemer
or the seeker?
But seek first the kingdom of
God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
(Matthew 6:33)
