Revelations from the Word

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The field cultivated by God

by Jean-Louis Coraboeuf

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field [agros]. The man (Jesus) who found it hid it; and, in his joy, he goes and sells all he has, and buys [agorazo] this field" (Matthew 13:44).

Jesus explained to His disciples that the field [agros] represented the world (Matthew 13:38). The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "We are workers with God. You are the field [géorgion] of God, God's building" (1 Corinthians 3:9). The field agros is the earth to be cultivated, usually far from the dwelling house, in the countryside. The field géorgion is the little cultivated field with its fruits and harvest. This word has given the noun 'cultivator of the earth' [géorgos] or farmer.

The hidden treasure in the field, is a man with a favourable heart, which seeks God. When Jesus finds it He rejoices (Hebrews 12:2) for He has already paid the price to buy it, He has given everything at the cross. The Greek verb agorazo means to buy on the public square, the agora; so Jesus buys this field, this soul, which then becomes His property. The field bought in that way is taken out of the world, from the public square, to enter God's domain, His Kingdom, it becomes God's field [géorgion], the little field joined to the House of God to be cultivated there.

So God is going to be able to sow and reap in His new field. Even if it is one man who sows and another who waters, it is God who causes things to grow in His new field (1 Corinthians 3:6). So we become fellow cultivators with God, in His field, for His glory. The Greek verb exagorazo means to buy back from the power of another by paying a ransom, that is why Jesus Christ has also redeemed us [exagorazo] from the curse of the Law so that we can receive the blessing of Abraham (Galatians 3:14) and be adopted as sons of God into His Kingdom (Galatians 4:5). Because we have been redeemed, we no longer belong to the world, but we are called to live there hidden (Jesus' light in us is not hidden), sent by Jesus (John 17:18) in order to extend His Kingdom. We are the field cultivated by God to produce fruit for His glory.