The earlier parables (sower, weeds, mustard seed and leaven) focused on the growth of the kingdom of heaven. They explained how and where it was planted (sower), the challenges it faced (weeds), the tremendous fruitfulness it brings (mustard seed) and the thorough change in character it causes (leaven). As Jesus continues teaching in parables, He begins to focus on its value. “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.”
The character in this parable finds a treasure that is of such value and such depth and vastness that they cannot simply dig up a part of it to cash in, just as no one who finds a massive gold vein just under the surface of the ground rushes to cash in the first nugget they extract. No, they first go and secure the entire field and then they begin extracting the treasure. So it is with the kingdom of heaven. To first meet Christ is to find the first nugget. But the kingdom of heaven is so much more than simple salvation. That is but the first step in an eternal walk. To miss going deeper is to miss all that God would have for us. It is like reading the Scripture for literary value and missing the revelation of God Most High.
The great commentator Matthew Henry once wrote, “the richest mines are often in grounds that appear most barren; and therefore they will not so much as bid for the field, much less come up to the price. What is thy beloved more than another beloved? What is the Bible more than other good books? The gospel of Christ more than Plato’s philosophy, or Confucius’s morals: but those who have searched the scriptures, so as in them to find Christ and eternal life (Jn. 5:39), have discovered such a treasure in this field as makes it infinitely more valuable. […] Those who discern this treasure in the field, and value it aright, will never be easy till they have made it their own upon any terms.”
To have the Scriptures and to know Christ is to own the field. But what real value is it if you own the field and do not dig up the treasures it contains? Our joy is not in having the field – our joy is in finding priceless truth after priceless truth – and applying them to our lives to live out the surety of God’s written Word. That is the real value. God is very real, so the truth of all He has said must be lived. Not merely read. Not merely studied. But lived out. Felt and tasted, picked up and held. This is how we acquire wealth that lasts – for wealth that is lived out is wealth realized every single day.
Truthfully, nothing else can be held in comparison. Even physical wealth – which can afford so very much – is not worthy to be held up against it. For nothing else affords the peace and the power and the presence of the Spirit of God, who speaks all things into existence and heals every malady of the spirit, soul, mind and body. Such is our treasure. Such is afforded to us by God Himself, praise God!
Here is the right sort of covetousness (Phil. 3:8), “That I may win Christ.” Let all our power of coveting go out after him.
Henry D.M.S. Jones
APPLICATION: Intentionality
As Jesus said, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (from Matthew 6:33)