tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19532009.post2148258415203672440..comments2023-05-02T09:50:43.941-05:00Comments on Reformed Baptist Blog: Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13:44-46 Teaching Outline)Keith Throophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08112617983370327521noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19532009.post-24689919533190044002017-05-20T11:01:44.705-05:002017-05-20T11:01:44.705-05:00Hello Brian! Thank you for reading the blog and fo...Hello Brian! Thank you for reading the blog and for posting your question. My answer is that there is no reason to believe that Jesus always intends to use figurative language in the same way, to refer to the same thing. For example, earlier in this passage Jesus says that "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened" (Matt. 13:33 NKJ). Here leaven clearly represents a <i>good</i> thing. Yet later Jesus can say to the disciples, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees" (Matt. 16:6 NKJ), which He then goes on to explain as referring to the bad doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees (vss. 11-12). In this case, then, leaven clearly represent an <i>evil</i> thing. Thus our Lord Jesus could vary his use of metaphorical or symbolic language to make very different points. I would suggest to you that this is what is happening when Jesus refers to a "field" in two different parables. He is not intending that we understand the field as referring to the same thing in these different parables. In fact, whereas He intends the field to have symbolic meaning in the Parable of the wheat and the Tares (given that He expressly says as much), He doesn't attach any symbolic significance at all the the field in the Parable of the Hidden Treasure. So, we must be careful to allow each parable to stand on its own and not confuse the language that Jesus is using in different ways to make different points. I hope you find this answer helpful. Please fell free to ask any other questions you may have.Keith Throophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08112617983370327521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19532009.post-55909891969508616722017-05-20T09:18:36.309-05:002017-05-20T09:18:36.309-05:00Hi Keith, I have been studying this parable off an...Hi Keith, I have been studying this parable off and on for awhile and one thing I can't seem to understand, if Jesus is the treasure, how do we reconcile 13:38 where it describes the field as the world. Wouldn't that then mean we, man, would be buying the world?Brian C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10392395126259185662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19532009.post-91481820978424114412013-12-26T08:59:12.538-06:002013-12-26T08:59:12.538-06:00Thanks for the encouragement, brother. I am glad y...Thanks for the encouragement, brother. I am glad you found the teaching notes helpful.Keith Throophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08112617983370327521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19532009.post-8856646611818509082013-12-26T06:12:50.961-06:002013-12-26T06:12:50.961-06:00Great exposition. Thanks for sharing. This was ver...Great exposition. Thanks for sharing. This was very helpful.Phil Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02752045605704569789noreply@blogger.com