Knowing The Word in Matthew 13:44

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure

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. [Valuables were often hidden in the ground in a vessel. This depicts a man who is probably a day laborer who finds a treasure and then gives everything up for it. The point of the parable is the whole-hearted response and joy in finding the kingdom and realizing it is more valuable than anything else.]

Parables: [A parable is a form of speech, either a story or saying, used to illustrate a point the speaker is trying to make. Parables may be divided in three classes: true parables, story parables, and illustrations. The true parable is an illustration taken from daily life, and its teaching is universally acknowledged. Examples of true parables are a sheep separated from the flock and a coin lost in a home. Story parables refer to a particular event that took place in the past and centers on one person in particular. Examples include the shrewd manager who redeemed himself after wasting his master’s possessions and the judge who eventually administered justice in response to the persistent widow. Illustrations are stories that project an example to be imitated such as the good Samaritan that ends with Jesus saying, “Go and do likewise.” Jesus’ parables are not allegories. Instead, they employ metaphors and similes, but are never removed from reality and never convey fictitious ideas. They are stories taken from the world in which Jesus lived and are told for the purpose of relating a spiritual truth. (Taken from the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology)]