The Parable of the Treasure Hidden in a Field

Our next parable is this:

Matthew 13:44 (KJV)
⁴⁴ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

Most of the commentators see this parable as an exhortation for Christians to give everything in order to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven, or Yeshua, or salvation, depending upon what they believe the treasure symbolizes.

However, if we continue to keep elements (symbols) consistent throughout the parables, the meaning of the Parable of the Treasure Hidden in a Field becomes very different.

Yeshua already defined two of the symbols in this parable. He said that the "man" or the main male character in the parables refers to Himself/God. He also defined the "field" as the world. So the only missing element is the treasure itself. Since Yeshua did not give us any information about what the treasure symbolized, we need to look elsewhere for the answer. It would seem that the Bible has all kinds of references to treasure.

Exodus 19:5 (KJV)
⁵ Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

Psalm 135:4 (KJV)
⁴ For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.

Plainly, God has viewed Israel as His very special treasure. But do we see the same thing in the New Testament?

1 Peter 2:9 (KJV)
⁹ But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Most would say that 1 Peter is talking about Christians. However, this Bible verse is a quote from the Old Testament.

Exodus 19:6 (KJV)
⁶ And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

How is it possible that Christians and Israel are described using the same terminology? Theologians of all stripes have weighed in on this matter. Without going into the differences between Replacement Theology and Dispensationalism, let me suggest that there is a better answer. Since the same terminology is used, both entities, in some form, are identical. From Paul we see that being ethnic Israel does not guarantee that you are really "Israel."

Romans 9:6 (KJV)
⁶ Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

At the same time, there are many Gentiles who have been grafted into Israel when they became believers.

Romans 11:17 (KJV)
¹⁷ And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

Therefore, the treasure that Yeshua was teaching about is His people, the believers, either Jew or Gentile.

Now let's examine the parable more closely. God's people are hidden in the world. Isn't this exactly what we see regarding both the Jews and Gentile believers, who have been scattered throughout our world. When God "finds" His people, He hides them again, and then, with joy, sells everything that He has, and then buys the world with His people in it.

So how did Yeshua give up all that He had?

Philippians 2:5-7 (KJV)
⁵ Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
⁶ Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
⁷ But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

But why did Yeshua have to buy the world? Doesn't the world already belong to Him?

It does, but when Adam and Eve sinned our world was marred and Satan was given a certain amount of control and influence over it.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (KJV)
⁴ In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Yeshua then bought the world by doing what?

Philippians 2:8 (KJV)
⁸ And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

This one verse parable basically gives us the entire Gospel message! Yeshua was willing to leave Heaven, come to earth as a man, and then die, in order to buy mankind the opportunity to be saved. This should fill our hearts with gratitude! Amazing!