SECTION 6: THE PARABLES OF THE KING
CHAPTER 30
THE HIDDEN TREASURE – THE PEARL – AND THE DRAGNET
OR
THE CONTINUED REJECTION OF jESUS
Scripture To Consider:
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys the field.”
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels but threw the bad away. So, it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13.44-50
Something To Consider:
The familiar parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price are sometimes taken to illustrate two different meanings, both of which may help to illustrate biblical truth. Some see these parables to illustrate how precious to the mind of Christ are His people and His church, for which He gave up the glories of heaven and laid down His own life. This teaching is quite in accord with other Scripture.
Others see these parables to illustrate that one who really understands the gospel message will be ready to make any possible sacrifice he or she may need to make to become an heir of the kingdom. Some including ourselves may have heard this gospel message when busied in our usual tasks in the field or in our home. Some including ourselves may even be like the merchant who was seeking goodly pearls.
Others of us may even be yearning for that which is highest and best, and if so, at last we find in the gospel of Christ the thing which satisfies our souls, and at the cost of all that we may have held dear. If that is our end of this earthy journey of life, some of us may even take Jesus as our Lord and accept His promise of eternal life.
Something Else To Consider:
The last parable of the seven, like the two parables which Jesus Himself interprets, seems to show clearly that good and evil will be found, at the very end of the age, even among those who have been reached with the gospel of Christ. The Word of the kingdom seems to be in its effect like a great dragnet, gathering fish of all kinds out of the sea of humanity, but as the age comes to a close there is at least a separation.
At that sobering moment, the angels come forth and sever the wicked from among the righteous. Thus, there are those who appreciate the Word of the kingdom and who submit to the King, but there are others, even nominal followers of Christ, for who there awaits only condemnation, judgment, and fiery punishment according to Jesus and several New Testament writers. Therefore, no wicked individual will escape the justice of Almighty God!
Something More To Consider:
Jesus is our great and exceeding reward spoken of by the Lord to Abraham in Genesis 15.1, when the Lord declared to Abraham, “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield, and your great exceeding reward.” Without doing damage to the Scripture, we could exchange for the word reward, the words treasure hidden in the field, or a pearl of great price. It is easy for true believers to see Jesus as both a pearl of great price and an exceeding great treasure like reward.
And yet, it becomes a little more difficult to think of Jesus as a dragnet cast into the sea of souls upon planet earth, of which many were and remain drowning in their own sinful nature. And even though a dragnet is primarily used to gather, the ultimate reason and understandable principle is that of division and separation in the end.
A Few Final Words:
Therefore, Jesus again drives home the end time logic and biblical conclusion of the separation of the righteous from the wicked. And the outcome for the unbelievers within earshot of Jesus was that they were offended and therefore rejected Jesus and the message He proclaimed. And so, Jesus did not many miracles there because of their unbelief.
Even today, when the gospel message of the separation of the righteous from the wicked is proclaimed, there is rejection of the messenger. The world, and even much of the so-called church, is often offended at the logic of Scripture as it relates to enduring to the end, bringing forth fruit worthy of repentance, and the command of Christ for true believers living holy lives worthy to escape the judgment of God.
But these are all biblical truths declared by the prophets, and repeated by the writers of the four gospels, the early church leaders, and Jesus Himself. The parables of the hidden treasure, the pearl of great price, and the dragnet, bring us a more true portrait of the scriptural Jesus.
In Closing:
Let us, therefore, understand fully and remain totally aware of the continued rejection of Jesus without our joining the ranks of the enemy forces, without stepping across that God established and divinely inspired battle line that the written and preserved Word of God has revealed in every generation! Let us be found standing firm on the Solid Rock of Christ Jesus, the written Word of God who came to us in the flesh, and was and remains full of grace and full of truth.
Let’s Pray:
Our Father in heaven, thank You for revealing through the Scriptures the truly beautiful and meaningful parables concerning the hidden treasure, the pearl of great price, and the dragnet. And yet, You refuse to hide from us the continued rejection of Jesus throughout the ages. Forgive us for our ever rejecting Jesus. May we be found in these end times looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. In Him Always, Amen!
According to Jesus 