The Greatest Treasure
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. —Matthew 13:44
For a long time, a medieval painting hung on a wall in a French woman’s kitchen. No one paid any particular attention to it, until an estate evaluation revealed that it was probably the first work by Italian artist Cimabue, who is considered the “father” of Western painting. “The Mocking of Christ” fetched more than US$25 million at an auction in October 2019. The buyer of the painting said: “It’s one of the most important Old Master discoveries in the last 15 years.”
We read of another great hidden treasure in Matthew 13:44–45. A man found it while surveying the field, and was so ecstatic that he sold everything he had to acquire this treasure. Jesus taught this parable to illustrate that the kingdom of God is like a treasure that is worth sacrificing whatever is necessary in order to be a part of it.
We are Christ’s treasure, too. Just like the man in the parable, Jesus gave up everything He had for us. He gave up His heavenly position and His very own life to seek and find the great treasure—which is you and me, the church, His precious bride (Philippians 2:6–8). To Christ, we are a treasure of great worth. Knowing this, may we renew our devotion to Jesus, treasuring Him in our hearts and living a life that pleases and honours Him.
About the author
Rev Hambali Leonardi is the pastor at the Church of the Ascension. He writes for our Spotlight Singapore webpage and has contributed articles offering biblical perspectives during the Covid-19 pandemic.