The Kingdom of Heaven

Matthew 13:44

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

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The parable of the Hidden Treasure falls in the middle of a collection of parables in Matthew 13, all of them concerning the nature of God's kingdom and the nature of those who are its citizens. The following will be merely a brief list of characteristics of this kingdom, based on themes that are found in many of these parables.

(1) Hiddenness. We have already seen in Matthew 12 that there were many times in Jesus' healing ministry that he commanded people to keep secret the miracles that he performed. And, we have already discussed how this secretiveness was not driven by fear, but more by Jesus' character and timing. Here, we see yet another reason for the early secretiveness in Jesus' ministry: the very nature of the kingdom of heaven is that it is hidden from some.

This hiddenness has often been distorted into a gnostic kind of mysticism, in which God is completely unknowable except through some ecstatic experience. These parables do not lead in that direction. Rather, the parables are poetic ways of describing what has been "hidden since the foundation of the world" (13:35). This verse, and the Isaiah passage quoted in 13:14-15, make very clear that the kingdom's hiddenness is rooted in mankind's chosen rebellion. I am reminded of the paradox of Pharaoh's hardened heart in the Exodus story. It is true that God hardened his heart, but many verses in Exodus also describe Pharaoh as hardening his own heart. We see this in Romans 1 as well, where those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness are ultimately given over to their desires, in a sense abandoned by God. The hidden nature of God's kingdom is somewhat paradoxical, rooted in our own chosen sinfulness, but also perpetuated by God who justly withholds light and knowledge from those who have chosen self-rule in their own kingdoms.

(2) Progressive Growth and Value. We see in the parables of the Mustard Seed, the Hidden Treasure, and the Pearl of Great Price that God's kingdom is coming with progressive growth and is of greatest value. Briefly, the reason why God's kingdom is of greatest value and should be sought after with joy, is that it is the essentially the wise and good rulership of our heavenly Father. Indeed, every treasure and joy of this life should be considered second-rate rubbish in comparison to this kingdom, to this reality. While we enjoy the goodness of this earth and its reflection of the Creator's goodness, we also look forward to the coming kingdom and its superior peace and wholeness. Thy kingdom come, indeed.

(3) Reward and Punishment. The Parable of the Weeds is explained by Jesus in verses 36-43. We see that there are two very distinct groups of people from the perspective of the kingdom of heaven: the "children of the kingdom" (13:38) and the "causes of sin and all law-breakers" (13:41). In this parable, and in the parables of the Sower and the Net, we see that there will be a final separation between these two groups, the first being granted eternal favor in God's presence, the latter being "thrown into the fiery furnace" where there will be "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (13:42). The fact that this is part of Jesus' literal explanation makes clear that he is not making some figurative reference to blessings and curses in this life alone. The literal King of the literal kingdom is literally coming to earth to make a final separation and bring his children home.

I pray that we are given eyes to see our King at work in this life, consider the surpassing value of His rulership and wisdom, and tremble at the reality of the coming judgment, when everyone will be held accountable for whose kingdom they were submitting to, their own kingdom or the kingdom of King Jesus.