Jesus' Parable of the Hidden Treasure & Pearl
Matthew 13:44-46

By Gary DeLashmutt

Teaching t08784

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Introduction

We are three weeks into a series on Jesus' parables of the kingdom of God—which are found in Matthew 13, 25. I noted that the seven parables in Matthew 13 have a common theme—“the mysteries of the kingdom” (13:11a). That is, they reveal a portion of God's kingdom that had not been revealed in the Old Testament, and that is different in key ways from God's kingdom in its fullness.

SOWER & SOILS: established by a King with irresistible force vs. spread through a message that is resistible

WHEAT & TARES: separates righteous from wicked vs. growth of both side by side

MUSTARD SEED & LEAVEN: worldwide & total vs. starts small & grows

Through these parables, then, we learn about how God's kingdom is at work in the world today, and about how we can benefit from and cooperate with his activity. Let's go on to the next pair of parables—the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl.

Explanation

Read 13:44-46. These mini-parables are obviously similar. Jesus employs Hebrew parallelism to emphasize his point. In both stories, a man finds something small or hidden—but of great value.

The first man is probably a farm laborer who stumbles upon a treasure buried in his boss's field. In ancient times, people didn't have safe-deposit boxes. During war, they often buried their wealth on their property. If they died or were exiled, the treasure was lost. In this story, the farm laborer probably kept the information from the landowner and scraped together everything he had to buy the field so the treasure would be legally his (Jesus is not teaching business ethics here!).

The second man is a wholesale pearl dealer who probably pays a small fee to examine a huge pile of oysters. He finds among the pile the mother of all pearls, and then liquidates all his assets (including his other pearls) to buy the whole pile and get legal title to the mother of all pearls.

What is the main point of these two parables? It is the contrast between the smallness/hiddenness of the object and its actual value. We sometimes say, “Big things come in small packages” or “You can't judge a book by its cover” or “You can measure an athlete's height, but not the size of his heart.” Precious treasures are sometimes small and inconspicuous.

What do these parables illustrate about God's kingdom? It depends on the identification of the treasure and the pearl.

Some think the treasure and pearl refer to believers, and the man and dealer refer to Jesus. The point, then, is that Jesus loves and values us so much that he was willing to pay the ultimate price (his death on the cross) to “purchase” us for himself. This is true (see 1 Peter 1:18-19) and wonderful beyond hope—but it is probably not the point of these parables.

In view of the other parables in this chapter (especially the two preceding ones) which consistently identify the small, hidden object as Jesus, the gospel, God's kingdom, etc., we should do so here as well. If we understand the treasure and pearl to refer to God's kingdom, then the man and dealer obviously refer to people who find God's kingdom in this age. How is this different from what the Old Testament taught about God's kingdom?

The Old Testament prophets taught that when God's kingdom comes, its supreme value will be obvious to everyone. Read Zechariah 14:5, 9.

Jesus is saying that in the “mystery” phase of God's kingdom, it is inconspicuous in its form and only some recognize its supreme value. But those who find it will recognize it as the most precious thing of all.

NOTE: This does not mean that we earn God's kingdom by paying money for it or by performing righteous deeds. The Bible is crystal clear that Jesus paid the price for our entrance into God's kingdom so that we can receive it as a free gift through simple faith (Galatians 2:16; Romans 4:4-5). The purchase aspect of these parables is simply local color, like the location of the treasure and the fact that they would both later liquidate their finds. The point of the parable is not to teach us how to enter into God's kingdom, but rather to teach us the supreme value of Jesus and the gospel in spite of its present unobtrusiveness.

Application

As we turn from interpretation to application, I want to raise three important questions that unpack and apply these parables—each of which are answered by Paul . . . 

Why do some people recognize the value of God's kingdom, while others do not? Is God playing favorites? Does he guide some people to this treasure, while hiding it from others? No, the Bible is very clear that God wants to guide everyone to it (1 Timothy 2:4; 1 Peter 3:9; John 16:8). The reason why some recognize its value while others do not is not God's desire, but people's attitude. Your valuation of the gospel is determined by your own pride or humility. Paul makes this point in 1 Corinthians 1:18, 23-24 (read). “The word of the cross” refers to the gospel—the story of Jesus' death on the cross. Paul says that people regard this message very differently, depending on their attitude:

To those who proudly depend on self and humanity (“those who are perishing . . . boast before God”), the notion that a crucified Messiah is God's answer is scandalous and moronic. They see only a common field and a pile of oyster shells. But to those who are willing to humble themselves and admit their moral failure and inadequacy (“those who are being saved . . . boast in the Lord”), this message is the essence of God's power and wisdom. They see a precious treasure, a pearl of great value.

This was certainly the case with me. I understood the meaning of the cross from the time I was 12. But my estimation of its value was directly related to my confidence in myself. When I was full of myself, convinced that I had within myself all the goodness and power to direct my life, I looked upon this message as irrelevant (“whatever”)—a foolish crutch for losers. But when God broke me down to make me see my own lostness and moral bankruptcy, the exact same message took on a completely different value.

It provides the way for a sinful, guilty people to be forgiven and accepted by a holy and righteous God.

It provides the way for lost and alienated people to be reconciled to a love relationship with God.

It provides the power for selfish and damaged people to be transformed and healed by God.

How about you? Do you still believe that you are competent to chart your own course, solve your own problems, etc.? Then the word of the cross will be unappealing to you—a common field, a pile of oyster shells. But if you are ready to admit that you've blown it and that you need help from the outside, this same message becomes a buried treasure, a pearl of great price! Why not lay hold of it today by personally admitting your failure to God and asking him to give you the gift of forgiveness and a relationship with him that he is offering you through Christ? 

What happens to your view of other “treasures” when you discover the value of God's kingdom? I'm sure the pearl merchant could never look at his other pearls in the same way after he saw the mother of all pearls (FLYING 1^st CLASS vs. COACH). In Philippians 3:4-9, Paul tells us what happened to him. Before he met Christ, he describes his portfolio: born into an upper-class family, educated in the finest schools, attaining the highest rank in his elite profession, respected by everyone as a successful and righteous person. But listen to how he views his former “treasures” now that he has met Christ (read 3:7-9). All that he valued and took identity from before became "dung" and “loss” compared with the surpassing value of this treasure/pearl. They become either impediments to be rejected or means to advance God's kingdom. Paul's dependence on his Jewish lineage and his own morality became impediments that he rejected. He continued to use his role as a Pharisee—but to advance the cause of Christ. The same thing will happen to you if you meet Christ and experience his grace.

We asked Dave Durrell to share how his discovery of this treasure/pearl has affected his evaluation of his former “treasures” (VIDEO) . . . 

Dave not only illustrates the answer to the second question; he also anticipates the answer to a third question: How do you say “Thank you” to God for this precious gift? Is it important to do this? If so, how do you do it? Dave talked about the difference between choosing Christ as your Savior and making him the Lord of your life.

That's exactly what Paul describes in Romans 12:1 (read and explain Old Testament background). Once you've received a much greater blessing (the mercies of God through the cross of Christ), the only response that makes sense is to give a much greater thank-offering (your whole life and every part of yourself) to God. It also makes sense because if God is wise and loving enough to find a way to save you, he is also the one who is wise and loving enough to know what to do with the rest of your life.

I wonder how many of you who know Christ have done this. For most of us (like Dave and evidently the Roman Christians “I urge you brethren”), this is a decision we make after receiving Christ and experiencing his new life.

I know it was this way with me—almost 30 years ago. I had received Christ almost two years earlier, and he had changed my life for good in more ways than I could have imagined. Then God arrested my attention as I was reading a book called The Normal Christian Life, by the great Chinese Christian leader, Watchman Nee. In the chapter entitled “Presenting Ourselves to God,” Nee made these comments:

“Presenting myself to God implies a recognition that I am altogether his. This giving of myself is a definite thing, just as definite as (receiving Christ). There must be a day when I pass out of my own hands into his, and from that day forward I belong to him and no longer to myself . . . If we give ourselves unreservedly to God, many adjustments may have to be made: in family, or business, or relationships, or in the matter of our personal views . . . His finger will touch, point by point, everything that is not of him, and he will say 'That must go.' Are you willing? . . . It is always foolish to resist his will, but it is a blessed thing to just hand ourselves over to him and let him have his way with us . . . My giving of myself to him must be an initial fundamental act. Then, day by day, I must go on giving (myself) to him, not finding fault with his use of me, but accepting with praise even what the flesh finds hard. That way lies true enrichment.”¹

I remember where I was sitting as I read these words. I realized that God had proven to me over the past two years that he was good and loving--and now he was calling on me to give my whole life to him. I can honestly say that I have never regretted that decision. That's why Paul ends Romans 12:1 with 12:2b (read).

How about you? Have you ever made this decision? This is the only thing that will ever satisfy you. If you have never given your life to Christ, why not do so today?

Footnotes

Kingdom Parables Teaching List

Teachings of Matthew