Having considered the first four of the little group of seven parables recorded in the 13th chapter of Matthew we move on to the fifth.

THE PARABLE OF THE HIDDEN TREASURE

“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 that field.” (Matt 13:44)

“Let us see if we can discover its chronological fulfillment.

Before we begin it should be noted that Brother Russell in R4535 refers to this and the succeeding parable from another standpoint. He is there discussing the Ransom and the Sin-offering. The point of his discussion is that the securing of the Ransom-price is to be distinguished from its application. This point, he observes, is illustrated in the two parables. In both parables, the man had first to “sell all that he had” to secure the price. Only after he had done so, could he apply the price (to the purchase of the hidden treasure in the one parable or the pearl in the other). His discussion was not concerned with the chronological fulfillment of these parables, as we are here considering.

Following the rise of Romanism and the Antichrist (Papacy), came that period which, by common consent, is known as the Dark Ages. It was the fifth stage in the history of the Church, ending just before the great Protestant Reformation, and seems to be represented in the Sardis epoch.

To the Church at Sardis the Revelator was instructed to write: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” (Rev. 3:1) There is, perhaps, no worse condition for a church to get into, than is here described. This Church is represented as “dead“-that is, simply professing the name (Christian) but exerting no measure of influence whatever, either in the lives of its members or in that of proclaiming the Gospel to others. The great majority of the Church had a form of godliness, but denied its power; they had a name that they lived, but as a matter of fact they were dead — spiritually.

Nevertheless, even in Sardis, there were a few names that had not defiled their garments, and these the Lord had not failed to notice. But the combined influence of these few was not sufficient to recover the church from its apostate condition. All that these few could do was to comply with the Master’s exhortation: “Be watchful, and strengthen the things that remain.” (Rev. 3:2) And this they did-in the confidence that if they continued faithful to the end, the Lord would confess their names before his Father. Living in the midst of a cold and spiritually dead generation, they nevertheless remained true to the One who had died for them. And they did this regardless of consequences. And, in return, his promise was that he would meet them, when the trial should be over, with the gracious acknowledgment: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” He will present them to his Father as his own, as those whom he has chosen to reign with him in glory. –Rev. 3:5.

This identical lesson appears to be taught in the fifth parable. There the Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto treasure hid in a field. The treasure, in the parable, corresponds to the “few names” in Sardis. Those “few names” were the Lord’s “peculiar treasure.” (Exod. 19:5; Psa. 125:4.) So also, in the parable. In the field, where the prospective heirs of the Kingdom have been so stubbornly resisted and thwarted by the Adversary, that treasure was, in the Dark Ages, especially just before the Reformation, completely hidden from sight-buried beneath the clods of superstition, human ordinances and ceremonies. These dear saints were “worn out,” as Daniel puts it (Dan. 7:25), and, certainly as far as any collective public testimony was concerned, they were reduced to silence.

Thank God for the “few names” that were left in Sardis-those same dear saints that are represented in the parable as hidden treasure. Who can doubt it was to these, under the leadership Of the Master, that we of today are indebted for the preservation of the faith!

THE PARABLE OF THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE

“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.” (Matt 13:45,46)

If we are correct in our belief that the Parable of the Hidden Treasure found its chronological fulfillment in the period just prior to the Reformation, then the sixth parable, that of the Pearl of Great Price, is to be located during the period of the Reformation itself.

‘The sixth Church of the Revelation, namely, Philadelphia, which has long been held by expositors of widely differing schools of interpretation to be the Church of the Reformation period, has this as its distinctive honor: “Thou hast kept my Word.” (Rev. 3:8) By the hand of such as Wycliffe, Luther, Tyndale, who heard the command of God: “Buy the truth and sell it not” (Prov. 23:23), the priceless pearl of the Holy Scriptures and, in particular, that pearl of pearls, the doctrine of justification by faith, long hidden from the people under the rubbish of the apostasy, was again brought to light, and held forth, at what countless cost of life and substance, but also amid what exultant rejoicing.

In our next post we will take a look at the last kingdom parable and summarize what we have learned.