The Coming of the King

Coming of the King: Week 29

Matthew 13:44-58: The Treasure of the Kingdom

Conventional commentaries on 13:44-45 see both the treasure and the pearl as the "kingdom of heaven" or "heaven", and the man as the Christian, who must "give up all" for Christ. There is some truth in this, and insights usually focus on two types of men: one who trods over the Truth every day for decades without notice, and suddenly, one day takes a closer look, and one who is constantly searching for whatever is true and lovely, and one day encountering The Truth says, "This is what I have been searching for!"

There is a theological problem, however, as we have nothing with which to buy the field or the pearl. For all our righteousness is as filthy rags. In the parable of the Sower, just explained, the man is the Son of Man. A minority of commentators see this continuing, and the man is the Son of Man.

13:44 "treasure" - the Jews are God's "treasured possession". Exodus 19:5. The field is the world, as before. The Son of Man buys the whole field, gentiles and all, for joy.
13:45 "pearls" - shellfish are to be "detestable" to Jews, Leviticus 11:10, and so in the minority view, the pearls represent gentile believers, but for one individual, the Son of Man sells all that He has.

So do these parables mean that we are "precious in His sight", and the Lord Of Glory who for the joy that was set before Him bankrupted Heaven ("emptied Himself") to purchase us as His own treasured possession?

Or do they mean that "to you who believe He is precious", and we gladly give to Him all that we are and have, presenting our bodies a living sacrifice?

Yes.

13:47 This is similar to the parable of the tares. But this time the good are gathered first. What other differences?
13:52 "new treasures as well as old". As Einstein illuminates Newton, so the New Testament sheds light on the Old. New insights enhance but not discard the old, tried, and true.
13:54 "miraculous powers" - notice again there is no question of the authenticity of the miracles, only their source.
13:57 "took offense" - "He thinks He is better than any of us." This is what people will say of you when you begin to truly reflect the light of Christ.
13:58 "could not do many miracles" - again, I think it was that he could not do the the miracles beneficially, because they would be received as evil. Remember the dwarves.