Culver Community Church
Pastor Chris Sweeney
Sermon Notes
May 6, 2018
Matthew 13:44-52 Kingdom Parables – Treasure, Peal & Net
These final three parables are given to the disciples alone, not among the crowds. Once again, these are difficult to interpret but we will take our time and I believe be encouraged and enriched by them. Often, preachers and commentators will pair together the first two parables and leave the third to stand on its own – however, I strongly believe we must look at all three together. In them, Jesus will give illustrations of the three components of the Kingdom of God. The previous parables have been focusing on the “Mystery Kingdom” or the church age but now, we have a complete overview of the three groups that will be gathered in to form the complete Kingdom.
{vs. 44} Some have raised a question about the ethics or morals in this story. When viewed from a modern mindset it seems that the man is doing something underhanded, hiding a treasure only to come back for it later or maybe he is trying to trick the owner of the field out of the wealth. However, in order to understand, we have to put on our first-century-mindset. In Jesus’ day, there were no banks as we know them – they had bankers but only for loans and investments – not for security (savings or checking accounts). Any money given to the bankers would be tied up for some time. A person of means who wanted to keep his assets ‘liquid’ would most likely convert it to jewels or something easy to hide so that it could be buried under a well-chosen place in their house or fields. As common as this was, it was equally common for someone to be a victim of war, to be incarcerated or even to die before coming back for or sharing the location of his treasure. The man who has found treasure, decides to do what he can to stake his claim. Instead of taking it, which he could do because the rabbis taught a sort of finder’s keepers rule – he replaces it. Then he sells all that he has (not using the treasure) in order to try to buy the field. If the treasure belonged to the field’s owner, then he either wouldn’t sell, or would retrieve the treasure before selling. The field owner (who would have had an equal claim, if He knew the treasure was there) actually proves it is not his, by selling the man the field. In this story, he is being as fair (just) as possible.
Now there are two common interpretations (right & wrong!) In both the field is the world as in previous parables, but that is the only thing they have in common. The first and more common, has Jesus as the treasure and the man is the person who seeks God, selling everything to gain salvation. You should be able to see the problem by now – is there any way that we can purchase God’s salvation? (No!) That was what the Jews thought the Law was all about – earning our own way to God. “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.” (Romans 3:20 NIV)
There is only one person in all of scripture who was instructed to sell all that he possessed, the “rich young ruler” who Jesus sought to free from the possessions that kept him from following Jesus (Matthew 19:16-30; Mark 10:17=31 & Luke 18:18–30)! After all, what do we have that did not come from God? There is no way that even the very best of us could every buy God’s favor, even if they sold all that they had. No, Salvation is the free gift of God – His unmerited favor. In addition to that, we don’t find Jesus – He finds us! (Psalm 14:2-3) The second interpretation, acknowledges that it is Jesus who seeks. “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10) The only reason that we can seek God is because He first called us - “We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19 (NIV). This proper interpretation sees Jesus as the man who finds the treasure and that treasure is Israel. God has often called Israel His treasure (Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 7:6; Psalm 135:4; Malachi 3:17). We know that Jesus had to buy the field (the world) back, because God entrusted it to Adam and Eve and the serpent swindled them! Satan declared this truth when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness and Jesus did not correct it (Luke 4:5-6). It is Jesus who ‘sold’ all that He had – giving up His place in Heaven, setting aside His privilege and glory to come and die on the cross – paying the price for the treasure He loves so dearly! He is our Kinsman Redeemer – just like Boaz who bought the field just to get His bride (Ruth)! Notice that Jesus doesn’t want the field, He want’s the treasure! That is true of Israel and believers – Jesus is not interested in the physical world or even our physical bodies – He desires the intangible, the spirit and soul that resides within. God created all that is from nothing; if that was all He wanted, He could make more! He doesn’t need another world – He wants a yielded, humble heart! These worldly things that we put so much value on are only support structures and backdrops for the real play – the greatest of treasures! John chapter 6 & 10 tell us that the Father, God almighty (who literally has everything) choose to give believers to the Son, who will guard them (not losing even one!).
In this we see a very special and tender love for God’s chosen people, but we also get a taste for the love Christ has for His church. Which leads us to parable number two -
{vs. 45-46} I think the most interesting things about this parable is that the Jews did not value pearls, although some traded them because the Gentiles prized them. This second parable is nearly identical to the first – but the treasure has changed. In this story we see the merchant – the man (Christ) seeking pearls. Notice, although he seeks pearls, there is only one to be found. The pearl represents the Church, Christ’s bride (again, not salvation)! The pearl is unique among all the jewels – it is one whole, not to be cut or shaped. It is born out of irritation (sin) which is covered over, creating something pure and spotless. This is what Jesus has done for us – He came and sold everything (the same price paid for the treasure, Israel). It is also interesting that upon finding this great value (prize), He stops looking! Praise God that Jesus is not out there looking to upgrade His Bride! He has found us and made us into one inseparable body that is washed, cleansed and prepared for Him!
This third and last of our parables is slightly different, but it does go together with the other two because it also describes who will be in the Kingdom. First, we saw Israel, buried and protected until the time that He comes to collect her. Second, we see the Church of Christ purchased and made holy for the great wedding feast. And now, we see the Parable of the Net.
{vs. 47-50} This third parable shows a mixed group – both good and wicked. Here we see the end of the age, when Christ will collect and sort out the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:31-46). God sends His angels to harvest the Earth, all men will be collected and sorted – some to eternal life and others to judgement. This will be the last group added to the Kingdom, after the church is raptured and after all Israel has been saved – everyone that remains will be caught in God’s dragnet!
This is not the group that you want to be in! This is the group that goes through the tribulation and actually tastes of God’s wrath. For the most part, those on the Earth in this time have pledged their allegiance to the Devil (antichrist) but some will be saved! Christ will have His witnesses, and those who will receive, will also come into the Kingdom.
{vs. 51} So Jesus gives the boys (disciples) a chance to ask any questions. “Do you understand?” – and they stop fidgeting, look up at Jesus and say “Uh, yup, uh-huh”. In that one moment, we lost the opportunity to have Jesus do the work for us. There are times when God specifically wants us to work things out (with Him, never by ourselves) but other times He opens a window for us to ask. Only the first and second parables were explained by Jesus, not because He didn’t want us to understand but because He was not asked! God will always give us all that we need and today, the Holy Spirit “teaches us about all things” (1 John 2:27) but wouldn’t it have been great to have Jesus exegete this? I have done my best by God’s Spirit, but it is a crying shame that we could have had more, but for the asking. Have you learned this in your life? – God may be waiting to give you more (often more than you could imagine) but “you have not because you ask not” (James 4:2)!
{vs. 52} Jesus wraps up the lesson by telling them that every good teacher/student of God’s Word (scribe – but in a good way not “the scribes”) will have two sources of wisdom. There is the knowledge stored up in the Law and the Prophets (Old Testament), and the new wisdom given by Jesus, Himself (found in the New testament). Don’t neglect either one! As believers we have a tendency to keep our feet in the New Testament end of the pool – but it is all one glorious revelation of God’s love. We must have a balanced diet! Everything in the New, stands upon the Old and all of it is “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).