Is this parable moral?

[trophy33]

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
Mt 13:44

Would you be a moral person, acting that way?

You know that somebody owns a treasure, not knowing that. You hide this information before him, buy the field waaaaaay low below its actual price (which you know very well) and then you get a huge profit.

Investopedia: Moral Hazard and Adverse Selection

 

[honey badger]

the treasure being your soul ...

 

[2BeholdHisGlory]

Isaiah 45:43 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.

Hidden treasures in secret places are not a bad thing. Besides he is comparing the Kingdom of heaven to that description and not an earthly swindle.

 

[Sabertooth]

Would you be a moral person, acting that way?

You know that somebody owns a treasure, not knowing that. You hide this information before him, buy the field waaaaaay low below its actual price (which you know very well) and then you get a huge profit.

What if you spot a valuable, though unrecognized, antique at a resale shop...?

 

[trophy33]

What if you spot a valuable, though unrecognized, antique at a resale shop...?

Or, for example, a land full of gold but owned by uneducated, poor people who have no idea of its value...?

 

[A_Thinker]

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
Mt 13:44

Would you be a moral person, acting that way?

You know that somebody owns a treasure, not knowing that. You hide this information before him, buy the field waaaaaay low below its actual price (which you know very well) and then you get a huge profit.

Investopedia: Moral Hazard and Adverse Selection

I don't believe that there is any moral principle which states that one must educate one's peers about what may or may not be valuable to them.

That said, the parable focuses on the value of kinship with God.

 

[trophy33]

I don't believe that there is any moral principle which states that one must educate one's peers about what may or may not be valuable to them.

There is. Check the link in my OP.

 

[Leaf473]

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
Mt 13:44

Would you be a moral person, acting that way?

You know that somebody owns a treasure, not knowing that. You hide this information before him, buy the field waaaaaay low below its actual price (which you know very well) and then you get a huge profit.

Investopedia: Moral Hazard and Adverse Selection

What is the parable even about?

I think it's about how the gospel is so precious that we should do whatever it takes to secure it in our hearts.

But yes, I could see that the parable contains immoral actions, kind of like the parable of the dishonest accountant.

 

[A_Thinker]

There is. Check the link in my OP.

The link speaks of moral hazard, ... where either party in a contract changes their behavior after an agreement has been reached.

The link alternately speaks of adverse selection, ... where a seller has value information that he opts to withhold from a potential buyer.

The parable represents neither of these circumstances ...

 

[Joyous Song]

Or, for example, a land full of gold but owned by uneducated, poor people who have no idea of its value...?

Or, for example, a land full of gold but owned by uneducated poor people who have no idea of its value...?

JS: You find out what they need and buy it. Build a school, a well, or irrigation, or hospital; the list in endless but should be based on the locals needs. Or course this was not what the parable was about just your answer to your question….

Myst 33: buying and selling is not actual buying but rather to accepting or learning, Think of the parable bridesmaids. The unwise did not actually go to seller but to leaders of their faith to get an explanation different and less scary than the Messenger gave. As for the field think of the parable of the tares or weeds in among the wheat. Here the field is the world.

The disciples bought that worldly field through their testimony and very lives at least they did during those first few centuries so the price was not cheap (they sold everything).

Yet the benefit of “buying” that field is clear, our faith today is built on the blood of their sacrifice. Of course another question could be how well have we tended that field they paid so dearly to buy?