Reading through the Gospels 87
Matthew 13:44-52
THE FOLLOWING THREE PARABLES about the Kingdom of God are controversial in interpretation. When one first reads these parables, including me(!), they read as relating to man and "me." However, as I continually learn, the Bible is not about "me." It is about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is about God. These parables must be read in context with the rest of the Bible. God does the seeking, God gives the faith, and God saves. God does it all. However, I can see truths in both ways of interpreting these parables. Parables are not meant to be automatically understood, but rather they are God's gift to be pondered for a greater understanding.
There are TWO KINGDOMS. The Kingdom of Heaven/God and the Kingdom of wickedness (Ephesians 6:12, For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.) The Kingdom of light and the Kingdom of darkness are always at battle, not with swords like on earth, but we fight the battle with God's Word. The Kingdom of God is not limited by heaven or earthly borders, but exists wherever His living Word and Spirit rule in people's hearts. The Kingdom of God is not established on earth and is not of this world (John 18:36). John 19:14, "Behold, Your King."
13:44 THE PARABLE OF THE HIDDEN TREASURE
This verse describes the Kingdom of Heaven as a treasure hidden in a field. A man finds the treasure, hides it again, and then sells everything he has to buy that very field. He does this "in joy."
Interpretation 1 "me": The Kingdom of Heaven is more valuable than our greatest earthly treasure. This man gave up everything he had for his greatest treasure. Although he paid for the land, he paid nothing for the treasure that was on the land. My faith is also a gift.
Interpretation 2 "God": The field is the world, the treasure is me, and the man is Jesus who found the treasure and gave His life, His all and all, to buy the field. I am God's greatest treasure! The Kingdom of Heaven is made up of God's great treasures, the children of God. If I am ever tempted to think that I need to find God, I should remember this parable that God found me.
13:45-46 THE PARABLE OF THE PEARL OF GREAT VALUE
These verses again describe the Kingdom of Heaven. A merchant looking for pearls finds one of great value and sells everything he has to buy the great one.
Interpretation 1 "me": The Kingdom of heaven is more valuable than our greatest earthly treasure. This man gave up everything he had for his greatest treasure. Putting God above riches is hard to put into practice, so this makes me thankful that I can acknowledge to God my sinful nature. My salvation is like an unrustable pearl of unimaginable price.
Interpretation 2 "God": God does the seeking for His great treasures. He is the merchant and He finds me, the precious pearl of His creation, being traded back and forth by the dealers of this world. I am God's greatest treasure which he gave His life, His all and all, to purchase! I, an undeserving soul, do nothing to become so precious. I just am precious because God created me, loves me, cares for me, and by His grace and His actions, He brings me into His kingdom. My heavenly Father calls me "my little precious pearl" and treasures me. John 15:16, "You did not choose me, but I chose you."
13:47-50 THE PARABLE OF THE NET
A third parable to teach about the Kingdom of Heaven is of fisherman who collect all the good fish and throw away the bad. In the same manner, angels will separate the wicked from the righteous, throwing the wick in the fiery furnace with weeping and gnashing of teeth. This parable is similar to the parable of the weeds. I can tell people about the Kingdom of Heaven, but I am not responsible for judging. The angels will come to separate the children of God from the others. The full net is like the just being brought together with the wicked, and thereafter sorted. We live together, the just and the wicked, in this world until such time as Jesus comes again.
13-51-52 NEW AND OLD TREASURES
Jesus asks the disciples who he told the above parables, if they understood. They replied 'yes.' Jesus tells the disciples that the scribe instructed about the Kingdom of Heaven is like a home owner who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old. Scribes had knowledge of the law (teachers of the law) and could draft legal documents. Scribes were stuck in the old ways of the scrolls of scripture, but Jesus points out that a scribe in the Kingdom of Heaven brings out both the old and the new laws. This new kingdom is not a physical kingdom, but rather a spiritual kingdom. This was a new concept to be grasped by the Scribes and for people of today. We should find new ways to continually share God's law and gospel.
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Written December 10, 2025
(Matthew 13:20 ESV) As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy,
(Matthew 13:44 ESV) “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
I have already studied these two parables and shared my notes, which are here:
Matthew 13:17-23 The Parable of the Sower Explained
Matthew 13:44 The Parable of the Hidden Treasure
Please read to learn more about the parables on those pages before continuing to read this writing which is focusing on JOY in these two verses.
In the Parable of the Sower, the word JOY is found in the second sowing of seeds onto rocky ground.
Right away I see that STOOPID follows the JOY! It is rather STOOPID to lose one's faith because it gets started on a shallow heart. It is also STOOPID to throw out seeds of faith to where it is not taken to heart only to watch it wither away. I would feel so sad for the person having almost strong faith, but then lost. There is a pattern thus far in our studies where I see the JOY and STOOPID are always present, just like it seems they are in our lives today.
Seeds of faith are always a JOY when one first hears the Good News of God's Word and saving faith. I ponder what it feels like learning for the first time that faith is 100% a gift and that I have assurance of heaven. "Oh Wow," does not seem to cut it as a description. For me personally I was a bit in shock at how easy it is because the world always makes it sound so complicated. Believe and that's it, yep!
It is the kind of delight that bubbles up within and overflows onto others. It's contagious!
There is always the opportunity to pray for those whose journey starts rocky. There is always hope that one's heart will open wide so that God’s Word grows into something beautiful and abundant. I recall a song, "it only takes a spark, to get a fire going."
In the Parable of the Hidden Treasure, I enjoyed reading my notes again on how it can be interpreted two ways, with a focus on "me" and a focus on "God." Either way, the JOY in the verse is realizing that faith is a gift and realizing that I am God's greatest treasure.
It is the same kind of JOY in both parables. This New Testament JOY is different than the JOY we have studied in the Old Testament. This JOY is not just an emotion that we feel, but rather JOY given by the Holy Spirit. This JOY is lasting into eternity. That is, unless it falls on rocky soil and one turns from the faith as in the parable.
This JOY is the kind that we have to hold onto even when the STOOPID moments arise.
Please pray with me. Thanks be to You, God, for the gift of JOY in knowing that I will be with You for eternity some day. Make my faith bubble up and overflow to others so it is contagious. Amen.
Concordance G5479 chara: χαρά, Pronounced khar-ah' (khar-ah') Meaning joy, gladness, delight, greatly joyful, from the root word G5463 (χαίρω - rejoice); Found 59 times in the Greek New Testament.