The Parables Of Matthew 13 "a Hidden Treasure And Pearl Of Great Price"

In Jesus Holy Name July 26, 2020

Text: Matthew 13:44 Pentecost VIII - Redeemer

“The Parables of Matthew 13”

Hidden Treasure & A Pearl of Great Price

A pair of treasure hunters using their metal detectors, Adam Staples and Lisa Grace, made the discovery of a lifetime when they unearthed a hoard of ancient coins worth around $6 million in a field in Somerset, in the West of England. These two treasure hunters were walking through the countryside, waving their metal detector too and froe like those who walk our California beaches looking for lost coins.

The two treasure hunters unearthed 2,571 Anglo-Saxon and Norman coins in January when they were searching farmland with their trusty metal detectors. They reported their find to the authorities as required by UK law, and the coins were soon sent to the British Museum for evaluation. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/british-museum-treasure-coins-1636096

The British Museum has been assessing the find for the past seven months,

The owner of the land where the coins were found is entitled to half of the proceeds. Adam and Lisa are keeping the exact location of their discovery under wraps at the present time.

The Anglo-Saxon King Harold II was on the throne for just nine months before he died during the Battle of Hastings in 1066. These coins are particularly rare due to his short reign. I tried to update myself on the English history prior to the battle. What I discovered was shifting alliances, murders and intrigue as people tried to survive, just to maintain their property and lives. It is obvious that with the political turmoil these coins were buried by a wealthy English Earl who had supported King Harold, but not so sure of his future under a Norman King. It is obvious he never returned for his buried treasure.

When reading the Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price, I am reminded of walking along the beach, looking for Sea Glass. Many in our church camping group have visited this “glass beach”, near Fort Bragg. Glass beach gets its name from the smooth colorful glass pieces that have been tossed by the sea and bleached in the sun for decades. Usually one side of the glass is frost covered and the other shiny, the effect of sun, sand and waves.

The extremely rare red pieces, or “rubies” on the beach might come from perfume bottles, or even some types of beer bottles, like the ones made by Anchor Hocking for Schlitz Beer in the 1950’s.

Pinks, lavenders, purples, lime greens and other rare shades come from things like perfume bottles, and art glass. Some of the glass was originally clear but was changed by the magnesium or selenium minerals in the sand. Over time the sun causes the magnesium and selenium to oxidize, creating lavender and pink colors.

These are treasures everyone wants to see when visiting Northern California.

It is easy to imagine the excitement of the English Treasure hunters, who with their metal detectors found 6 million dollars’ worth of 11th century coins. Their excitement does not compare to the treasure Jesus speaks of, as He stands in a boat, pushed off a few yards from shore, along the Sea of Galilee.

Jesus was a great storyteller. He used parables that are filled with serious theology. “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.

In this short parable you can imagine a man walking with staff in hand. He is probably on pressing business in the city and decides to take a shortcut through a field. This was a courtesy allowed. As he is waking along, in a hurry, “thunk.” He trips, falls into the dirt.

He looks to see what he tripped over and sees the corner of a chest sticking up among the weeds. He begins to dig, getting more excited as each handful of dirt is pulled away from his find. Beneath the surface he finds a chest filled with gold coins issued in Rome 70 years earlier, a secret, he realizes, that died with a wealthy man, the previous landowner, much like the discovery of coins in England.

He buries the treasure deep and marks the spot and skipping to the city, he decides he will sell all he has and will buy the field.

This parable is like the man and woman walking here and there in a field with their metal detector. Not expecting to find something so precious, just hoping to get lucky. This parable is about people who are searching for spiritual truth, some assurance of eternal life. They have been searching here and there when they stumble upon Jesus and His message of grace and mercy. It is worth everything.