Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; which when a man has found, he hides, and for joy thereof goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.
All Commentaries on Matthew 13:44 Go To Matthew 13
Hilary of Poitiers
AD 368
Through the comparison of a treasure in the field of our hope, Christ points to wealth that has been covered up, for God is discovered in humanity. In compensation for it, all the resources of the world are to be sold in order that with the clothing, food and drink of the needy we may buy the eternal riches of the heavenly treasure. But we must realize that the treasure was found and hidden, for he who found it could certainly have carried it off in secret at the time he hid it; and carrying it off, there would have been no need for him to buy it. But an explanation is needed here as to both the matter concerned and what was said. Thus the treasure was hidden because it was necessary to buy the field. The treasure in the field, as we said, signifies Christ in the flesh, who was found freely. Indeed, the preaching of the Gospels has no strings attached, but the power to use and own this treasure with the field comes at a price, for heavenly riches are not possessed without a worldly loss.
