Short Answer Questions for Hidden Treasure

Please answer the following questions based on the film and written material in the prior steps. You can check your answers below.

Questions

1. According to the lesson, what are the reasons Jesus chose to teach in parables instead of giving straightforward explanations?
2. In the parable of the Hidden Treasure, what does the treasure represent, and why is it described as “hidden”?
3. Why does Matthew often use the phrase “kingdom of heaven” instead of “kingdom of God,” and what do both phrases ultimately refer to?
4. What does the worker in the field do after discovering the treasure, and what does this teach us about how people should respond when they recognize the Kingdom of God?
5. How does the parable of the Hidden Treasure illustrate both the value of the Kingdom of God and the cost of discipleship?
6. In the film parallel, who is Jeff Smith, and how does his story reflect the main points of Jesus’ original parable?

Answers

1. According to the lesson, what are the reasons Jesus chose to teach in parables instead of giving straightforward explanations? Jesus taught in parables because they were familiar to His audience; they could communicate the truth quickly and effectively; they used the relationship between the natural and spiritual realms to make complex ideas easy to understand; they veiled the truth from those who did not recognize His unique ministry; and they created a fictional world that slipped past prejudices and misconceptions concerning the Kingdom of God.
2. In the parable of the Hidden Treasure, what does the treasure represent, and why is it described as “hidden”? The treasure represents the Kingdom of God, which is valuable, priceless, and able to transform the lives of those who possess it. It is described as “hidden” because, like buried treasure in a field, the Kingdom is not out in plain view, can easily be overlooked by many people, and does not appear obvious to those passing by.
3. Why does Matthew often use the phrase “kingdom of heaven” instead of “kingdom of God,” and what do both phrases ultimately refer to? Matthew often uses the phrase “kingdom of heaven” because he is writing to a more Jewish audience that avoided using the actual name of God, so “heaven” is used as a reverent way of referring to God Himself. Both “kingdom of heaven” and “kingdom of God” refer to the same reality: God’s Kingdom—His reign that is breaking into and transforming the world through Jesus.
4. What does the worker in the field do after discovering the treasure, and what does this teach us about how people should respond when they recognize the Kingdom of God? After discovering the treasure, the worker hides it again, then goes and sells all he has and buys the field. This teaches that when someone recognizes the worth of the Kingdom of God, he must act immediately and decisively, doing whatever is necessary (and lawful) to take hold of it rather than remaining passive.
5. How does the parable of the Hidden Treasure illustrate both the value of the Kingdom of God and the cost of discipleship? The parable shows the Kingdom as a treasure of inestimable worth, more valuable than everything the man owns, and powerful enough to completely transform his life. At the same time, it shows that gaining this Kingdom requires selling “all he had”—giving up worldly attachments—so that the disciple must take immediate action to give up what is almost worthless in order to gain something infinitely more valuable.
6. In the film parallel, who is Jeff Smith, and how does his story reflect the main points of Jesus’ original parable? Jeff Smith is an average, not very successful real estate agent who discovers oil on an ugly, not-noteworthy piece of property. Like the man in the parable, he unexpectedly finds something of great value, covers up his discovery so no one else will see it, goes home to prepare, sells everything he owns, and buys the property. His story reflects the parable’s main points about the hidden nature of great treasure, the joy and excitement it brings, the need to sell everything, and the decisive action required to gain something that can completely change a person’s life.