Looking at the Parable of the Field in Matthew 13 through the lens of expositional constancy.

“The Principle of Biblical Expositional Constancy” is the theory that an idiom is used the same way throughout Scripture, especially as spoken during the mortal ministry of Jesus Christ. A few examples would be the rock, leaven, a lamb, seed, and, in this example, a field.

The Parables:

Matt 13:44 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. Matt 13:45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: 46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

The traditional view of this parable as it is generally explained to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is as follows, from Mark E. Peterson:

“In other words, he is telling us that salvation is the pearl of great price, salvation is the treasure in the field; and if we only realized its worth, we would give all that we have to obtain it.”Shall we not waken to this important lesson? It comes from the lips of God, who cannot lie.”The thing which is of most worth unto us is to be in the service of the Lord.”This means that we must not be blinded by the glitter of gold or the allurement of position or pleasure or even the false excitement of sin.”We must open our eyes to the fact that to serve God is the greatest career in the world.”To be saved in his presence is the greatest gift that can come to us, and to bring our family with us into the enjoyment of salvation will be the greatest achievement of our lives.”But we must understand that salvation is not a free gift. The offer is free indeed, through the atonement of the Savior. But its enjoyment must be earned, not with any halfhearted effort, but with wholesouled, undivided, concentrated application to a program of development which is called the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Therefore we can see that the traditional LDS approach to the parable is that the “selling all” is equated to our efforts–that our entire life should be focused on a single goal–salvation in the Kingdom of Heaven for us and for our families.

Is this a bad teaching? No, not really. At face value I think that most people who believe in Christ accept that some effort must be involved–even if it is as simple as believing or asking. Those still must be considered efforts at one level or another. But then the parable doesn’t really work through the “born again” paradigm as the effort required would be difficult to equate to “selling all”, no?

However, if we look at this parable through the lens of expositional constancy we understand it in a completely new light.

What does a field represent as explained by the Lord, Jesus Christ, in the very same chapter? In v38, while explaining the Parable of the Sower, the Lord says “The field is the world”.

Therefore, under expositional constancy we must consider the field to be the world. We then must ask, is it US who should sell all that we have to purchase “the world” in which is “hid” the “treasure”. No, of course not, the thought that we purchase the field/the world makes no sense. We are told to eschew the world throughout all scripture.

Who, then, is it that gives all he has to purchase the world?

It is the Savior, Jesus Christ, himself. Our Savior gave all on the cross to purchase the world, wresting it from the power of the evil one!

What, then, is the treasure?

The treasure, dear reader, is you!

You, your soul, is the very reason for Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. He condescended to come to mortality, “selling everything” literally suffering “all things” through his atonement to purchase you. You are the treasure, you are the pearl of great price.

Malachi 3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up [or make them] my jewels [or my treasured possession]; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

There is a beautiful parallel in the Old Testament in the story of Boaz and Ruth.

Ruth 4:1 Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. 2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. 3 And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s: 4 And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it. 5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. 6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it. 7 Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel. 8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe. 9 And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi. 10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.

In short, under the Hebraic law of redemption, Ruth, the widow of one of the sons of Naomi, Elimelech’s widow, as part of the family was tied to the family land. She was to be espoused to whomever purchased the land, to raise up posterity for the family which had none living to continue the family gene pool. Boaz called a council of witnesses at the gate and explained the situation to the nearest relative, who initially wanted the field, but when he understood that meant taking on Ruth as well, declined. This left the matter to Boaz, next in line to fulfill the law of redemption. But we know from the prior chapter that Boaz was at the very least impressed with Ruth. He promised to care for her. Therefore his purchase of the field was not so much for the field, but for the treasure, Ruth.

In the same manner, our Savior, Jesus Christ, redeems us from our sins, from our weakness, from our fall. He will come for his bride, the Church. He has redeemed us and bought the field, the world, with his blood. And who is his Church?

D&C 10:67 Behold, this is my doctrine—whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church. 68 Whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me; therefore he is not of my church. 69 And now, behold, whosoever is of my church, and endureth of my church to the end, him will I establish upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.

Come and let him make of you a treasure, a pearl of great price, a member of His church, His redeemed bride.