Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-08-02

Please notice the changed tenor of the
parallels before US today While they
were part of the first group spoken on
that same day, the place was different
and the persons as we'll. The first were
spoken to the great multitude on the
shore of the lake, amongst whom the
Scribes and Pharisees had gone, poison
ing their minds against Jesus So His
message to them was in parallels to
show the influence. of evil in the de-
velopment Of the kingdom OF God.
Now, however, the disciples are with
Him alone, and He speaks these to them
to show them-well we shall study them
and see what. Notice the three in the
group-the hidden treasure, the goodly
pearl, and the net
THE BUYER.
Jesus likened the kingdom of heaven
to man finding a treasure that had
been hidden; then going and selling all
that he had to buy that field; not because
the field was worth anything, but be-
cause of the treasure which II contained.
This kind of transaction was not unsup-
possible at all in the east, particularly.
There were no banks or safety deposit
vaults where treasure could be hidden.
In fact, one of the reasons of the pow
erty of the east was that money, in
stead of being put TO use in developing
the industries of the country, as in our
day and country, was boarded and hid
den as In this case. The owner might die
without revealing the place of hiding,
and years after it might be discovered.
In this case the finder would sell all
that he had to buy the treasure hid
den.
On the face of this, it would seem
that Jesus was teaching them to sell
all that they had in order that they
might get possession of the kingdom OF
God. Frequently this is the lesson that is
taught. 1t is one phase of truth about
it which cannot be gainsaid namely
that 1t is worth while for man to give
up everything else rather than the king
dom; that IL selling all that he pos
sessed would purchase the kingdom. the
kingdom is of such value that it would
be worth while for him to part with
everything else that he might obtain
it.
But ! submit that this is not the
teaching that Jesus intended at this
time, and in support of this let me ask
few questions Who is the man who
is hunting and finding? Is it any one OF
US, or is it Jesus? The parable in Luke
10, answers that question. 1t is the shep-
herd who searched for the lost sheep
until he found it; it was the woman
who looked for the lost coin until she
found it, and it was the father who
looked for the lost boy until he found it,
although the character of his search was
different from the others. If gaining the
kingdom was to be had by any search on
our part ii would never be found. Jesus
said: "Ye have not chosen me, but have
chosen you" He said: mo man can
come to me except it De given him of
my Father" We would never do any
searching except that He had already
sought for us and found us first.
And another question is important;
who sold all that he had in order that
he might buy? The answer is found in
II Corinthians So For We know the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, al
though he was rich but for our sake he
became poor" We know that we were
bought with a price, but He shed His
own blood that He might redeem us from
inquity.
Undoubtedly when we take into con-
sideration, the other scriptures there
can be but one Interpretation to this
parable-that the man hunting and