📖 Biblical Definition
Christ's parable of the kingdom in Matthew 13:44: a man finds treasure hidden in a field, hides it again, sells everything he has, and buys the field. The parable describes the response of the soul that has discovered the kingdom: joyful divestment of all lesser possessions in exchange for the surpassing worth of Christ. The next parable (the pearl of great price, 13:45-46) makes the same point with a different image.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
HIDDEN TREAS, n.
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A scriptural parable of Christ; the kingdom likened to hidden treasure for which a man sells everything.
📖 Key Scripture
Matthew 13:44 — "The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field."
Matthew 13:45 — "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls."
Philippians 3:8 — "I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord."
Matthew 6:21 — "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Modern Christianity assumes salvation is free without cost; the gospel is free, but discipleship costs everything.
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Matthew 13:44 contains a paradox modern Christianity often softens. The kingdom is found unexpectedly — the man stumbles into the treasure — but the response is total: he sells all that he hath for the field. The transaction is not works-righteousness; the treasure was free to find. The transaction is post-conversion divestment: nothing else is worth keeping when Christ has been seen.
Modern Christianity often preaches a salvation that costs nothing — not just free, but uncostly. Bonhoeffer called this cheap grace. The gospel is indeed free; discipleship costs everything. Paul himself wrote of counting all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. Find the treasure. Sell the field. The exchange is the sweetest deal of your life.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Greek roots below.
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G2344 — thesauros — treasure
G2928 — krupto — to hide
Usage
"Modern Christianity assumes salvation is free without cost; the gospel is free, discipleship costs everything."
"Cheap grace is not the gospel; the man sold all he had."
"Find the treasure. Sell the field. The exchange is the sweetest deal of your life."