HIDING treasure was a very common occurrence in Palestine. It may seem to us a strange thing that anyone should take his valuables into a field or garden and bury them in order to secure them from robbers, for our notions of security are very different from those of the people in Eastern lands. But to this day the produce of the land in Palestine is often kept stored in the earth in a huge kind of jar, and such stores are hidden away by their owners in the field so that strangers cannot find them. There are various incidents given in the Old Testament referring to this custom—a custom, the traditions of which in relation to the discovery of the hidden treasure, is in the minds of all the inhabitants of Palestine to this day. Indeed, when persons from our own countries go to that land searching for remains of ancient cities, or monuments that might throw some light upon the past, the inhabitants believe they have come searching for hidden treasure, and most jealous are they lest such treasures should be discovered and carried away.
“Slay us not,” cried the ten men who escaped Ishmael’s cruelty, “for we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey,” and by the revelation of this secret they bought themselves safety. Achan, we know, hid his treasure in the earth in his tent; and in our Lord’s parable we have the slothful servant digging in the earth, and there hiding his lord’s money, (Matt. 25:18). He placed it where it would be quite secure.
“The field,” we should remember, signifies an uncultivated place rather than, as we use the word, a tended piece of land, and, therefore, in the Bible “the field” signifies a place where less notice would be attracted to it than one near a dwelling, and constantly under the hand of the owner. Such would be the hiding place where the treasure would be placed.
The Lord uses “the field” in His parables as a figure of the world, for, according to His own explanation, “the field is the world.” (Matt. 13:38).
In His parable He says, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field” (ver. 44)., and in these words the existence of a secret is presented to us. In the world there lies a secret treasure. This treasure is of surpassing value to the finder, the parable continues, for “the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.”
The finder, to begin with, hides the hidden treasure! He places it where he considers it will be perfectly secure from the eye of others; he wishes to obtain it for himself—to have it as his own portion. And having hidden it, the joy of the treasure he has found is such that it surpasses all his wealth. Then to obtain it, he sells all that he possesses, and buys the field for the sake of the treasure in it.
We cannot fail to recognize in the man Jesus Himself, who found in the world the treasure of His own people. From everlasting His delights were with the sons of men (Prov. 8:31), and “from ages and generations” the secret of what the treasure of the church of Christ is was hidden (Col. 1:1-26). It “was kept secret since the world began” (Rom. 16:25)— “hid in God” (Eph. 3:9).
The Lord had His eyes all those ages upon the treasure, and His heart rejoiced in the treasure He had found before He came to this earth to win it for Himself.
Such was His joy in His people, that to obtain them, to have them for Himself, He left His heavenly glories and became a man on this earth. He, as it were, sold all that He had; He surrendered heaven’s wealth, and took up poverty on earth, and at length gave up His very life and blood to purchase the field for Himself. For the joy that was set before Him He endured the cross, despising the shame (Heb. 12:2); and, having bought the world for Himself, He obtained the treasure of His people, who were in it, for His portion.
The world is His as Son of God, because He made it, but in a peculiar sense it is His as Son of Man by right of purchase. He can, therefore, do with it as He pleases. For the time He leaves it almost alone, for at this present hour His thoughts are on the treasure which is in it. His church is His joy. “Christ...loved the church, and gave Himself for it...that He might present it to Himself.” (Eph. 5:25, 27).
It is well for us to look both at the world and the church (we mean now by the “church” such as are really Christians) as Christ looks at both. It seldom comes into the thoughts of men that this world, with all its glory, and all its rebellion, is Christ’s by purchase! He is rejected and despised, but none the less does the world belong to Him. If God please that the Lord shall wait for public entry upon His rights as Son of Man, what shall we say? Jesus waits in patience for His kingdom and glory, and for the time being Satan, the god of this world, has the chief control over its nations and people. However, this will not continue, for presently Christ will come, and the usurper will be displaced.
In this period of Satan’s power Jesus is most graciously occupied with the treasure in the field—with the church. Such as are truly Christians are members of the church of Christ; they each go to form part of the whole, which is so precious in His eyes. Let UP, then, consider His joy in His treasure Let us admire the marvels of His love For why should He, before whom heaven bows and angels humble themselves, elect to find such value in poor sinners, whom He has saved and formed by His Spirit into His church? We can but wonder at His grace, and thank Him for His salvation.
The world is going on its course to the end foretold in the Bible. The church will be taken out of it before the hour of the world’s tribulation arises, and will be housed in heaven. The treasure that the church is to Christ, the world in its present state cannot know. Indeed, such language as we are now using would appear but folly to the world. For what does it understand of the glory and the wealth of Jesus, or of His love even to death for sinners? And what does it know of the future glory of the church of Christ, or of that day when He shall so display His own united in glory “that the world may believe” the Father “sent” Him to this earth!