For those who long for the true Church—the Body of Christ, the authentic Temple of God—Jesus’ words in Matthew 13 are not merely comforting; they are a decisive correction to the world’s religious assumptions. After warning us through the parables of the sower, the wheat and tares, the great tree, and the leaven, Jesus gives two further parables: the treasure hidden in the field and the pearl of great price. These are not sentimental illustrations; they are a radical unveiling of how God views His people in this age.
"Again, 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 13:44)
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it."
(Matthew 13:45-46)
The “man” and the “merchant” in these parables is the Lord Himself. He purchases the field—the whole world—not for its own sake, but to secure the treasure hidden within it. And what does He do upon finding it? He hides it again. Likewise, the pearl, formed in the hidden depths of the sea, is sought and bought at the cost of all He has. This is not a story of public spectacle or worldly acclaim. The Church, as God’s treasure and pearl, is deliberately concealed from the world’s gaze. This hiddenness is not a flaw to be remedied but a mark of divine value and preservation.
The Positive Power of Hiddenness
The world’s religious systems crave visibility, influence, and grandeur—the “great tree” that towers in open sight, the leaven that permeates all. But these are not marks of God’s approval; they are symptoms of corruption. The true Church, by contrast, is hidden with Christ in God. Its life is not measured by outward recognition but by its preciousness to the Lord. This hiddenness is a positive, God-ordained means of preserving what is truly valuable.
As Chuck Missler observed, the pearl is the only jewel produced by a living organism, formed as a response to irritation. The Church, too, is formed in the midst of affliction and opposition, growing organically through the Spirit’s work—not by human effort or worldly validation.
The Reality of the Kingdom in This Age
Jesus’ parables confront the notion that greatness in God’s eyes is measured by public display. He teaches the value of a secret life before God, a life that the world neither sees nor understands. He promises that what is hidden now will be openly rewarded in the age to come. The treasure and the pearl are not metaphors for something to be achieved through human striving; they are realities secured by Christ and precious to Him precisely because they are hidden.
"For you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then you also shall appear with Him in glory."
(Colossians 3:3-4)
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."
(1 John 3:1-2)
In this age, the Church is not meant to be manifested to the world. Our reality is hidden in God and will not be revealed until Christ Himself is revealed. The true distinction between the reality of the Kingdom and the outward, visible system is precisely here: the world cannot see, know, or recognize what is precious to God.
The Cost of Seeking Worldly Recognition
If we abandon this truth—if we seek to make ourselves great in the eyes of the world, to build something impressive and visible—we do not merely make a tactical error. We forfeit the very nature of our inheritance. The visible, worldly religious system—the “great tree,” the leavened lump, Babylon the Great—stands in direct contrast to the hidden treasure and the pearl. It is conspicuous, corrupt, and ultimately rejected by God. To pursue its recognition is to align ourselves with what is destined for judgment, not glory.
John is explicit:
"They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error."
(1 John 4:5-6)
False teachers and false gospels always seek the world’s approval. Their message is received because it is not the message of the apostles, nor is it the true gospel. The enemy exploits our “good intentions” to seduce us into building what God has not authorized and will not reward.
The Unveiling to Come
The treasure and the pearl are allusions to the Holy City, the New Jerusalem—the consummation of every positive promise in Scripture. This is the permanent dwelling of God with man, constructed of gold and precious stone, with gates of pearl. In this age, the Church is buried and hidden, but in the next, she will be revealed as the Bride, the Lamb’s wife, the masterpiece of God.
"Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife… and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God."
(Revelation 21:9-10)
Abide in the Hiddenness of Christ
We are called to abide in Christ, letting His word abide in us, content to be hidden in Him now. To seek anything else is to misunderstand the nature of our calling and to risk losing the very thing God esteems. What is at stake is not merely a matter of emphasis or style, but the reality of our sonship, our inheritance, and our justification. The Church’s hiddenness is not a temporary embarrassment to be overcome, but the very means by which God preserves His treasure for open manifestation in glory.
Let us not trade what is precious and hidden for what is visible and corrupt. The world’s recognition is not only unnecessary—it is a snare. What God hides, He will one day reveal in glory. Until then, let us be content to be known by Him, and to abide in the reality of our hidden life with Christ.
