Allen Webster

Topic(s): Bible Study

Dr. Williamson, a Canadian geologist, had been slipping along a rain-soaked road that led through Tanzania’s back country when, suddenly, his Land Rover sunk to its axles in sticky mire. Pulling out a shovel, he began to dig his four-wheel drive out. After some time, he uncovered an interesting-looking pink stone. Being a geologist and naturally curious about rock formations, he picked it up. The more mud he removed, the more excited he became, but he hardly believed what he saw. When the stone was finally clean, Dr. Williamson had found a diamond! (Eldred Echols, Discovering the Pearl of Great Price, Sweet Pub., Ft. Worth, 1992).

Any diamond would have been a surprise, but he had found the now famous giant pink diamond of Tanzania. That muddy stone sparkles today in a broach worn by the Queen of England on occasions, and Williamson is world renowned for his find—accidental though it was.

It is interesting that the geologist found the diamond. Similarly the Bible tells of a treasurer who found a treasure. Jesus’ comparison of a sinner who learns the gospel to one who finds great treasure (Matthew 13:44–46) is illustrated by this Ethiopian treasurer who found the gospel on a lonely road leading back to Africa from Jerusalem (Acts 8:26–40). Why did he—of all people in the world—find the treasure that day?

The treasurer was willing to LOOK for something more.

This Ethiopian had traveled fifteen hundred miles one way to worship, and was still reading his Bible on the way home! Because he was a eunuch, he had not even been allowed into the temple proper during the ceremonies (cf. Deuteronomy 23:1). You could say he rode three thousand miles to sit in the foyer! He knew something of the Bible but wanted to know more. He was like a man at sunrise tilting his manuscript to catch the first light. As he read Isaiah’s prophecy of Jesus, he was catching the first rays of the rising sun of Christianity.

Who will find God’s treasure today? Those who are willing to look for it. Growing up, we all played the usual childhood games. We “shot” each other while playing cowboys and Indians or army. We played many games of football, baseball, and basketball. And we played “hide-and-seek.”

While the rules would change from time to time, the basic gist was the same: One person would be “it,” and the rest would hide, hoping to be the last one found. Since no one wanted to be “it,” the role often was not played with much enthusiasm; those who were “it” did not always finish the game. Only those who zealously searched for those in hiding would be victorious.

God’s treasure is available to all, but it requires a careful and diligent Bible student (2 Timothy 2:15). The way to heaven is “hidden” in the Holy Scriptures. Jesus said that the Scriptures (Old Testament) testified of Him, but His name is not found there (John 5:39). He taught in parables so that only those sincerely interested would find eternal life (Matthew 13:13–15). He said that the path to eternal life is strait and narrow and will be found by few (Matthew 7:13–14). We do not find the path by a casual pass through the Scriptures, but rather by a diligent search. No single passage teaches all we need, but we must study to put the pieces together to know the truth which will make us free (John 8:31–32). We should all strive to find, understand, and observe God’s will for us—to obey the gospel and become His children.

Several Bible passages mention “seeking”: God seeks those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23–24); Jesus came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10); God rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6); we are to seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33); he who seeks, shall find (Matthew 7:7–8).

One may have to dig out from under denominational teachings and human traditions. Many today, like this treasurer, read their Bibles on the way home from church services and wonder why what they have just experienced differs so much from what they read in the Bible. If you are one of these, read on. We should never be satisfied with a religion less than what we find in Scripture. We can do better. Christ’s church does exist today, and we can be a part of it!

God promised that all who fear Him can learn the truth (John 7:17), and He will reward those who truly look (Hebrews 11:6; James 4:8; Psalm 9:10; 14:2; 25:14; 145:18; Proverbs 8:17). Some are too busy seeking worldly things (Matthew 6:32); others are waiting for some supernatural sign (Matthew 12:39; 1 Corinthians 13:8–10); some would rather please men than God (Galatians 1:10). The truly wise person seeks the treasure of the gospel (Matthew 5:6; Proverbs 8). Its value is eternal; its worth inestimable.

The treasurer was willing to LISTEN to another viewpoint.

When Philip gave the treasurer an opportunity to learn more of God’s Word, he took him up on it. This treasurer was humble enough to admit to a complete stranger that he did not understand what he was studying. (He could have told this aggressive preacher to get lost, but then he would have stayed lost.)

What was the eunuch reading? “The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth” (Acts 8:32). The treasurer listened as Philip showed how Jesus’ death on Calvary and His resurrection from the grave fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy (chapter 53 in our Bibles).

Jesus was the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8; cf. Mark 10:45). A goat, killed in the traditional manner, sends out blood-chilling cries that can be heard a mile away, but a sheep submits to the butcher’s knife without a whimper. Jesus meekly submitted to the outrages perpetrated against Him, and offered no more resistance than a lamb being slaughtered.

“In his humiliation his judgment was taken away.” The verdict of Jesus’ Roman judge was “innocent,” but Pilate gave in to the Jews and changed the sentence to crucifixion (Luke 23:4; John 18:38; 19:6).

“Who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.” How could one describe a generation so blind that they did not recognize God’s own Son, and then murdered Him? Jesus’ premature death was prophesied more than seven centuries before He was even born (Isaiah 53).

This was not what the treasurer had been taught in the worship service he had just left. He learned the truth because he was willing to consider another viewpoint. What about us? Too many religious discussions end with slammed doors and closed minds, raised voices and lowered respect for a friend, clenched fists and closed Bibles. Are we willing to calmly investigate another perspective? Do we do our own thinking, or do we simply accept what our preacher or parents tell us to believe? Truth never suffers from investigation—if we were right in the beginning, further study will simply confirm it. But if we were wrong, we need to know before the Judgment! (Matthew 7:21–23).

The treasurer was willing to LEAVE his past.

As treasurer for his country, he was doubtless an intelligent and industrious man. His religion was good. He was comfortable with it. He knew its customs, understood its theology. It taught high morals and had benefited his life. But now the preacher suggested that he give it up for something better. It no longer pleased God and was powerless to grant salvation. What went through his mind? Change religions? Go against my family? Offend my friends? Start over? Admit I’ve been wrong?

Nonetheless, he desired to please God more than others (Galatians 1:10), and was willing to change religions. In heaven no one will ever regret giving up false religion (John 12:42) or sinful pleasure (Acts 24:25; Hebrews 11:25).

Philip evidently said something about baptism in their study (although Isaiah 53 does not mention it) because the eunuch interrupted this traveling Bible class to point out that they were passing a suitable place for baptism. (Since that was arid country, he may have thought, “If I don’t ask now, there may not be another river or lake until after he leaves.”)

According to the book of Acts, something is wrong today when someone claims to preach Jesus, but whose hearers never request baptism. How can any man preach the gospel and answer the question, “What must I do to be saved?” and not give the answer Jesus told us to give? (Mark 16:15–16).

This treasurer may have been wealthy in Ethiopia before his journey, but he left this scene a far richer man. In the last view we ever get of him, he is pictured with a “smile on his face.” You will rejoice, too, if you find God’s treasure!

If you are looking for the church you read about in your Bible, investigate the church of Christ in your community. If you desire baptism for the remission of sins, contact us; we’ll be glad to assist.