Scripture: Matthew 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like a [very precious] treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again; then in his joy he goes and sells all he has and buys that field [securing the treasure for himself]". (Amplified)

1. Introduction.
This parable is very short and Jesus told it only to his disciples in a house after the multitude left. Jesus does not give a direct or detailed explanation of this parable. Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a treasure found hidden in a field. The man who finds the treasure leaves it there, sells everything he has, and buys the field in order to get the treasure it contains. Jesus told this parable to illustrate that discovering the Kingdom of Heaven is like finding a priceless treasure, which should be pursued and valued above all else. The theme of this parable appears to be the "preciousness and value of the kingdom".

2. Summary of the Parable.
a. A man discovers a treasure in a field.
b. The man was full of joy with his discovery.
c. The man covers the treasure up, and goes home.
d. He sold all that he had and bought the field
e. He knew that the price he would get for the treasure exceeds the value of his home.
f. He would be greatly rewarded for the investment.

3. Key Symbols in this parable
a. The Kingdom of Heaven - This kingdom represents the place where God rules and He alone reigns in the kingdom of heaven. And His kingdom is both a present reality and a future expectation. The kingdom exists in the hearts of everyone who worships Christ as Lord. Now the kingdom lives within us.
b. The treasure - Treasure comes from the Greek word "th?sauros". Originally it meant a collection of important or precious things. It is something precious and of great value.
c. A man - The man is a believer who is seeking to know more of Jesus and the Word of God.
d. A field - The Greek word "agros" means land or country. Jesus defined the "field" as "the world" (Matthew 13:38).

4. Meaning of the Parable of Hidden Treasure. When we look closely to the text again (Matthew 13:44) Jesus said that the kingdom is like a treasure. Many of us stop here but there is much more to it. The treasure is hidden in a field. Somebody discover it and hides it again. The complete story is important. There are five parts to the story.

a. Finding a Hidden Treasure. At the beginning the treasure was already hidden. That tells us something about the kingdom. The value of the kingdom is not obvious to people at first, so it is hidden. They hear about God (Jesus) but they do not realize how important, how essential and how necessary God is in their lives. So they can continue for years with their normal life without wanting to know him better.

b. Man Hide the Treasure again. A person finds the hidden treasure and hides it again. Was this ethical? He was on a property which he does not own. It did not belong to him. In this story it seems that the owner was not around to claim it. We do not have the details. He could just have taken it without hiding it. The main thing is: He found it. But it seems this person was honest and wanted to buy the field with the treasure without others to know of it. The point is that he found it. He found something so valuable that he was prepared to sell everything in order to gain it for himself. The parable is a simple story and does not focus on the legalities involved.

c. The Joy of Discovery. Jesus said that a man found the treasure. The man hides it and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought the field. Joy is an important part of the story. He joyfully sold everything because he is glad to do it to obtain the treasure. He knows what he has in value when it belongs to him. Only when the believer wants to know more and start searching for God and his Word he makes this discovery of the hidden treasure of God. He found so many things which is so valuable.

d. Total Commitment - (He sold all he had) Please note he sells ALL and buy the field. This has nothing to do with salvation or buying your way into the kingdom. You cannot buy salvation. It is a free gift of God's grace. The focus is on the treasure which is so valuable that it is worth every thing to obtain. It is worth everything you have to follow Jesus.

e. Taking Possession. He sold everything he had in order to buy the field. His aim was to take possession of the field then he will have the treasure to. He will be the owner of it.

5. Lessons for us in the Parable of the Hidden Treasure.
a. Seeking the Kingdom. The treasure in this parable was hidden, requiring active seeking to uncover it. Similarly, Christians are encouraged to actively seek God, who is ever-present but not always immediately apparent.

b. Value of the Kingdom. Upon discovering the treasure, the man recognized its immense value. This teaches that the Kingdom of Heaven is more valuable than any earthly possession.

c. Sacrifice for the Kingdom. The man sold all he had to buy the field with the treasure. This signifies that Christians should be willing to give up everything for the sake of God's Kingdom, which is more valuable than anything imaginable.

d. Joy in Discovery. The man's joy upon finding the hidden treasure reflects the joy Christians experience when they discover the immense value of a life with God. This happens when you want to know Him better and start to seek and search the written Word of God. Then you will discover the treasure and richness which is in Him. Until you make a relationship with God your sole focus, you will not experience this everlasting joy.

e. Grace Comes Free. Another key lesson from this parable is that while the man sold everything he had to pay for the field, the treasure itself was a free addition. This parallels the Christian belief that God's grace, love, and forgiveness are freely given; however following Jesus in the way He commands us does require personal sacrifices.

6. Summary of the Parable of the Hidden Treasure. This parable means that the Kingdom of Heaven is of such immense value that one should be willing to give up everything else to obtain it. This means it is so valuable that it is worth sacrificing everything to get it. Jesus told this metaphor to emphasize the joy and worth of discovering the Kingdom, similar to finding a treasure and the commitment required to fully embrace it. To actively seek a relationship with God and the value of being part of His Kingdom is beyond measure. Christians should sacrifice everything to achieve it. Joy comes from the discovery and God's grace comes free to all who are willing to receive it.