A small group of Jewish rabbis reading the Scripture we call the New Testament came to the conclusion that Jesus was the Messiah the prophets of old had predicted would come. Studying the teachings of the Rabbi from Nazareth through scholarly Jewish eyes, they noticed truths that sometimes may escape us. For example, the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price were given interpretations quite different from what we usually consider. These rabbis explained it something like this: “God has called His people, Israel, His treasure. ‘For the Lord has chosen Jacob to be his own, Israel to be his treasured possession.’ (Psalm 135:4) Also, a pearl does not hold the value to the traditional Jew that it holds for the Gentile. The pearl comes from a creature Moses declared unclean in the Old Testament. (Leviticus 11:9-12) So this is what Jesus meant in these parables: Jehovah God saw a treasure so valuable that He gave what was most precious to Him to purchase His chosen people, Israel. And God saw another treasure, not highly valued by many Jews, so lovely that He gave up everything He had to possess it. The parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price speak of God’s incredible love for Jews and Gentiles. He loved us all so much He gave His only Son to purchase souls of enormous value.”
Paul often prayed that believers would know God better. He reasoned that if a person could know how wide and deep and high and long His love, he would be changed. Does a King really love me so much that He gave His own life to purchase my pardon? Paul believed that if anyone grasped this reality he would be truly converted from selfish pursuits to a life of offering self as a living sacrifice to the One who deserves all glory.
Our usual interpretations of the parable of the hidden treasure and the parable of the pearl of great price become valid as we see Jesus as He really is. He really is the King. He really is a Mighty Warrior. He really is Master and Teacher. He really is the Savior who gave Himself for me. And He calls me friend. He tells me that He chose me long before I chose Him. Why would I ever pursue anything less valuable than Christ when He is the Treasure above all else? I should be willing to give up everything for this One.
A young lady from India shared with our seniors this week about her conversion from a traditional Muslim background to Christianity. Her talk was no lecture about world religions. She shared about the Savior who spoke to her heart when she was in the tenth grade, saying, “Put your faith in Me.” Though it was several years later that she said ‘yes,’ she knew that Jesus had revealed Himself to her as the true Christ. Though she could be killed in her village today for leaving the religion of her family, she longs to worship and follow her Savior wherever He leads. “If someone offered me millions of dollars in exchange for my Lord, I would refuse. I will never give up what is most precious to me.”
In the days of Paul, if someone said, “I have become a Christian. I have turned from my sin and put my faith in Christ, but I’m not sure I would call Jesus my most valued Treasure,” the apostle might have answered: “I’m going to pray that the eyes of your heart will be enlightened. I’m going to pray that you see what you’ve been given. I’m going to pray the deceit of this world’s mixed up values are exposed so you can see Jesus clearly. I’m going to pray that you’ll understand why I’ve given up everything to follow my Lord and that we will all experience His full joy.”
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” Ephesians 1:17-19
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Mathew 13:44-45