Hidden Treasure

The teachings of Jesus are filled with similes. These comparisons usually contain the words like or as. Similes are most necessary when speaking of the things of God because we are seeking to relate spiritual things to natural men. It is like trying to speak of light and color to someone who was born blind.

In Matthew 13, Jesus likens what we have in Christ to hidden treasure that is so valuable that a man sells everything he has to get it. This could either mean we give up all to gain Christ or that Jesus gave his all to buy the church. On either view, it’s clear that the treasure we have in Christ is immeasurably valuable—a priceless gift that we should hold on to no matter what comes our way.

What Jesus taught is so important that he continually repeated the same truths from different perspectives. He did this so that his hearers wouldn’t simply hear what he said but so that they would also understand. It is like telling a child that fire is hot. A loving parent will repeat the warning until the child understands.

After saying that the kingdom of God is like a hidden treasure, Jesus said that it is also like a pearl of great value. Pearls, like treasure, are hidden. We must search to find hidden treasure and dive to find pearls.

This is why preaching future punishment using God’s law is so important. A parachute is of no value to a passenger until he understands that he must jump out of the plane. It is fear of the consequences of jumping without it that makes the passenger value what the parachute can do. We will not see Jesus as a priceless treasure until we understand what will happen to us if we die in our sins.

Prayer: Father, thank you for the unspeakable gift of your Son. Thank you that I have the wonderful treasure of knowing Christ.