Matthew 13:24-46 Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to a merchant man who sought good pearls. When he found one of a great price, he sold all that he had and bought it. In this passage Jesus shared four parables about the kingdom of heaven. The last parable is about the pearl. He does not explain this parable, so the hearer or reader must interpret it himself.
The pearl of great price I believe is the person who needs salvation. Recently I heard a speaker share an even deeper interpretation of this parable. Just before Jesus gave the parable about the pearl, He shared the parable about a man finding a treasure hidden in a field and how he sold everything he had to buy the whole field so he could possess the treasure. The speaker explained that the Jews understood the parable about the treasure because they knew they were God’s treasure. Over and over again God speaks of Israel as His treasure. They, however, did not appreciate the parable about the pearl. Pearls to the Jew are unclean because they come from oysters. You will never see an orthodox Jewish lady wearing pearls. The pearl in this parable represents the Gentiles, who are considered unclean by the Jewish people. Jesus was saying, “He came to earth and purchased the world by His shed blood in order to save all those who would believe in Him, and this includes both Jew and Gentile (the whole family of God). ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life’ (John 3:16, KJV).”
The price God gave to purchase both the treasure (the Jewish believers) and the pearl (the Gentile believers) was His own Son, who died and shed His blood to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. How could the man know about the hidden treasure and about the pearl that was hidden inside an oyster shell? The man had to have supernatural
x-ray eyes to see these priceless treasures. God is the man in the parable, and He has x-ray eyes. He humbles Himself to look at the hearts of men, and He sees the hearts that will receive Him even when we are still sinners. The hearts of both Jews and Gentiles who will believe in His Son are hidden treasures and costly pearls.
Do you understand that you have been bought with a great price? That great price was the blood of Jesus. Do not ever feel worthless, because God sees you as worth the death of His only Son. He loves you. Receive the revelation and fullness of His great love today.
READ: Genesis 41:17-42:17; Matthew 13:24-46; Psalm 18:1-15; Proverbs 4:1-6
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