this excellent observation: "While 'the gift of God is eternal life,' entering the kingdom of heaven is
The Treasure of the Kingdom
cultivated heart, and the seed is the Word. The imagery is not at all the same. One parable cannot be used to interpret another.
Second, Scofield rejects the classic interpretation of these parables because he is trying to read too much into them. Symbolism in a parable is not meant to be carried out to the nth degree. Most parables have one main lesson, and if you allegorize, stretch the symbolism too far, or try to squeeze meaning from peripheral details, you will inevitably find a point where the metaphor breaks down. In fact, a close look at the interpretation Scofield proposes reveals that it has its own inconsistencies — some that strain the doctrine of grace Scofield is hoping to preserve. For example, Christ did not stumble across Israel by accident or discover the church after a long time of searching. Furthermore, the Lord did not purchase Israel and the church because they were rare treasures worthy of great sacrifice. They were, like all sinners, useless debris until after Christ redeemed them (cf. 1 Cor. 1:26 – 29). He did not discover inherently priceless commodities and then purchase them; rather, He bought what was utterly worthless and made it precious.
Third, and most important, Jesus was giving these parables to unveil the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven — not to explain the atonement. Biblical interpreters know that the simplest and most obvious interpretation is the normal one. And in these stories the most obvious interpretation is that they portray the kingdom of heaven as a treasure more valuable than the sum of all our possessions. That interpretation is consistent with everything Jesus ever taught about the way of salvation.4 If you are not convinced, compare these parables with Jesus' words to the rich young ruler in Mark 10:21: "Go and sell all you possess, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven." The parallels are striking. The man who sells all to obtain treasure pictures the one who enters the kingdom of heaven.
Hidden Treasure
It was common in Palestine for people to bury valuables in a secret place. Israel was a land of war. Jewish history is filled with battles, sieges, and conquering armies who came to steal and to plunder. Josephus, a Jewish historian
4. J. C. Macaulay, whose interpretation of these parables is similar to Scofi eld's, nevertheless makes this excellent observation: "While 'the gift of God is eternal life,' entering the kingdom of heaven is costly business, for which reason Christ Himself warns us to count the cost, and adds, 'whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all he hath, he cannot be my disciple' (Luke 14:28 – 33). Whatever else the parable of the hidden treasure has to teach us, it certainly reminds us that it costs to enter the kingdom of God, but that it is more than worth the cost." Behold Your King (Chicago: Moody, 1982), 114.