The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field - Θησαυρω κεκρυμμενω, to a hidden treasure. We are not to imagine that the treasure here mentioned, and to which the Gospel salvation is likened, means a pot or chest of money hidden in the field, but rather a gold or silver mine, which he who found out could not get at, or work, without turning up the field, and for this purpose he bought it. Mr. Wakefield's observation is very just: "There is no sense in the purchase of a field for a pot of money, which he might have carried away with him very readily, and as honestly, too, as by overreaching the owner by an unjust purchase."

He hideth - i.e. he kept secret, told the discovery to no person, till he had bought the field. From this view of the subject, the translation of this verse, given above, will appear proper - a hidden treasure, when applied to a rich mine, is more proper than a treasure hid, which applies better to a pot of money deposited there, which I suppose was our translators' opinion; and kept secret, or concealed, will apply better to the subject of his discovery till he made the purchase, than hideth, for which there could be no occasion, when the pot was already hidden, and the place known only to himself.

Our Lord's meaning seems to be this: - The kingdom of heaven - the salvation provided by the Gospel - is like a treasure - something of inestimable worth - hidden in a field; it is a rich mine, the veins of which run in all directions in the sacred Scriptures; therefore, the field must be dug up, the records of salvation diligently and carefully turned over, and searched. Which, when a man hath found - when a sinner is convinced that the promise of life eternal is to him, he kept secret - pondered the matter deeply in his heart; he examines the preciousness of the treasure, and counts the cost of purchase; for joy thereof - finding that this salvation is just what his needy soul requires, and what will make him presently and eternally happy, went and sold all that he had - renounces his sins, abandons his evil companions, and relinquishes all hope of salvation through his own righteousness; and purchased that field - not merely bought the book for the sake of the salvation it described, but, by the blood of the covenant, buys gold tried in the fire, white raiment, etc.; in a word, pardon and purity, which he receives from God for the sake of Jesus. We should consider the salvation of God,

1. As our only treasure, and value it above all the riches in the world.

2. Search for it in the Scriptures, till we fully understand its worth and excellence.

3. Deeply ponder it in the secret of our souls.

4. Part with all we have in order to get it.

5. Place our whole joy and felicity in it; and

6. Be always convinced that it must be bought, and that no price is accepted for it but the blood of the covenant; the sufferings and death of our only Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

like.

Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Proverbs 2:2-5 So that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding...

Proverbs 16:16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!

Proverbs 17:16 Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he has no heart to it?

Proverbs 18:1 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeks and intermeddles with all wisdom.

John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to me shall never hunger; and he that believes on me shall never thirst.

Romans 15:4 For whatever things were written aforetime were written for our learning...

1 Corinthians 2:9,10 But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man...

Colossians 2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Colossians 3:3,4,16 For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God...

for joy.

Matthew 19:21,27,29 Jesus said to him, If you will be perfect, go and sell that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven...

Luke 14:33 So likewise, whoever he be of you that forsakes not all that he has, he cannot be my disciple.

Luke 18:23,24 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich...

Luke 19:6-8 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully...

Acts 2:44-47 And all that believed were together, and had all things common...

Acts 4:32-35 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul...

Philippians 3:7-9 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ...

Hebrews 10:34 For you had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods...

Hebrews 11:24-26 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter...

buyeth.

Proverbs 23:23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

Isaiah 55:1 Ho, every one that thirsts, come you to the waters, and he that has no money; come you, buy, and eat...

Revelation 3:18 I counsel you to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, that you may be clothed...

Ears and no Ears
'Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.--MATT. xiii. 8. This saying was frequently on our Lord's lips, and that in very various connections. He sometimes, as in the instance before us, appended it to teaching which, from its parabolic form, required attention to disentangle the spiritual truth implied. He sometimes used it to commend some strange, new revolutionary teaching to men's investigation--as, for instance, after that great declaration of the nullity of ceremonial worship, how that nothing …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Parable of the Tares, by Bishop Latimer, Preached on the 7Th of February, 1553.
MATTHEW XIII.--The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way, &c. This is a parable or similitude wherein our Saviour compared the kingdom of God, that is, the preaching of his word, wherein consisteth the salvation of mankind, unto a husbandman who sowed good seed in his field. But before we come unto the matter, you shall first learn to understand what this word parable, which …
John Knox—The Pulpit Of The Reformation, Nos. 1, 2 and 3.

A Man Reaps More than He Sows.
A MAN REAPS MORE THAN HE SOWS. "But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold."--Matt. xiii: 8. If I sow a bushel, I expect to reap ten or twenty bushels. I can sow in one day what will take ten men to reap. The Spaniards have this proverb: "Sow a thought and reap an act. Sow an act, and reap a habit. Sow a habit, and reap a character. Sow a character and reap a destiny." And it takes a longer time to reap than to sow. I have heard …
Dwight L. Moody—Sowing and Reaping