THE PARABLE OF THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE [Mt. 13:45-46]
The natural complement to the Parable Of The Hidden Treasure (our previous story) is the Parable of The Pearl Of Great Price. While both characters found something of great value, worth more than all they owned, there is a distinct difference. The story of the hidden treasure has a man finding the valuable treasure unknowingly. The parable of the pearl focuses on a man who is on a quest...a mission that actually defined him.
To the ancients, pearls were the "ultimate treasure." Fascinated with them as much as modern people are with diamonds, merchants often scoured the world in search of the perfect pearl. The "porfolio" of such treasure hunters wouldn't be complete without these natural beauties. Many paid handsome sums to possess one pearl, and that is the point Jesus seeks to drive home with this parable.
The cost of discipleship was a frequent theme for the Lord in His teaching. We need to know how much citizenship in heaven's kingdom is going to cost us (Lk. 9:57-62; 14:26-33). Any who would come to Jesus must be prepared to give up everything (Mt. 16:24-25).
We must remember...the kingdom of heaven is a gift. God offers sinful man something he has no right to possess and no ability to obtain on his own. He has to be willing to give up all he has.
Yet, we will not be drawn to this valuable possession simply by having its cost emphasized to us. As one writer observes, "You can't persuade a man to set fire to his house simply by telling him how wretched it is. If his house is a pigsty, it is the only one he has. But if you give him assurance of something far better, not only will he burn it, he will gladly dance around the flames." Such was exactly how Paul described himself in Phil. 3:4b-14. Any previous value he had in Judaism was later counted as "dung" when compared to what he found in Christ.
Lastly, this parable teaches something to those of us who have already found "our pearl"...others still seek theirs (cp. Acts 8:26-40; 10:1-48; 18:10). May we be ready to approach them to lead them where it is hidden, and convince them it will be worth giving up all they have in order to obtain it.
