There is not a boy who has not dreamt of finding a treasure chest. In the parable the man finds treasure in a field that is not his. The usual interpretation is that the treasure is the Gospel, the field is the Word of God and the man is the sinner. In vs 38 of the same chapter the field is the world. It is obvious that this is not the right interpretation. Jesus is speaking to his disciples. The treasure is the nation of Israel.

1 – Israel is a treasure sovereignly chosen

See Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 19:6 & Psalm 135:4. God keeps saying that Israel is his treasure. The church is never called this in the Bible. The pearl is the church.

2 – Israel is a treasure sadly covered

The nation was under the boot of Rome at the time of Jesus. In Matthew 15:4 Jesus came to the lost sheep of Israel.

3 – Israel is a treasure sovereignly claimed

Jesus uncovered the treasure in the field and covered it up again to go and redeem the field. 1 Peter 1:18-19. Jesus is the coming back to this earth to redeem, to reclaim the treasure. He bought the field so that he could uncover the treasure. God is NOT finished with Israel. See Matthew 23:37-39 and Romans 11:25-29. God is coming back for his treasure! See Psalm 89:27-37. The Jews would be unfaithful, persecuted and scattered but not destroyed.

The king of Egypt could not destroy Israel, the gallows of Hamaan could not hang Israel, the nations cannot completely integrate Israel and the dictators like Hitler cannot annihilate Israel. God prophesied that he would bring Israel back. They were brought back in a day. When did you last have a conversation with an Amalekite? Israel is like a gulf stream flowing in the ocean of the world.

Israel is God’s treasure. You can no more destroy the Jews than you could remove God from his throne. Jeremiah 31:35-37. God will keep his word. He will come back for his peculiar treasure. Israel will recognise her Messiah. If God keeps his promises to Israel – and he does – how much more will he keep his promises to the church.

Categories: Matthew