Only God can take a man who is enthralled with the things of this world and make him enthralled instead with Jesus.  Only God can make a rebel into a willing servant.  Only God can take a man who finds the law grievous and make it his delight.  Only God can make a man trade the whole world for Jesus – and do it for joy.

Last night, I dreamed about the parable of the hidden treasure. I woke up thinking especially about the man’s joy.  Jesus said, “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.”​

Our forefathers seem almost universally agreed that the treasure here represents Jesus Himself.  Though the parable is a parable of the kingdom, it is important to remember that the heart, the glory, and the joy of the kingdom is the King Himself.  It is as men and women put their trust specifically in Him that the kingdom advances.  As Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.”  Rather, it is a kingdom marked by the progress and power of the Spirit as He makes men and women “willing in the day of His power.” This is not a kingdom advanced by the might or wisdom of men.  Rather, as the gospel is proclaimed, the Spirit gives life to the dead.  Men and women are born again; and as a result, their hearts begin to beat for Him, their wills are conformed to His, and their minds are made to see and understand, specifically, the majesty and wonder of the gospel of the glory of Christ.​

So here is a man who has found a treasure.  And what does he do?  For joy, he sells all that he has and buys the field.  What’s the point of the parable?  The treasure is Jesus, and the man who found the treasure and bought the field represents the born-again believer.  This parable is not an imperative, and it’s a mistake to treat it as if it were.  Jesus is not here describing what must be done.  Rather, He is simply explaining what happens when a man or woman discovers Jesus.  There is nothing here of pharisaical legalism or self-righteousness.  The man’s decision to sell what he has is not a slavish one made out of a sense of mere duty or fear.  In fact, the opposite is true. He went for joy to do what was to him the most obvious and natural thing.  He had found a treasure worth abundantly more than all he had.  Here was a treasure worth more than worlds.  And so, realizing what he had found, understanding its worth, he went out and did the most sensible thing he could.  No one had to tell him to do it.  He did it gladly.  He sold what he had so that he could have enough to buy the field and get the treasure.  Some, not understanding what he had discovered, might have thought him mad for selling everything, but he knew full well what he was doing.  This was a good bargain!  He might be losing everything else, but he knew what he was gaining in return was better than life itself.​

The message of the parable is a simple one, but it is one that makes sense only to those in whom God has given “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”  Paul speaks of counting all things “but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord.”  The Bible testifies of One who is Wonderful, who is our exceeding joy and our exceeding great reward.  He – and no other – is the treasure hidden in the field.  He – and no other – is the pearl of great price.  Jesus is without peer.  He is utterly matchless.  He is worth more than worlds.  And any man discovering Him would do just as this man did.

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