Are You Buying the Treasure?

«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.»

Christ drew his lessons from the customs of the people, and from facts with which they were familiar. They knew that when a man found a treasure, or knew that a certain field contained valuable stores, he invested all his property in buying the field. Christ used this fact to illustrate the value of the treasure of truth. In the days of Christ the people generally thought that to bury their treasures was to preserve them in safety, and many placed their gold in the bosom of the earth. At times the buried treasure was lost to its possessor by his sudden death, and the secret of his hidden wealth was locked up from his relatives and friends with its possessor in his grave. Afterward, when the land was worked, the treasure was discovered. Sometimes the gold was brought to light by some one who was not related to its possessor, and the secret of the hidden treasure was not disclosed until the man had made arrangements to buy the field for himself. This fact is taken to illustrate the value of the kingdom of heaven, and how those who appreciate its value are willing to dispense with all in order to obtain it.

Without the kingdom of God we are lost, we have no knowledge of God, and are without hope in the world; but salvation has been provided for us through faith in Jesus Christ. He is the treasure, and when the rubbish of the world is swept away, we are enabled to discern his infinite value. He says, «I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.» The divinity of Christ was as a hidden treasure. At times when he was upon earth, divinity flashed through humanity, and his true character was revealed. The God of heaven testified to his oneness with his Son. At his baptism the heavens were opened, and the glory of God in the similitude of a dove like burnished gold hovered over the Saviour, and a voice came from heaven, saying, «This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.» But the nation to whom Christ came, though professing to be the peculiar people of God, did not recognize the heavenly treasure in the person of Jesus Christ. They had had light upon light, evidence upon evidence. «God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles.» «What shall we say then? that the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the Law. For they stumbled at that stumbling-stone; as it is written. Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone and rock of offense; and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.» «Esais is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.»

Jesus Christ, the Majesty of heaven, was not discerned in the disguise of humanity. He was the divine teacher sent from God, the glorious treasure given to humanity. He was fairer than the sons of men, but his matchless glory was hidden under a cover of poverty and suffering. He veiled his glory in order that divinity might touch humanity, and the treasure of immense value was not discerned by the human race; «but as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.» The man who finds Christ, the man who beholds the treasure of salvation, has found the field and the hidden treasure. «The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. . . . And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.» The treasure indeed is hidden under the garb of humanity. Christ is the unsearchable riches, and he who finds Christ, finds heaven. The human agent who looks upon Jesus, who dwells by faith on his matchless charms, finds the eternal treasure. In the parable he who finds the treasure is represented as so well satisfied with his discovery that he sells all that he has to purchase that field. Mrs. E. G. White. ( To be concluded .) —

Christ does not use this parable to commend the man who hides the treasure until he can buy the field; but his object in using this illustration is to convey to our mind the value of spiritual things. To obtain worldly treasure, the man would make a sacrifice of his all; and how much more should we give for the priceless, heavenly treasure! He said again: «The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant-man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.» This goodly pearl represents the priceless treasure of Christ, as does the gold hid in the field. In Christ we have everything that is needful for us in this life, and that which will make up the joy of the world to come. All the money in the world will not buy the gift of peace and rest and love. These gifts are provided for us through faith in Christ. We cannot purchase these gifts from God; we have nothing with which to buy them. We are the property of God; for mind, soul, and body have been purchased by the ransom of the life of the Son of God. Then how can we buy the Son of God as our treasure? Jesus says: «I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.» Then what is it to buy the eternal treasure?—It is simply to give back to Jesus his own, to receive him into the heart by faith. It is cooperation with God; it is bearing the yoke with Christ; it is lifting his burdens. For our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich. The Lord Jesus laid aside his royal crown, he left his high command, he clothed his divinity with humanity, in order that through humanity he might uplift the human race. He so appreciated the possibility of the human race that he became man’s substitute and surety. He places upon man his own merit, and thus elevates him in the scale of moral value with God. Christ is the atoning sacrifice. He left the glory of heaven, he parted with his riches, he laid aside his honor, not in order to create love and interest for man in the heart of God, but to be an exponent of the love that existed in the heart of the Father. He came into the world to make man accept the fact that although man had sinned against God, «God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.» Jesus paid the price of all his riches, he assumed humanity, he condescended to a life of poverty and humiliation, in order that he might seek and save that which was lost.

Through the grace of Christ, we may be strengthened and matured, so that though now imperfect, we may become complete in him. We have mortgaged ourselves to Satan, but Christ came to ransom and redeem us. We cannot purchase anything from God. It is only by grace, the free gift of God in Christ, that we are saved.

In the parable of the treasure in the field, the man who found it went and hid it until he was enabled to purchase it; but in finding Christ, we have nothing to hide. In our great joy we desire to reveal the hidden treasure to others. We are eager to impart the possession, and put forth heartfelt, earnest effort so to represent the treasure to others that they may value it as we value it. Like the man who sold his all, we estimate nothing too dear to be sacrificed for the possession of the heavenly treasure. Those who find Christ find salvation, and they are not ashamed to have any one understand what a high estimate they place upon him who is their salvation, righteousness, sanctification, redemption, and exceeding great reward. They desire that all shall see and appreciate the treasure which they have found. They desire that every one shall open the heart so that the healing beams of the Sun of righteousness may shine into the chambers of heart and mind, and that others may have the light of life. It is impossible to hide the bright hope that comes to the soul who lays hold of Christ by faith. When Jesus went through the cities and villages of Palestine, it is written that he «could not be hid.» Let the precious Saviour come into the heart, and his presence cannot be concealed. The heart will be full of hope, comfort, and love, and a divine light will illuminate the countenance.

Christ says to you, «My son, give me thine heart.» And in exchange for your heart, he says, «A new heart also will I give thee.» Will you accept the heavenly treasure on Christ’s terms? Those who make the treasure their own by faith, are the only ones who can be benefited by it. We are to appropriate Christ by accepting the truth of his word. Are we doing it? Mrs. E. G. White. —