The Dream (”Kingdom”) of G-d is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. [Matthew 13:44 paraphrased]
The simplicity of this account is deceptive:
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What is the Dream/Kingdom of G-d like, the treasure, the field, or the story of the treasure in the field?
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Why didn’t he buy the field with the proceeds from the treasure, rather than the proceeds of his possessions?
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Is the treasure made more valuable by being under the ground rather than mined or extracted?
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What does the man want to do with the field?
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Who having found something of great worth, willingly and immediately looses it again?
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Surely we are taught by many religions that the good is to be held on to, as we struggle against the bad?
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How is it that his joy leads not towards publication (making public), but away from it and towards increased circumspection?
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What is the difference between the treasure and the field in which it is hidden?
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Does true ownership comprise of securing, or relinquishing?
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Is the story more than good re-investment advice?
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Is it making a distinction between commodities (precious metals/minerals) and real estate (the field) as types of value?
I wonder.
Gavin Marshall said
The thing about a dream is that it’s fragile in the daylight and needs to be nurtured and embodied in the darkness – out of the light of our collective ego.
Gwanda said
Nic.
lots of insightful questions here – it’s one of those scriptures i passed over until we chatted about it a while back. maybe it refers partly to the treasure that G-d has buried in field within each of us.
Pinging TwinStar.
G…
Nic Paton said
Gavin
It’s a good point about the darkness of burial. Many things can only happen out of sight – the seed “falling to the ground” for example. There’s a good word for this realm – chthonic.
Nic Paton said
Gwanda
If you see the field as ourselves and the treasure as the deposit of G-d, what will it mean to “buy the field”?
Don R said
I have some answers, but need to think about the others. Give me a while,,
Don R said
Seems like I read something where you translated “kingdom” and “dream” as the same. But the Greek words are different. Explain that for a simple mind….
nic paton said
Hi Don. Asking this question shows that you are, like the parable, only apparently simple. Its a good one, and I was hoping someone would ask it.
In using the word Dream in place of Kingdom, I am not trying to be literally faithful to the original phrase “Kingdom of God” (I think it is Baselaia Tou Theo).
Rather I am “reimagining” at a basic level what I believe about G-d. Part of the basis of this is Brain McLaren’s suggestions in Thye Secret Message of Jesus that the metaphors we take for granted might be outmoded, amongst them “Kingdom”. This relates to our times (we are several centuries post kingdom, althought some still exist in name), and also the evolution of our myths of the Divine.
Joseph Campbell goes to great lengths in showing how mans myths (ie his underlying ideas) have changed over time, relating to numerous factors such as technology. For example, according to him it was a feminine, lunar concept of God until 2000 BC where the masculine and solar influences began to dominate.
So these things we view as “absolute” are in fact changing. I am taking an active part in this change by changing my language and choice of images. I see Dream as far more appropriate to the God I experience and worship than Kingdom.
McLaren proposes others – network, party, dance, but Dream for me is the most resonant.
Russ said
i also feel “dream” still correlates as “kindgom” or “malkut” in the hebrew, refers to the outward manifestation. in kabbalistic symbology, malkut/kingdom is a reflection of “the crown”, or “keter”.
so in the hermetic, “as above, so below” sense, i see dream and kingdom as reflections of each other, on different planes.
Nic Paton said
That’s interesting. When we ask what corporations (contemporary “kingdoms”) have as their chief asset, it it commonly held to be not goods, but Image, the “Lifestyle” or “Aspiration” that their trademark represents.
This business orientated view seems to correlate with the idea that a Kingdom is the outward manifestation of a Dream.
Don R said
Nic- Thanks so much for the explanation. It does “almost” irritate me that Christianity seems to be stuck in the first century and no one seems to care. I always appreciate your fresh views on the subject. I shall attempt to digest it.
Don R said
LL- I was watching a documentary on Kabbala (2hrs) over the weekend. I found it fascinating! Now I know why Hebrew scripture today is very close to the original autographs as transmitted. I have been reading articles on Kabbala here on the net since I saw the doc.
Russ said
hi Don.
as you know, there is a lot on the web about kabbalah. i would highly recommend you get hold of a copy of Rabbi David Cooper’s “G-d is a Verb”, for a clear & practical overview of the kabbalistic tradition. you can find it really cheap on Amazon, here:
http://www.amazon.com/God-Verb-David-Cooper/dp/1573226947/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1206702030&sr=1-2
i have read a lot of books in this area and find David’s book one of the most balanced and useful overviews out there – well worth the investment. another one, which teaches the core of jewish kabbalah in novel form is “The Seventh Telling”, by Mitchell Chefitz.
http://www.amazon.com/Seventh-Telling-Kabbalah-Moeshe-Katan/dp/0312289227
i got a lot out of both of these books.
till later,
Russ.
Andrew said
Consider the field. It has curated, held, possessed this treasure. It never tried to exploit this treasure. The field allowed the treasure to hide in itself. It allowed the treasure to find security in itself. What a wonderful field. The field is worthy of praise and respect.
nic paton said
I believe you are quoting from the lost Gospel of Andrew there, and I like it.
I too bow low to kiss the field.
Tim Victor said
Don’t fear Nic, we have Q among us to help piece together all the fragmentary statements. It definately sounds like a genuine FEOTU statement to me so let’s take it as canonical.
Don R said
I believe that “everything” that comes to us should be “reinvested” in the world with others. I believe the bible tells us that. There are several other traditions which say basically the same thing. When we “reinvest” it is returned to us many times over.
nic paton said
Don thanks for those thoughts. Yes I think “reinvestment” is potentially the key meaning to the story. I like your emphasis “in the world with others”.
Don R said
Russ- I shall investigate the books. Thanks!
Alisa R. said
Great food for thought! I’m glad I stumbled upon your post!