Jesus did not hesitate to speak of Himself in His parables. To talk of Truth was to speak of Himself! Jesus is the Seed, the Pearl, the Talents, and the Pound. Jesus is the only Treasure, the very Heart of it!
Treasure
Let’s look at the last two parables, the Talents and the Pound, as they relate to the subject of Treasure. These parables are found in Matthew and Luke. They are similar in their general subject and context, but very different in their point.
The big picture in both is that Jesus takes what is Him and His and gives it to us. He does this before He leaves, dies on the cross, and returns to His Father to receive His Kingdom. Then finally returns one day for an accounting of the increase of His giving. It is impossible to overstate the importance of Jesus as the creator and sustainer of everything and that we live, and move, and have our being in Him! There is not a Thing in the Cosmos outside of Him!
“This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it’s out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God’s glory. It’s that simple. That is the substance of our Message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That’s what I’m working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me.” Colossians 1:26-27 MSG
Talent
In the Talents, I believe they are just that, talents. Here, everyone receives different gifts but the same reward. I know many people more talented than I. However, I have come to see that those that I have, I had no part to play in acquiring. They were the way I was created; the way I am wired. I am, however, responsible for their growth and development. Their increase comes through use and giving. This increase is why the basis of the reward was for faithfulness, the same reward for everyone.
Pound
It is the exact opposite in the Pound. Everyone receives the same gift, but receives a proportional reward. So what is this gift that everyone receives? You guessed it! Jesus! And the reward is Life! This reward is just good, old-fashioned sowing and reaping. “Fair play” as MacDonald calls it in Justice.
Things
Finally, we come back to Things. If we care little for them, God can give them to us and cause us no harm. But, if we care too much for them, they will consume us, because we know, where we spend our time is where we spend our life. And where our treasure is, there our heart will also be. They are corrosive, like the moth and rust. They will perish as the wood, hay, and stubble in judgment. However, remember, all judgment is redemptive. We can give things up in the Refiner’s Fire or they will be taken from us in the Consuming Fire!