The Bargain

Recently, I was reading a book on the commands of Jesus in the Gospels, and at some point, the Parables of Jesus in the gospels were brought into view.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

Matthew 13:44 (KJV)

A few considerations arose as I pondered on this verse.

First: Jesus likens the kingdom of God to a treasure hidden in a field. We can pass over this simple information when we read through it, but in it are open and obvious treasures.

The Kingdom of God is not made precious on account of its hiddenness, it’s a treasure by its basal nature and – the hiddenness is for us. God made it hidden for us, not from us.

Second: it was hidden in a field. Most of the listeners in the day of Christ were agrarian They understood the concept of a field. It was the idea of a farmer working on a field and stumbling as it were upon that which he didn’t go looking for.

It’s really an encouragement that, in God’s design, He is bringing the reality and strength of the Kingdom into our lives. We don’t have to go far and wide, the reality of the Kingdom permeates our daily life. It’s here with us.

Third: worthy of note is the action of the man who has found the treasure. Jesus says “he hid it again”. I understand that to mean he takes possession of it.

He doesn’t leave it there, wondering what a wonder it is. He doesn’t leave it there to go around telling others of the beauty that he has encountered. He might still do this, but as of first importance, he secures the kingdom for himself.

Lastly: Jesus says, for Joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys the field. This is the bargain. The Kingdom of God will cost you all that you have, but this is only possible with Joy. If you never get to see and savor the treasure that is the Kingdom, you will never sell all that you have.

The key here is Joy; without Joy we will never be able to be to forsake anything for the Kingdom, and it just so happens that Joy is positive proof that we are appreciating and revelling in the worth of the Kingdom.

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The Kingdom of God is worth infinitely more than all we have or could hope to have, but it really doesn’t appear that way.

A lot of us encounter it, but it’s a joyless encounter. We value other things more. We have a distorted sense of worth. We can’t see the Kingdom for what it is. And we know this is true because of the stack lack of Joy in our hearts. We esteem the world and its way as more valuable, desirable, and pleasurable.

It’s my prayer and earnest desire that God, in His Mercies, will help our hearts, correct our sense of value, and open our eyes to ‘see’ the Kingdom for what it is; infinitely valuable and desirable, worth more than everything else.

And may He grant us the Grace to respond with Joy.