treasure hidden in a field...

[JLR1300]

In Matthew 13:44 we read….

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a 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 buys that field.”

In my opinion, the proper interpretation of this Parable is this…

The Kingdom of Heaven is God’s Kingdom. God is it’s King and the people of God are it’s subjects. God’s people are also known as the Church or the Bride of Christ. The man in the story is Christ. Before the would began God offered His Son a bride and Christ, who saw what that redeemed bride would ultimately be in her saved and glorified state, valued her and loved her and, therefore, saw her as a great treasure and, consequently, He agreed to give up everything to purchase and redeem her.

We know that Christ loved the Church as a man would love a treasure. Ephesians 5:25 says… “Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” We also know that it was for the JOY of being with that bride that He gave up all that He had and purchased and redeemed her. Hebrews 12:2 says of Christ… “ who for the JOY that was set before Him endured the cross”

Now many people have had a different interpretation of this parable. Many people imagine that the parable represents a sinner who discovers Christ and His salvation and wants that so badly that He makes great sacrifices to obtain it. This is perhaps the typical view. There are two or three extremely serious flaws in this view.

1. The Parable says that the treasure is the Kingdom. The treasure is not said to be Christ or salvation. The Kingdom is God’s people which is to say the church or the bride of Christ. Even if you are a dispensationalist the Kingdom would still not be Christ or salvation.

2. The Parable tells us that the man BOUGHT the field which contained the treasure. So he obtained the treasure by making a purchase. The idea that a sinner purchases Christ or that a sinner purchases salvation is unscriptural to say the least. Scripture constantly tells us that Christ purchased the church or that he redeemed it or ransomed it but never that the sinner purchases or redeems or buys Christ or salvation.

3. The Parable plainly says that the treasure represents the God’s Kingdom and that the man purchased it. The Kingdom exists and is possible because Christ paid for it with His blood. Can it ever be said that a sinner has purchased the Kingdom of God? What would he purchase it with? … his filthy rags of self-righteousness? His dead works?

Christ in His Divine wisdom usually gives us parables that can be taken in one of two ways. The self-righteousness person always sees it in a way that bolsters his pride. He reads this parable and thinks to himself… “by my great moral sacrifices I have bought myself a place in the Kingdom of God.” The saved man reads the parable and thinks… “By giving up all that He has Jesus has purchased and ransomed His bride and thus, my salvation is secure.”

For some, salvation is a great bargain in which promises are exchanged. The sinner promises future obedience and sacrifices in exchange for God’s promise of eternal life through Christ.

For others, salvation is a great gift which Christ purchased by giving up His life and now bestows upon all who by God’s grace believe and trust in Him for salvation.

P.S. I would imagine that Dispensationalists will say that the man in the parable is a saved person who wants to be able to take part in the Millennial thousand year Kingdom of Christ on the earth so He gives up His selfish ambitions and serves Christ in order to obtain such a reward.
This isn’t near as bad as the other incorrect view because it doesn’t teach works justification/salvation but I’m not convinced that Dispensationalism is true.

 

[MWood]

In Matthew 13:44 we read….

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a 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 buys that field.”

In my opinion, the proper interpretation of this Parable is this…

The Kingdom of Heaven is God’s Kingdom. God is it’s King and the people of God are it’s subjects. God’s people are also known as the Church or the Bride of Christ. The man in the story is Christ. Before the would began God offered His Son a bride and Christ, who saw what that redeemed bride would ultimately be in her saved and glorified state, valued her and loved her and, therefore, saw her as a great treasure and, consequently, He agreed to give up everything to purchase and redeem her.

We know that Christ loved the Church as a man would love a treasure. Ephesians 5:25 says… “Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” We also know that it was for the JOY of being with that bride that He gave up all that He had and purchased and redeemed her. Hebrews 12:2 says of Christ… “ who for the JOY that was set before Him endured the cross”

Now many people have had a different interpretation of this parable. Many people imagine that the parable represents a sinner who discovers Christ and His salvation and wants that so badly that He makes great sacrifices to obtain it. This is perhaps the typical view. There are two or three extremely serious flaws in this view.

1. The Parable says that the treasure is the Kingdom. The treasure is not said to be Christ or salvation. The Kingdom is God’s people which is to say the church or the bride of Christ. Even if you are a dispensationalist the Kingdom would still not be Christ or salvation.

2. The Parable tells us that the man BOUGHT the field which contained the treasure. So he obtained the treasure by making a purchase. The idea that a sinner purchases Christ or that a sinner purchases salvation is unscriptural to say the least. Scripture constantly tells us that Christ purchased the church or that he redeemed it or ransomed it but never that the sinner purchases or redeems or buys Christ or salvation.

3. The Parable plainly says that the treasure represents the God’s Kingdom and that the man purchased it. The Kingdom exists and is possible because Christ paid for it with His blood. Can it ever be said that a sinner has purchased the Kingdom of God? What would he purchase it with? … his filthy rags of self-righteousness? His dead works?

Christ in His Divine wisdom usually gives us parables that can be taken in one of two ways. The self-righteousness person always sees it in a way that bolsters his pride. He reads this parable and thinks to himself… “by my great moral sacrifices I have bought myself a place in the Kingdom of God.” The saved man reads the parable and thinks… “By giving up all that He has Jesus has purchased and ransomed His bride and thus, my salvation is secure.”

For some, salvation is a great bargain in which promises are exchanged. The sinner promises future obedience and sacrifices in exchange for God’s promise of eternal life through Christ.

For others, salvation is a great gift which Christ purchased by giving up His life and now bestows upon all who by God’s grace believe and trust in Him for salvation.

P.S. I would imagine that Dispensationalists will say that the man in the parable is a saved person who wants to be able to take part in the Millennial thousand year Kingdom of Christ on the earth so He gives up His selfish ambitions and serves Christ in order to obtain such a reward.
This isn’t near as bad as the other incorrect view because it doesn’t teach works justification/salvation but I’m not convinced that Dispensationalism is true.

I do disagree with your perception that The Church the Body of Christ, is the Bride of Christ.

The only place in the Bible where it tells us who the Bride is, is in Rev21:9-10.

Read it and change your tune. You are teaching a lie.

 

[BryanW92]

A purchase occurs when one or both of the following conditions are met:

1) A person has a surplus of something and is willing to sell it to someone who wants it.

2) A person desires something so much that they are willing to offer enough to convince the owner, who also wants it, to part with it.

How many of us have an unbeliever inside our close circle of friends and family? This is the person that you bring the gospel to over and over again and they listen politely, and then tell you "I'm glad the church thing works out for you, but its just not for me."

They think that you are offering them membership in your country club, when all you are trying to do is show them a gift that is already theirs, if they just reach for it. They are standing in the same field that you are, but they cannot see the treasure. But you can see it plain as day.

You and and I the people in example 2, who want it bad enough to sacrifice for it.

They are the person in example 1, who thinks that they have everything they need and cheaply dismiss the kingdom.

The parable uses the concept of "buying"the field because that would be the right thing to do. You can't just walk into another man's field and take something. You don't sneak in at night and take it either. If there is something in that field that you want, you buy it. The parable isn't about the purchase. It is about the ability to see the treasure. Not all can see the treasure since "natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Cor 2:14)

 

[fozzy]

I do disagree with your perception that The Church the Body of Christ, is the Bride of Christ.

The only place in the Bible where it tells us who the Bride is, is in Rev21:9-10.

Read it and change your tune. You are teaching a lie.

Are you kidding me? So the church is not part of the new Jerusalem now? The new Jerusalem will be the home of all the saved not just the Jewish ones.

Go read Rev. 3:12 where the new Jerusalem is written in the foreheads of the overcomers from the church at Philadelphia.

Or Gal. 4:26 where Paul says the Jerusalem above is free and mother of us all. He was speaking to Gentile believers not Jewish ones.

I am sure I will get no answer to this just the usual hit and run tactics.

 

[AndrewStrobel]

I won't comment on your personal interpretation of the parable, because I feel like the parable describes exactly what it is supposed to describe, but I will add this verse from Romans, that says what the Kingdom of God/Heaven is, also Jesus tells us what to do as well in Matthew.

Matthew 6:33 NKJV
[33] But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Luke 17:20-21 NKJV
[20] Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; [21] nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."
Romans 14:17 NKJV
[17] for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

The way I see this parable, as a person who has been radically set free from a life of depravity and has experienced the supernatural by the grace of God, is what we will experience when we completely sell out, which can be NOW, not just in Heaven when this body dies.
The way I described it when I was in the middle of conversion and being delivered from bondage to the world, was this: "I feel like I won the lottery, what it is the whole world is looking for, but nobody wants to share it with me."

This after spending most of my life in addiction, and ruining everything that came my way, and never being able to fill that God sized hole. When Jesus finally showed up and the LOVE of God was so strong, and the holiness and magnitude of the depravity that I was living in and when I repented, and He came to comfort me, for 90 days I walked in a supernatural "honeymoon" if you will. I lost 25 lbs, I stopped doing drugs, I stopped smoking, pornography DONE, and I was supernaturally healed of spinal pain.. the fire of God came into my spine and took the pain away. This was all by the grace of God, and this parable explains exactly how I felt when Jesus and His resurrection became real to me.

Romans 4:20-25 NKJV
[20] He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, [21] and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. [22] And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness." [23] Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, [24] but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, [25] who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.
Romans 5:1-2 NKJV
[1] Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, [2] through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

When the reality that He is the firstborn of many brethren and that He didn't just die because I was a sinner, but He died to restore me to the Father... not because I am wretched, but because He loved me before I loved Him, and that His blood is the propitiation for my sins, and that He paid for it all, and that His blood sits on the mercy seat, He was resurrected so that I could be resurrected and be "born again" and He is in Heaven right now interceding for me, and I am "hidden" in Christ, and I am justified and in right standing with God, and I wear a "Robe of Righteousness", and that I am saved from the wrath of God... all this and so much more, this is the goodnews of the gospel. Not just that we get to go to Heaven one day, but still live like hell, but that we can walk in victory NOW, and the Kingdom of God/Heaven is inside of us. this is what this parable describes.

I grew up wanting to be a Christian but the past few years before conversion, all the Christians I was around didn't act like it nor live like it, so it never seemed that appealing to me. When I was saved, this parable became true to me, and I showed up at a "denominational" church and they didn't know what to do with me. I was super excited about Jesus and was talking about being "born again" and talking about the Holy Spirit and how I heard God speak to me and how I needed elders to pray for me for healing and they weren't about it. God directed me to the right fellowship and things are great now, but the truth is, the gospel is such goodnews, this parable describes how one feels when they come to the realization of the gospel. The awesome thing about the Word though is that there is no EXACT one way to view this, it is the LIVING Word and He can speak multiple truths to multiple people through the same verse. He is the Word made flesh, so in my opinion (which doesn't mean much) is that this parable could mean several different things, but the way I described it is how it speaks to me.

Hallelujah! Being a Christian is so good, we truly are blessed. God bless all you and have a great weekend!

 

[fozzy]

I won't comment on your personal interpretation of the parable, because I feel like the parable describes exactly what it is supposed to describe, but I will add this verse from Romans, that says what the Kingdom of God/Heaven is, also Jesus tells us what to do as well in Matthew.

Matthew 6:33 NKJV
[33] But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Luke 17:20-21 NKJV
[20] Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; [21] nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."
Romans 14:17 NKJV
[17] for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

The way I see this parable, as a person who has been radically set free from a life of depravity and has experienced the supernatural by the grace of God, is what we will experience when we completely sell out, which can be NOW, not just in Heaven when this body dies.
The way I described it when I was in the middle of conversion and being delivered from bondage to the world, was this: "I feel like I won the lottery, what it is the whole world is looking for, but nobody wants to share it with me."

This after spending most of my life in addiction, and ruining everything that came my way, and never being able to fill that God sized hole. When Jesus finally showed up and the LOVE of God was so strong, and the holiness and magnitude of the depravity that I was living in and when I repented, and He came to comfort me, for 90 days I walked in a supernatural "honeymoon" if you will. I lost 25 lbs, I stopped doing drugs, I stopped smoking, pornography DONE, and I was supernaturally healed of spinal pain.. the fire of God came into my spine and took the pain away. This was all by the grace of God, and this parable explains exactly how I felt when Jesus and His resurrection became real to me.

Romans 4:20-25 NKJV
[20] He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, [21] and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. [22] And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness." [23] Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, [24] but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, [25] who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.
Romans 5:1-2 NKJV
[1] Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, [2] through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

When the reality that He is the firstborn of many brethren and that He didn't just die because I was a sinner, but He died to restore me to the Father... not because I am wretched, but because He loved me before I loved Him, and that His blood is the propitiation for my sins, and that He paid for it all, and that His blood sits on the mercy seat, He was resurrected so that I could be resurrected and be "born again" and He is in Heaven right now interceding for me, and I am "hidden" in Christ, and I am justified and in right standing with God, and I wear a "Robe of Righteousness", and that I am saved from the wrath of God... all this and so much more, this is the goodnews of the gospel. Not just that we get to go to Heaven one day, but still live like hell, but that we can walk in victory NOW, and the Kingdom of God/Heaven is inside of us. this is what this parable describes.

I grew up wanting to be a Christian but the past few years before conversion, all the Christians I was around didn't act like it nor live like it, so it never seemed that appealing to me. When I was saved, this parable became true to me, and I showed up at a "denominational" church and they didn't know what to do with me. I was super excited about Jesus and was talking about being "born again" and talking about the Holy Spirit and how I heard God speak to me and how I needed elders to pray for me for healing and they weren't about it. God directed me to the right fellowship and things are great now, but the truth is, the gospel is such goodnews, this parable describes how one feels when they come to the realization of the gospel. The awesome thing about the Word though is that there is no EXACT one way to view this, it is the LIVING Word and He can speak multiple truths to multiple people through the same verse. He is the Word made flesh, so in my opinion (which doesn't mean much) is that this parable could mean several different things, but the way I described it is how it speaks to me.

Hallelujah! Being a Christian is so good, we truly are blessed. God bless all you and have a great weekend!

Great testimony!

 

[MWood]

Are you kidding me? So the church is not part of the new Jerusalem now? The new Jerusalem will be the home of all the saved not just the Jewish ones.

Go read Rev. 3:12 where the new Jerusalem is written in the foreheads of the overcomers from the church at Philadelphia.

Or Gal. 4:26 where Paul says the Jerusalem above is free and mother of us all. He was speaking to Gentile believers not Jewish ones.

I am sure I will get no answer to this just the usual hit and run tactics.

In the context of Gal 4:26 Paul is talking about Sarah, Abraham wife, not New Jerusalem.

In the New Jerusalem there will be neither Jew nor Gentile, bond or free, male or female, for all will be one. So from this you are correct. But the OP wasn't talking about New Jerusalem, he was talking about the Body of Christ being the Bride of Christ. When New Jerusalem comes down God will be among us. And this is when the marriage of the Lamb will take place.

So there you have your answer. But to continue this sub-thread would only derail the original thread. So I'll not respond any more.

 

[fozzy]

In the context of Gal 4:26 Paul is talking about Sarah, Abraham wife, not New Jerusalem.

Sarah is a symbol of the new covenant of promise similar to how Hagar is a symbol of the old covenant of works. The new covenant has its origins in the Jerusalem which is above and is free or the new Jerusalem. So Paul is talking about the new Jerusalem. It's unmistakable if you actually read the verses. The new Jerusalem or the bride of Christ is the same as the body of Christ which is just a different analogy.

 

[JLR1300]

The way we experience things is wonderful but it doesn't tell us certain things. For instance.... When the sinner prays to Jesus for Forgiveness when does Justification occur? Why would he bother praying to Jesus if he doesn't already believe that Jesus is God? So does faith come before prayer? And why would the sinner ask Jesus to forgive His sins unless He truly believed that Jesus died as a sacrifice for sin so that sin would be forgiven and that Jesus' blood is for him as well as others? So does faith come before prayer? And why would a person agree to follow Christ as Lord if he didn't first have faith to believe that Christ IS the Lord and our God? So does faith come first even before a prayer of commitment? It does. So the way we experience things is one thing... what actually happens is another. By the time a sinner gives up all he Has to follow Christ He has already believed and become convinced that Christ is God.

The truth is that we are given the gift of faith... then BECAUSE we believe that Jesus is God we agree to follow Him. BECAUSE we believe that Jesus died on the cross, not just for the sins of others, but for us too, we look to Him for mercy, and start to pray. then we feel forgiven. But here is the kicker. God says that Justification actually took place when He gave us faith.... even before we had time to pray and ask for forgiveness. Even before we had time to commit our lives to following Him. Before you can pray the heart is already looking to Jesus hoping in His mercy and thus, is already justified. Prayer takes time... justification is instantaneous. The reality is this. God gives us faith and we are immediately justified. Faith is reliance on Jesus. Justification itself cannot be felt. The very instant the Heart starts to rely on Jesus and look toward Him we are justified even though it will take a second or two to start to pray and ask for mercy and out of gratitude commit ourselves to following Christ and start to feel forgiven.

So when we read a parable like this one it seems to go along with the way we experienced things. that is.... we wanted salvation.... we prayed and asked for salvation and gave up all to follow Him. We felt forgiven. So now we think that we got salvation because we took certain steps. But that is the way we experience things in time.

The reality is that the Holy Spirit implanted faith in our Hearts and simultaneously justified us... so that it is all by grace. But that faith and belief that Jesus is God then caused us to pray and commit to following and obeying Him. And that faith and belief that Jesus died for us and that the blood is there for us personally causes us to look toward Him and hope for mercy and we then pray for mercy ... not realizing that before we prayed we are technically already forgiven a second or two earlier when we got justified.

So what we need to do is this.... we should not use our human experience to interpret parables. First, let us go to books like Romans and Ephesians etc. and learn proper theology and then we can return to the parables and read them in light of proper theology. When we do that, we know that sinners don't obtain salvation by purchasing it with their willingness to give up all they have .... Christ purchased salvation by giving up all He had... and He gives it to us as a gift. Once we are given faith and justification we then respond by prayer and commitment... but by that time we are actually doing those wonderful works because of the faith we have already been given. Things like prayer and baptism and commitments and repentance of certain sins etc. are often thought to be a part of salvation because they so closely accompany it. But the truth is really that Justification is by faith alone and faith is a gift of grace. Prayer technically is a work. So is a moral commitment to following and obeying Christ. Works come as a result of faith and justification.

It really doesn't bother me much for folks to imagine that the man in this parable is a sinner who is giving up all he has to follow Christ. We all do that. But never let your experience explain theology. The faith that justifies causes works. Works do not justify.

Finally I will have to say that even if Jesus did intend us to understand that the man is not Himself but a sinner it really doesn't matter because the man had JOY over the treasure.... so that means that He believed in the treasure of Christ and salvation so strongly that he had great joy and then that he gave everything up. So faith came before commitment. Faith and justification occurred first then commitment to follow. I just don't think that is the correct interpretation.

 

[AndrewStrobel]

Thank you for the follow up. I know the popular interpretation of this parable. I in no means disagree with anything you just posted as well, praise the Lord! We are absolutely saved by grace through faith, which is a gift. This is such a blessing, I totally get that.

I see exactly what you are describing, and I believe the scripture is truth, I am just telling you that during my conversion, when I heard this, and still today when I hear this parable, I think of how I feel about being a Christian. How good it feels to have revelation that God loves me and gave Himself for me. So much so that I told Him I would gladly walk to the ends of the earth to give Him glory. This didn't save me, this was just my response to the overwhelming love of God.

I didn't "make any great sacrifice" to obtain salvation, I simply gave up living life on my own and became willing to "deny myself, take up my cross and follow Him." Thank God for that, because it was this contrite spirit and broken heart which I believe the Lord heard and was faithful to show me mercy.

I should have been a bit more clear, rather than post my personal experience, my main point being that His Word is living and that He can speak to us in a variety of ways through His Word, this is just how it speaks to me. I don't think a sinner makes any "great sacrifice" to follow God, the sinner simply gives up a life where they live for themself and they have faith in Jesus. This is such goodnews that, I would gladly give up ALL I HAD to obtain it.

What good is it if a man gains the entire world but forfeits his soul?

When I was going through this crazy time in my life, I thought I would lose my wife if I came to Jesus, I thought that my friends would all leave me, that my parents would not want to have anything to do with me, that everything would change... and everything did change, but it was this faith that I stepped out in, by becoming willing to deal with anything that came my way, persecution and even losing my wife, that makes me relate to this parable that way. For 6 months or so it was very hard, the spiritual warfare in my home, but Christ is bigger than that and He gave me the strength to deal with this, but it is stepping out in faith becoming willing to lose everything that I had for Him and eternal salvation.

Have a very blessed day, thanks again for the follow up!

 

[JLR1300]

Thank you Andrew..... I hope you know that I appreciate your input and I am not wanting to come across as some kind of spiritual know-it-all. I get carried away with all kinds of fine points and sometimes obsess over nit-picky stuff and of course, my opinions are just that...my opinions -nothing more. The truth is that there are a thousand million things I don't yet understand. I really appreciate your testimony and I praise God for your wonderful conversion experience. Thanks again for everything and God bless.

 

[fozzy]

The church is NOT the bride. And as we read Galatians 4:26, it clearly tells us that the Jerusalem that is above is our... mother!

The book of revelation is the prophecy book of things to come. Aka in the future. Aka right now. Our heavenly mother had been shown to us.

Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.

Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.

The heavenly mother is new Jerusalem. It is a parable.

This is not my teaching but the teachings of the official church of God.

I never said the church was the bride! The bride or those who will inhabit the new Jerusalem are all the saved from Adam to the end of time. Jew and Gentile alike. I don't exclude the Jews so quit trying to exclude the Gentiles!

 

[BryanW92]

This is not my teaching but the teachings of the official church of God.

Which official church is that? All the ones that I've been to teach that the church is the bride of Christ.

 

[BryanW92]

The Church of God. How can the church give the water of life? Only god can give the water of life.

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherdsc and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,e to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

Yes, only God can give the water of life, but it falls to the church to teach.