What is the Treasure?
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Interesting. I heard a powerful sermon today at a Protestant church.......the pastor gave an interpretation I had never thought of before.
He suggested that the treasure represented us. The man represented Jesus giving up everything for us - only He could have ransomed the treasure from the field by paying for the property. Admittedly, I was really blown away. What do you think?
Yes it works. Parables can have many meanings and revelations. It seems Jesus intended it this way.
What also works is the treasure is Jesus and the man who finds Him will give up all he has to recieve Him.
What also works is the treasure is Jesus and the man who finds Him will give up all he has to recieve Him.
It almost does - except the part about the man buying the field - that has always bothered me in the past because it suggests buying into the Kingdom. It certainly was the way I always interpreted it before today, despite the difficulty.
Then perhaps you are taking it too literally or really have an issue to come to terms with. The idea of giving up everything in order to buy the field is what it says. It is true that Jesus gave up everything but it also true that Jesus taught that His disciples have to give up everything, not necessarily possessions, but whatever thinking and lifestyle they held more precious than 'the treasure'.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like 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 this parable the treasure is The Kingdom of Heaven!
Spot on JLB. the answer is in what the text says.
The Kingdom of God= Kingdom of heaven and is the rule and reign of God, in heaven and where it exist on earth
The Kingdom of God= Kingdom of heaven and is the rule and reign of God, in heaven and where it exist on earth
Howdy Friend,
Scripture explains and our experience confirms.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.(2 Cor 4:7)
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (1 Cor 6:19)
In both verses you can see that they sync up with "not your own", "not of us", but rather, "may be of God", "ye have of God".
Does that help? What does your experience tell you regarding these scriptures?
All the best,
Axehead
I looked up 6 or 7 translations and I did'nt find any discription of what the "treasure" is other than treasure in the general sense. I could be wrong of course.
I am not teaching this idea - it is brand new to me - I just heard it in a sermon yesterday and thought it was compelling. Before yesterday, I had never considered the interpretation.
I tend to believe the Kingdom of God is the flock of God's people who have been justified (loved and forgiven by God) and now learning to be vulnerable enough to love God and others (sanctification) Jesus told the Pharisees that the Kingdom of God cannot be seen - it is occurring in our hearts and it is the Body of Christ at the same time.
As far as the interpretation of the parable, I think it is compelling - Jesus did give up everything to shepherd us back to Him after we were lost in the world - He does feel joy to be in relationship with us. Because He loved us first, we are able to be vulnerable enough to love Him and our neighbors, which spreads the Kingdom.
I think it is open to interpretation.
Actually it's not. Here is your original question -
What is the treasure in the parable of the hidden treasure found in Matt 13:44?
Here is what Jesus says -
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like 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.
The treasure in the field is in fact The Kingdom of Heaven, I know because I can read what Jesus said it was.
Now what is open to interpretation is what the kingdom of heaven is.
For the kingdom of heaven is within you.
Thanks, JLB
Thank you. You just made my point.
The treasure "represents" The Kingdom of heaven in the parable.
Therefore the answer is The Kingdom of Heaven.
The question is What is the treasure in the parable of the hidden treasure found in Matt 13:44?
Its a parable. The objects in the parable represent a reality. Something that you are familiar with to teach you about something you are not familiar with.
Thanks, JLB
The Kingdom of God is like the entire parable, not just the treasure. The Kingdom of God is not like any one object - an analogy might be 'love is like a marriage, which grows from a ceremony to a partnership of the heart." Love is not really about the word marriage - it is about the process of being married.
In the same way - the Kingdom of God is like the process of the man's relationship with the treasure.
Not sure how you expect to learn any new if you are too afraid to consider looking at scripture with fresh eyes.....guess the Pharisees had the same problem.
What is a Kingdom without a King? Answer: Not a kingdom.
The Kingdom of Heaven is within you, so by extension, the King of that Kingdom is within you.
What is the Kingdom or Heaven without Jesus? Nothing.
Therefore the treasure within you, is not the Kingdom, but the King.
Axehead
But, we are Christ's body.
Yes, and what inhabits a body but a spirit.
The Spirit of Christ inhabits the Body of Christ or else it is not the Body of Christ.
Each member is inhabited by the Spirit of Christ and each member is part of the greater Body of Christ.
The focus is always on Christ and never the Body for the Body without the Head (Christ) and His Spirit is not the Body of Christ.
Axehead
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