The Parables about the
Treasure and the Pearl
MATTHEW 13:44-46
44. Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is the same-as a box filled with riches, buried in the ground. A man finds the box, and then hides and buried that again. That man is happy! He sells everything he has and buys that ground.
45. The kingdom of heaven is the same-as a man buying and selling.
46. That man searches-for beautiful PEARLS. Happens he finds one expensive perfect PEARL, he sells everything he has and buys that PEARL.
Meaning #1: |
Here Jesus told two different stories --
One story is about a box filled with riches.
The other story is about beautiful PEARL.
Two different stories?
No, they are really the same story.
Really simple.
Real short.
"What happened next?"
"Why didn't Jesus finish the stories?"
No. That's all.
Again Jesus makes us scratch-our-heads
trying to figure out what those stories mean,
because Jesus didn't explain.
So, what do you think?
[Here is the most common interpretation for these parables. Meaning #1...]
When we read these stories, we get the feeling that Jesus is telling us something that we should do. So that means...
One story is about a box filled with riches.
The other story is about beautiful PEARL.
Two different stories?
No, they are really the same story.
Really simple.
Real short.
"What happened next?"
"Why didn't Jesus finish the stories?"
No. That's all.
Again Jesus makes us scratch-our-heads
trying to figure out what those stories mean,
because Jesus didn't explain.
So, what do you think?
[Here is the most common interpretation for these parables. Meaning #1...]
When we read these stories, we get the feeling that Jesus is telling us something that we should do. So that means...
The Man = us (people)
Ok, that's easy. So...
The Treasure & the Pearl = ??
What does Jesus want us to seek and cherish more than anything else?
[Here are some of the suggestions that Christ/Deaf members offered.]
[Here are some of the suggestions that Christ/Deaf members offered.]
The Treasure & the Pearl = Jesus
Salvation
Heaven
The Gospel
A relationship with Jesus
Salvation
Heaven
The Gospel
A relationship with Jesus
Ok, that's easy.
Now here is the hard one:
Now here is the hard one:
The Price = ??
What does it cost us to have Jesus?
or Salvation? or Heaven? etc.
[Suggestions from Christ/Deaf members:]
or Salvation? or Heaven? etc.
[Suggestions from Christ/Deaf members:]
The Price = Repent (give up our sin)
Our soul
All things
Our soul
All things
The man in the story sold everything he had so he could get the treasure or the pearl.
Remember the First Commandment:
Remember the First Commandment:
"You must not have any other gods -- only Me."
Our "god" is that thing that is most important to us,
the thing we cherish more than all others.
Jesus warned us about that. He said,
the thing we cherish more than all others.
Jesus warned us about that. He said,
"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me
that person is not worthy of me.
Anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me
that person is not worthy of me.
And anyone who does not pick up his cross and follow Me
that person is not worthy of Me.
If anyone finds his life, he will lose it.
If anyone loses his life because of Me, he will find it." (Matthew 10:37-39)
Again and again, the Bible teaches us that we must not let anything interfere [bother, interrupt] with our connection with Christ Jesus.
Same-as Abraham,
Same-as the man in our stories,
we cannot hold back anything from Christ.
Now, this is how most Christians interpret these stories.
But we have a little problem.
In our stories, the first man did not have the treasure
until he paid for the field.
And the second man did not have the pearl
until he paid for it.
If Jesus is the treasure and the pearl,
what can we "pay" so we can have Him?
What can we pay so we can have salvation?
NOTHING! Right!
So let's start again...
Same-as Abraham,
Same-as the man in our stories,
we cannot hold back anything from Christ.
Now, this is how most Christians interpret these stories.
But we have a little problem.
In our stories, the first man did not have the treasure
until he paid for the field.
And the second man did not have the pearl
until he paid for it.
If Jesus is the treasure and the pearl,
what can we "pay" so we can have Him?
What can we pay so we can have salvation?
NOTHING! Right!
So let's start again...
Meaning #2
The Man = Jesus
The Treasure/Pearl = US
The Price = ?
The Man = Jesus
The Treasure/Pearl = US
The Price = ?
Yes, YOU are the precious pearl.
YOU are that treasure hiding in dirt.
Jesus sought you.
And when He found you,
He gave all that He had --
He left His peaceful home in heaven,
He came to earth and lived as one of us,
He suffered and died.
He gave His life.
YOU are that treasure hiding in dirt.
Jesus sought you.
And when He found you,
He gave all that He had --
He left His peaceful home in heaven,
He came to earth and lived as one of us,
He suffered and died.
He gave His life.
You know HE made you free from the old worthless life that you had before. God didn't use gold or money; those things melt-away. HE bought [buy] you, paying the expensive gift of the blood of Christ, the same-as the blood from a clean perfect lamb. (1 Peter 1:18-19)
Meaning #2
The Man = Jesus
The Treasure/Pearl = US
The Price = Jesus' suffering and death on the cross
The Man = Jesus
The Treasure/Pearl = US
The Price = Jesus' suffering and death on the cross
So, now we have two opposite explanations for these stories.
Which one is right?
I will make a dangerous guess...
If Jesus appeared here and we could ask Him
which of these two meanings is right,
#1... [the man = people, pearl = Jesus]
Or #2... [the man = Jesus, pearl = us]
I am guessing that His answer will be: "Yes."
meaning: They are both right.
And notice which one happens first? #2.
Really, #2 makes #1 possible.
First Christ found us and saved us (#2).
Now we can and should surrender all to Him (#1).
Which one is right?
I will make a dangerous guess...
If Jesus appeared here and we could ask Him
which of these two meanings is right,
#1... [the man = people, pearl = Jesus]
Or #2... [the man = Jesus, pearl = us]
I am guessing that His answer will be: "Yes."
meaning: They are both right.
And notice which one happens first? #2.
Really, #2 makes #1 possible.
First Christ found us and saved us (#2).
Now we can and should surrender all to Him (#1).