The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Matt 13:45-46 (ESV)
A Merchant in Search of Fine Pearls – Part 1
The Parable of “The Pearl of Great Worth,” has always troubled me. The interpretation I’ve heard most is that Jesus is the merchant and we are the pearl. He left everything behind so that he might buy us.
Really? That has never sat well with me. Would a first Century Jew liken Jesus to a merchant? And did he buy us? Are we something to trade? And if we are pearls, wouldn’t he want all of them, not just one? John 3:16 anyone?
A few months back, I studied the Jewish context and cultural implications of this parable, and it wasn’t until then that I really began to understand it.
(N.B.: Please consider studying the Bible through Jewish eyes. It was written by them, it is flooded with their beautiful culture, and to be seen in its true context, it must be read alongside their values. Your view and relationship to the Bible will be all the better for it. Mine is.)
At the beginning of this year, this parable has once again been swirling in my spirit, which I ALWAYS take as a sign that I need to write about it. I first wrote about it in ‘Parables – Series 2.’
This parable goes beyond being about love. It's about transformation. Don’t think that's a big deal? I’m not talking about the kind of transformation that takes place when you change the brand of milk you buy. Granted, when you find an espresso bar that delivers you a cup of heaven every day, it is completely transformative (did you know we like coffee?). But the kind of transformation this parable is talking about is the kind that happens when your life is turned completely upside down; when you experience such change that you’re almost unrecognisable to your friends, even your family.
It’s about a man who surprises himself when he finds something of ultimate value, that uncovers his true identity… he trades everything he has for a new way of living. He quits his job, throws away his reputation, and becomes devoted to something he never even knew was real and possible.
This story is not about how much God loves us. If you leave the interpretation there, you only wade into shallow waters. It's a viable view of course, but it presents no challenge or surprise; the things that parables are meant to do…
Go to Part 2 – Kingdom of Heaven Moment »
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