The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and Valuable Pearl are found in Matthew 13:44-46. The parable of the hidden treasure is interpreted as illustrating the great value of the Kingdom of Heaven, and has a similar theme to the parable of the valuable pearl. These parables are only three sentences long, but packed with meaning.

Hidden Treasure: The treasure was hidden, meaning it needed to be sought after. It was out of plain sight, so it couldn’t be stumbled upon and wouldn’t be found without looking. It’s the same for God. God is ever-present in our lives, but unless we’re looking for Him, we would never realize He is there. He asks us to Seek Him, meaning He expects us to go in search of Him. He hides in plain sight and when we open our eyes and seek Him, we find Him near. In this parable, once the man found the treasure, he immediately knew the value and was filled with joy. In the same way, when we find God by seeking Him, we recognize the value of God’s awesomeness immediately. There is no joy that compares to the magnitude of knowing God and being welcomed into his kingdom.  As soon as the man discovered the treasure, he realized its value was worth more than anything else. The joy it brought him was immense. So too, is the kingdom of God. The man sold everything he had to buy the field.  In the same way, when we seek God, we realize that there’s no earthly riches that are worth our place in His kingdom. When we find our place with God, we gladly sacrifice anything we have, even life, to secure our place with Him for eternity.

When we seek Jesus, He asks us to give everything to Him and when we choose Jesus, we choose His will over our own, giving everything over to Him. He gives His grace, love, and forgiveness to us freely, although the cost of following Him may be high. God’s Kingdom is a hidden treasure. When we seek and follow Him, He reveals Himself to us and the wonder of eternal life exceeds any earthly value and is worth everything we have. Eternal life requires believers to give up our own wishes and desires, but the benefits outweigh anything we can imagine.