The Lord had told his disciples that the righteous should shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. This could not have been bad there been no rejection. All the righteous would have been established in the Messiah’s Kingdom on the earth. But the rejection and death of Jesus has had two consequences, (we do not say only two;) it necessarily brought judgment and vengeance upon the nation, it has also called into existence glories and positions of glory which otherwise could not have been. His own people having put it from them, the kingdom could not now he of this world.
The present heirs must have their position elsewhere; and according to the principles of divine grace, a better place than the one on earth is provided for them. When evil has come in and frustrated the grace of God, the blessing is never restored in precisely the same way. If God in His righteous government interferes to delay promised blessing, that which He gives in its stead always exceeds the first promise. The saint who has failed, when restored to communion with God, always enters into richer and fuller blessing, thus verifying the word that “where sin abounded grace did much more abound.” If Abraham, at the call of God, left his home to wander, he knew not whither, was it not to possess a land flowing with milk and honey? If Job, when tried, endured the loss of all he valued, was he not afterward abundantly recompensed? So here there were those who received the Messiah, but owing to the nation’s rejection, the kingdom could not be set up. And another and a better thing is provided, a higher place than the earthly kingdom. They shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Here is a reward outside the world, and whether the field be purged or not, their position in the kingdom of their Father would be unchanged.
This leads the Lord Jesus to show how they are viewed while yet in this world: His estimate of them. They are a treasure. They are in contrast with the field as a whole, which is not a treasure. Once part and parcel of it—children of wrath even as others—but now separated, though as in the body still in it. The old connection broken, and a new one subsisting between them and their Father, their place now is to witness to the grace that saved, and the power that keeps them, and to endure patiently and joyfully the hatred and persecution which necessarily follow. Accordingly it is with sole reference to the righteous that this parable is spoken.
I do not think that the “righteous” are confined to the church. It is the kingdom which is the prominent subject of this chapter, and all that are saved previous to the millennium, are included in the “righteous.” Of course, the church is among them with a peculiar position. But here as righteous, the saints before Pentecost and those after, are viewed under the same aspect-they are a treasure; and there is a common aspect of their future glory; they shall shine. as the sun. “The kingdom of the heavens 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.” But in this parable it is evident that the kingdom of the heavens presents a very different aspect from that of the previous similitudes. How is this? Because, while the tree and the leaven are but manifestations of the tares sown in the field (ver. 25), the treasure and the pearl represent the good seed. These are pictures of the real heirs of the kingdom; not of that nominal thing of the world, where although the true children of the kingdom are found, yet are they so hidden from view, that the only stamp given to the huge thing, is that of tares.
What a contrast! No power and dominion here. No putting forth of branches to form nests for the birds. Nothing here like affording protection and sheltering nations by its power. On the contrary, a treasure is that which demands and needs protection, a guard and keeper, that it may be secure from thieves. Nor is there anything like the energy of leaven permeating the mass. The prominent idea is the extreme desire of the man to possess the treasure he had discovered. The wondrous fact presented to us is not the value or greatness of those whom the Lord calls His treasure, but His love to it. This it is which most of all marks our portion in this world; let what may happen, we are the objects of His special love here below.
There are three things in this parable—The treasure hid in the field, the purchase of the field in order to possess the treasure, and the immense cost. It is the picture of a man who converts his property into ready cash, and spends the last farthing in buying the field. When we look at the reality under this similitude, how astounding it is. We know from the Lord’s explanation (v. 38), the field is the world, the material world, not the present order of things. as in v. 40 and 49; and the word here rendered field, is generally used for uncultivated, wild, and unproductive land. In this unpromising place a treasure is found. Jesus alone could discover it. Of course, we know that there could be no treasure here, any more than good ground in the first parable, without the Spirit of God first producing it. There is no question how it came there. It is simply a fact stated symbolically, that the Lord Jesus has a treasure in this world. If we turn to other scriptures, we learn that those who are now through wondrous grace a treasure, were in nothing different from the surrounding mass. “And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience; among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath even as others.” Nothing but grace has made us different from others, from what we were; and nothing but the preciousness of the sprinkled blood makes us a treasure. Yet, even to provide an atonement for us, is not enough for God. He will have us near Himself in this world, and accordingly His Holy Spirit is given to each to form us according to His will. And Christ’s work for us, and the Spirit’s work in us, are both necessary to make us what we are to Him. The Father loves and takes care of all. A sparrow falls not without His notice, even the lilies of the field are clothed by His care. The field at large partakes of His bounties; but the righteous alone are a treasure. I believe the church is specially, but not exclusively, in view, here. It is the kingdom including all the redeemed, not the peculiar privileges of the church as compared with other saints. The treasure is in contrast with the field; just as the wheat was with the tares. And if the field by and bye comes under the judgment of God, we know that no saint, whether of Old or New Testament times, will be judged. They all then must necessarily be of the treasure, and all are included in the name “righteous.”
“Hid in a field.” This gives no foundation whatever for the notion of an invisible church. It is the sin and shame of the church if it is invisible. There is not a word in scripture to show that God intended it. On the contrary, the proper position of the church is to be “the epistle of Christ, known and read of all men.” An invisible church is the invention of men to enable the professing church to shake hands with the world. In point of fact, there is a sad failure of testimony on our part, and just so far as it lacks vigor, so does the line of separation between the church and the world become indistinct. In one sense the church was hidden, for it was never revealed till about to be established. It was God’s purpose, but hid for ages in his unrevealed counsels. Now each saint is a light-bearer.
May it be our earnest care to have a clear bright light in the midst of the increasing darkness.
But this is a similitude of the kingdom as it now exists in mystery, and as a treasure it is hidden, it is not now manifested as such. That is, the condition of the righteous ones as forming the true kingdom here below, is one which does not show to men the reality and nature of it. That which man has made, is in some respects manifest enough. The idea of a great tree giving shelter to birds, or of three measures of meal completely leavened (I speak here of its developed presence, not of its hidden working), is quite inconsistent with secrecy. Neither could be a hidden thing. While that a treasure should be hidden, is just what we expect. And in fact, those who are now in the kingdom, are for the most part, the humble and poor, sometimes the persecuted and slain. That such are the representatives of the kingdom and a treasure to Christ, never occurs to the world. Men know that there are believers in Christ, and are shrewd enough to discern between a real believer and a mere professor, but that such should be a kingdom, such despised ones, is to them fanaticism and madness. Well, we do not wonder at it. The world walks by sight, and neither the royalty nor the glory are visible, and the heirs themselves appear much more like bond slaves than kings. It is only when He appears that we shall be displayed in all the glory His grace has conferred upon us. At present, the real character and destination of the “treasure” is hidden. The world only sees a poor, despised, and downtrodden company (I refer not to those—alas too many—who walk with this world and enjoy its good things, but to those who, in the midst of scorn, endeavor to keep aloof from the world and its vain show). Jesus says they are His treasure. We are in the kingdom that shall never be moved. And we are there, not as subjects, but as kings and priests. Truly, mysteries of the kingdom. Jesus is gathering now out of this world, those who shall be heirs, not subjects of the future kingdom. He is gathering kings and priests. We shall reign with Him. As kings and priests the world does not recognize us, indeed cannot. Is it a marvel that the world knows us not? We have not yet put on our royal robes. We are despised, and many of our company have been wanderers in sheep-skins and goat-skins, tormented, concealed in dens and caves. Nevertheless, in the midst of all this distress, what a testimony the Spirit of God bears of those who have thus suffered— “of whom the world was not worthy” (see Heb. 11:3838(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. (Hebrews 11:38)). The world having no hope beyond this life, says of us— “of all men most miserable” —Jesus says, My hidden treasure!
That which the tree sets forth, is the exceeding publicity of the external worldly thing. The vile, shameless harlot clothed in scarlet, sits upon the beast, and challenges the glory of the world. The treasure for which the field is bought, is hid. It was for its sake alone that the field was bought. He could have it in no other way.
(To be continued, D.V.)