Parable of the Pearl

[CadyandZoe]

Working from home during lock-down has given me some time to think about the parables of Jesus. This week I present the parable of the pearl for your consideration. I hope this helps you with your own studies.

Title: Parable of the Pearl.

The video explicates the meaning of the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price, which is Jesus Christ. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we give up our job as pearl merchants and become a pearl owner.

 

[farouk]

Working from home during lock-down has given me some time to think about the parables of Jesus. This week I present the parable of the pearl for your consideration. I hope this helps you with your own studies.

Title: Parable of the Pearl.

The video explicates the meaning of the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price, which is Jesus Christ. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we give up our job as pearl merchants and become a pearl owner.

@CadyandZoe Reading afresh sections of the Gospels makes for great reading...

 

[Giuliano]

Working from home during lock-down has given me some time to think about the parables of Jesus. This week I present the parable of the pearl for your consideration. I hope this helps you with your own studies.

Title: Parable of the Pearl.

The video explicates the meaning of the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price, which is Jesus Christ. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we give up our job as pearl merchants and become a pearl owner.

Can this be so? Can we can buy Jesus? The same problem exists with the man selling his possessions to buy the field with a treasure. What can we sell in order to buy it?

My take on the pearl is based on what produces it. Oysters make pearls. Oyster are unclean animals that eat filth. They are bottom-feeders. Yes, we are the oysters.

But something of great value can come out of an oyster. It requires a bit of dirt getting stuck in the oyster. It's a seed. That seed of immortality is planted in us. It irritates us the way the piece of dirt irritates the oyster. They oyster manufactures a fluid that coats that seed; and the pearl is built up layer by layer.

So what happens? Eventually the oyster dies. It's rubbish. But the pearl lasts. Similarly we are sown in corruptible bodies -- with a potential for an incorruptible body. It requires persistence and much discomfort at times. The oyster suffers to grow its pearl. The more it suffers, the more glorious the pearl is --and it all starts with that small seed introduced into the oyster.

So how glorious a pearl do we want to make? We may have to give up quite a lot if we want the best. That is my take on it.

 

[mjrhealth]

Working from home during lock-down has given me some time to think about the parables of Jesus. This week I present the parable of the pearl for your consideration. I hope this helps you with your own studies.

Thanks

that was a really good video, its all about sacrifice,

Luk_14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

and

1Co_2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

as explained in the video, it was Jesus that told / revealed to them the mysteries, it wasnt study nor religion or men even Paul stated

Gal_1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

But who is willing to forsake their religion and studies to grab hold of Him, so few.

God bless

 

[DNB]

Working from home during lock-down has given me some time to think about the parables of Jesus. This week I present the parable of the pearl for your consideration. I hope this helps you with your own studies.

Title: Parable of the Pearl.

The video explicates the meaning of the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price, which is Jesus Christ. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we give up our job as pearl merchants and become a pearl owner.

I guess it's about prioritizing. What is salvation worth? Once it has been discovered or revealed to someone, what will one do in order to first, obtain it, and two, to secure it. Nothing should be compromised or spared in order to procure one's salvation, the most precious and valuable thing on earth.

 

[Giuliano]

I guess it's about prioritizing. What is salvation worth? Once it has been discovered or revealed to someone, what will one do in order to first, obtain it, and two, to secure it. Nothing should be compromised or spared in order to procure one's salvation, the most precious and valuable thing on earth.

Can salvation be bought? Or is this parable about something else?

 

[DNB]

Can salvation be bought? Or is this parable about something else?

Yes, of course it can be bought, you pay in devotion, in conviction, in suffering, in resolution, in promotion, in study, in concern, in sacrifice, in martyrdom, etc... Sell everything that you have, and purchase it at the going rate, which Jesus established the price 2,000 years ago - love him more than yourself or own life (Luke 14:26)

 

[Giuliano]

Yes, of course it can be bought, you pay in devotion, in conviction, in suffering, in resolution, in promotion, in study, in concern, in sacrifice, in martyrdom, etc... Sell everything that you have, and purchase it at the going rate, which Jesus established the price 2,000 years ago - love him more than yourself or own life (Luke 14:26)

Paul poses a problem then:

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

The following sorts it out for me:

1 Corinthians 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

So it seems to me that we could be saved but still fail to obtain the pearl of great price. That does need to be paid for, I think.

 

[CadyandZoe]

I guess it's about prioritizing. What is salvation worth? Once it has been discovered or revealed to someone, what will one do in order to first, obtain it, and two, to secure it. Nothing should be compromised or spared in order to procure one's salvation, the most precious and valuable thing on earth.

Before we interpret a parable, we need to understand the story on it's own terms first. Then, we are in the best position to understand the analogy. I maintain that Jesus is comparing the entire analogue to the entire target, not intending the story as an allegory.

If we treat the story as an allegory, the very thing I don't want to do, then we have one of two possible, untenable situations, i.e. a man pays for his salvation, or Jesus pays for his followers. Neither one is Biblical.

On the other hand, the story itself stands independently and makes sense apart from the target idea. A pearl merchant finds a pearl of great value and selling all that he has, he buys the pearl. One thing that may not be obvious, at least at first, is the fact that, having sold all that he owned, the pearl merchant has ceased to be a merchant. He owns the pearl of great value but he has no other pearls to sell. His life as a pearl merchant has ended and his new life as a pearl owner has begun.

The target, then has to be analogous to that. The point isn't that a man bought something of great value. The point is that a man gave up his life as a merchant in order to become an owner. For an example of this exchange, I offered Paul's word to the Philippians, telling them that he considered his former life as a pharisee, his pedigree, and his exemplary behavior as loss, as compared to receiving Christ. Philippians 10:1-11

 

[CadyandZoe]

Can salvation be bought? Or is this parable about something else?

See my answer to DNB above. While it is true that our salvation cost Jesus his life, the Bible doesn't picture this as "just compensation for services rendered." Rather, Paul argues that Jesus' death on the cross was the terms of reconciliation between man and God. The act of propitiation assumes that the actual price is much too high.

Suppose that a man borrows a great amount of money from a friend. And due to life circumstances, the man was in debt more than he could ever hope to repay. This situation eventually became the cause of animosity between them. Perhaps they might become enemies, so the man sits down with his friend over coffee to seek amiable relations. What would it take to propitiate his friend so that their relationship might continue? His friend will forgive him but only if he will offer a token of his sincere regret.

When Jesus died on the cross, he wasn't paying our debt to justice. Rather, Jesus' death on the cross becomes the means to God's reconciliation, who will freely forgive those who come to God in honesty, humility and contrition, having stood at the cross admitting "that should have been me."

 

[Giuliano]

See my answer to DNB above. While it is true that our salvation cost Jesus his life, the Bible doesn't picture this as "just compensation for services rendered." Rather, Paul argues that Jesus' death on the cross was the terms of reconciliation between man and God. The act of propitiation assumes that the actual price is much too high.

Suppose that a man borrows a great amount of money from a friend. And due to life circumstances, the man was in debt more than he could ever hope to repay. This situation eventually became the cause of animosity between them. Perhaps they might become enemies, so the man sits down with his friend over coffee to seek amiable relations. What would it take to propitiate his friend so that their relationship might continue? His friend will forgive him but only if he will offer a token of his sincere regret.

When Jesus died on the cross, he wasn't paying our debt to justice. Rather, Jesus' death on the cross becomes the means to God's reconciliation, who will freely forgive those who come to God in honesty, humility and contrition, having stood at the cross admitting "that should have been me."

I'm more confused than before about what you believe.

Was there a "debt" owed to God that needed to be paid? That doesn't make sense to me since even in Old Testament times, God forgave people when they repented and turned away from that sin. They had learned the error of that sin and wouldn't repeat it. They didn't owe God anything. God was happy they had learned from their mistake and wouldn't do it again. You say there wasn't a debt -- but then why the need to reconcile? What would be left to reconcile? You write about someone borrowing money and being unable to pay; but then you say there was no debt.

I am truly confused. In the parable of the pearl, the man has wealth. He can buy the pearl of great price if he sells all he has. How does that relate to someone with a debt he can't repay?

I don't understand how you use the word "propitiation" either. Was God angry with us? If He was angry, why is it written that God so loved the world that He sent His only Son? Does that make sense for God to be angry with us but then to have His Son whom he loves die to save us?

 

[JohnDB]

Tahitian Black Pearls are the most expensive and popular pearls currently...

And the pearl market is (and has been) one of the biggest scam markets there ever was.

Saltwater pearls are more expensive than freshwater pearls. Most pearls are cultured....but not all.
Not all pearls are white, pink, or black...or even round.

Huge world of factors in determining price, value, and quality of pearls. Not an easy market to go buying anything out of.

 

[amadeus]

Can salvation be bought? Or is this parable about something else?

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Rom 12:1-2

 

[CadyandZoe]

I'm more confused than before about what you believe.

Was there a "debt" owed to God that needed to be paid? That doesn't make sense to me since even in Old Testament times, God forgave people when they repented and turned away from that sin. They had learned the error of that sin and wouldn't repeat it. They didn't owe God anything. God was happy they had learned from their mistake and wouldn't do it again. You say there wasn't a debt -- but then why the need to reconcile? What would be left to reconcile? You write about someone borrowing money and being unable to pay; but then you say there was no debt.

I am truly confused. In the parable of the pearl, the man has wealth. He can buy the pearl of great price if he sells all he has. How does that relate to someone with a debt he can't repay?

I don't understand how you use the word "propitiation" either. Was God angry with us? If He was angry, why is it written that God so loved the world that He sent His only Son? Does that make sense for God to be angry with us but then to have His Son whom he loves die to save us?

Romans 5:6-11
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Paul confirms two qualities shared by every human being, except Jesus: we are helpless and we are sinners, which means that we are also enemies of God. Before God will forgive us, we need to be reconciled to God. Paul points out that even while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. While we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his son. And then, once having been reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Paul also mentions that we shall be saved from the wrath of God through him. The cross became the propitiatory act that gained God's favor, making things right with him again. The Bible refers to the cross as the propitiation of God: the one thing that God accepted from Jesus in order to restore amity between God and man. Once amity is restored, all other blessings, including eternal life, follow from that.

Romans 3:21-26
But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Hebrews 2:17-18
Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Working from home during lock-down has given me some time to think about the parables of Jesus. This week I present the parable of the pearl for your consideration. I hope this helps you with your own studies.

Title: Parable of the Pearl.

The video explicates the meaning of the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price, which is Jesus Christ. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we give up our job as pearl merchants and become a pearl owner.

Greetings, brother.

I think your videos are well done, only your interpretation and application of the parable in Matthew is somewhat misapplied. The parables of Matthew 13 focus on Christ, and He is the one doing the purchasing. Let me take you through them one by one:

1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

Here Jesus is the Sower sowing seed in the field.

24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Here again Jesus is the Sower, the principle actor as in all the parables in Matthew 13, and He is the one sowing good seed in the field

31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Here He is the grain of mustard seed, which through His body was prophesied to become a great tree in the earth.

33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

This is reference to Christ through the Holy Spirit being distributed throughout His body.

44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

Here Jesus is the man, and His church is the treasure hidden in a field.

45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: 46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

Here Jesus is the merchant man, and the pearl of great price is again the church as a whole, which he sold all He had to purchase through His own blood

47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

In this last parable, He is the head fisherman (implied), commanding his angels to cast into the sea and draw up the harvest at the end of the age.

So you can see that every parable is Christ-centered throughout. I can answer any questions you might have about the specifics in any of the above if you have them. I would be glad to help. Not trying to denigrate your work. Just hoping that with added knowledge you will be able to make videos in the future that are even more accurate and beneficial to the body of Christ.

God bless,
Yours,
Hidden In Him

 

[CadyandZoe]

Greetings, brother.

I think your videos are well done, only your interpretation and application of the parable in Matthew is somewhat misapplied. The parables of Matthew 13 focus on Christ, and He is the one doing the purchasing. Let me take you through them one by one:

1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

Here Jesus is the Sower sowing seed in the field.

24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Here again Jesus is the Sower, the principle actor as in all the parables in Matthew 13, and He is the one sowing good seed in the field

31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Here He is the grain of mustard seed, which through His body was prophesied to become a great tree in the earth.

33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

This is reference to Christ through the Holy Spirit being distributed throughout His body.

44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

Here Jesus is the man, and His church is the treasure hidden in a field.

45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: 46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

Here Jesus is the merchant man, and the pearl of great price is again the church as a whole, which he sold all He had to purchase through His own blood

47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

In this last parable, He is the head fisherman (implied), commanding his angels to cast into the sea and draw up the harvest at the end of the age.

So you can see that every parable is Christ-centered throughout. I can answer any questions you might have about the specifics in any of the above if you have them. I would be glad to help. Not trying to denigrate your work. Just hoping that with added knowledge you will be able to make videos in the future that are even more accurate and beneficial to the body of Christ.

God bless,
Yours,
Hidden In Him

I'm glad you liked the videos. And I thank you for your encouragement and your kind words.

With regard to the parable of the Sower, I am mindful of the fact that Jesus is raising up 12 men who will speak in his name after he is gone. And I see no compelling reason to restrict the sower to Jesus himself. It seems to me that anyone who is preaching the doctrine Jesus gave his apostles is acting in the role of the sower.

The parable of the Tares contains both a protagonist and an antagonist, each sowing their own type of seed. The antagonist sows his seed in the same place, but after the protagonist has sown his seed. I am attempting to account for this aspect of the parable. Here I agree that the protagonist is Jesus, but the story's focus is the coexistence of the crop and the weeds. What is the "crop" Jesus is sowing? I can think of two possibilities: his teaching or his apostles whom he will send into the world to spread his teaching?

The parable of the leaven pictures a woman who hid leaven in three peck measures of flour. If I understand your interpretation correctly, it stands as a plausible interpretation. The Holy Spirit is indeed hidden within each individual of the body of Christ.

Since these parables lend themselves to many plausible interpretations, I needed a guide by which to assess my own interpretation. I am taking my cue from Mark 4:13, where Jesus seems to give us a hint. I take Jesus to mean that all of his kingdom parables are somehow related to the Parable of the sower, either about the gospel itself or the dissemination of the Gospel. If I am wrong about that, then all of my interpretations are in question. So I asked myself, how is the word of God hidden?

The parable of the field tells the story about a man who finds a treasure hidden in a field. I'm not sure how to relate this concept directly to Jesus and his church. In what way was Jesus unaware of his church?

 

[Hidden In Him]

With regard to the parable of the Sower, I am mindful of the fact that Jesus is raising up 12 men who will speak in his name after he is gone. And I see no compelling reason to restrict the sower to Jesus himself. It seems to me that anyone who is preaching the doctrine Jesus gave his apostles is acting in the role of the sower.

Well this is correct, in a sense. As the other parables in the Chapter point out, He fulfills His greater mission through the church.

The parable of the Tares contains both a protagonist and an antagonist, each sowing their own type of seed. The antagonist sows his seed in the same place, but after the protagonist has sown his seed. I am attempting to account for this aspect of the parable. Here I agree that the protagonist is Jesus, but the story's focus is the coexistence of the crop and the weeds. What is the "crop" Jesus is sowing? I can think of two possibilities: his teaching or his apostles whom he will send into the world to spread his teaching?

The seed is the word, as in the previous parable. The seed of the enemy was the teaching of the Gnostics, which professed to be "Christian" teaching, but advocated sexual immorality that would destroy the soul. Darnel ("tares"), if consumed in enough quantity, can cause death.

So I asked myself, how is the word of God hidden?

This is actually a plausible approach, but rather deep theologically. But if you consider the word to have been buried within the Old Testament saints in a sense (since they too hid the word in their hearts lest they sin against Him), then yes, on the deepest level, His words are Spirit and truth, and both have been hidden within believers since the Garden of Eden.

The parable of the field tells the story about a man who finds a treasure hidden in a field. I'm not sure how to relate this concept directly to Jesus and his church. In what way was Jesus unaware of his church?

Well, that he was ever unaware would I think be reading into the intent of the parable somewhat, despite being a natural conclusion. But the focus of the terminology is on the treasure having initially been hidden (by God) in the earth, and then Christ "finding" it hidden and going and selling all He has to get it. I think the reason He used the analogy of "finding" it was to communicate the "joy" He had in going to retrieve the church unto Himself (v.44).

 

[DNB]

Paul poses a problem then:

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

The following sorts it out for me:

1 Corinthians 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

So it seems to me that we could be saved but still fail to obtain the pearl of great price. That does need to be paid for, I think.

Jesus' parable was about salvation, and that nothing is more valuable than that. I don't believe that your quotes were relevant to the simplicity of his anaology.

 

[DNB]

Before we interpret a parable, we need to understand the story on it's own terms first. Then, we are in the best position to understand the analogy. I maintain that Jesus is comparing the entire analogue to the entire target, not intending the story as an allegory.

If we treat the story as an allegory, the very thing I don't want to do, then we have one of two possible, untenable situations, i.e. a man pays for his salvation, or Jesus pays for his followers. Neither one is Biblical.

On the other hand, the story itself stands independently and makes sense apart from the target idea. A pearl merchant finds a pearl of great value and selling all that he has, he buys the pearl. One thing that may not be obvious, at least at first, is the fact that, having sold all that he owned, the pearl merchant has ceased to be a merchant. He owns the pearl of great value but he has no other pearls to sell. His life as a pearl merchant has ended and his new life as a pearl owner has begun.

The target, then has to be analogous to that. The point isn't that a man bought something of great value. The point is that a man gave up his life as a merchant in order to become an owner. For an example of this exchange, I offered Paul's word to the Philippians, telling them that he considered his former life as a pharisee, his pedigree, and his exemplary behavior as loss, as compared to receiving Christ. Philippians 10:1-11

I'm sorry C&Z, Jesus' parable was barely two sentences long, as was his subsequent/adjacent parables. Just short pithy statements that allude to one thing, obtain salvation at all costs, even death.
I appreciate your insights, but sorry, I think that you over analyzed it, and by doing so, I think that you actually diminished the austerity of his message. In other words, each set of the entire series of these parables, had an allegorical, or incidental, context. You put too much emphasis on the vocation of the merchant, or the principle of retail, rather than the over-arching and imperative notion of salvation.

 

[CadyandZoe]

I'm sorry C&Z, Jesus' parable was barely two sentences long, as was his subsequent/adjacent parables. Just short pithy statements that allude to one thing, obtain salvation at all costs, even death.
I appreciate your insights, but sorry, I think that you over analyzed it, and by doing so, I think that you actually diminished the austerity of his message. In other words, each set of the entire series of these parables, had an allegorical, or incidental, context. You put too much emphasis on the vocation of the merchant, or the principle of retail, rather than the over-arching and imperative notion of salvation.

Thanks so much for your post. I am aware of this pit fall. And I thank you for reminding me to avoid making too much of the details.

As I studied these two parables together, the Parable of the Treasure in the Field and the Parable of the Pearl, I wondered why Jesus told two parables, seeming to make the same point, one immediately after the other. Why did he do that? I concluded that these two parables are intended to work together. Many Bible teachers teach these two parables together as if they are making the same point. And opinions are divided between Jesus' purchase of his church, and the believer's purchase of salvation. In any case, the consensus seems to be that these two parables teach the same idea.

I am cognizant of another possibility, namely, these two parables make two slightly different points each pointing to a larger, central idea. Both parables speak about a man selling all that he owns in order to buy something of great value. This is where the two parables are the same. But that seems to be the only similarity.

The Parable of the Field places the thing of value out of sight; the Parable of the Pearl places the thing of value in plain sight. The treasure is hidden, the pearl is not. In the Parable of the Field, the man buys both the field and the treasure together; in the Parable of the Pearl, the man buys a single pearl. The finding of the treasure is a happy accident; the finding of the pearl is a pain staking process of discovery.

Perhaps Jesus is inviting his disciples to observe these differences and draw a larger conclusion from them. I don't think the details are incidental; rather, each parable seems to build on the previous one. Each parable makes a unique point, but both together make a larger point.

Finally, I couldn't argue that these parables convey the idea, "obtain salvation at all costs" because according to Paul, salvation is a free gift. He tells us, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." How do I reconcile those?

Ironically, accepting the free gift of eternal life comes at a cost.

Mark 8:34-35
And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

What do we make of that?