Yesterday’s parable of the Treasure in the Field and today’s one-line story of The Pearl cut right across the
idea, fashionable in the ancient world as well as modern times, that the different religions, and the experiences they offer, are like a set of pearls which one could collect. There is only one great pearl, only one hoard of treasure, and everything else is worthless beside it. The pearl is the Gospel of the kingdom which Jesus announced and embodied. That is the startling new thing Jesus was saying. Without the kingdom, all you’ve got is the old thing, the same old story that half the world
believed then and still believes.
The parable of The Pearl differs from that of The Treasure in the Field in that the merchant
deliberately and intentionally seeks out and finds a pearl of great worth and then sells everything he owns to afford it. It echoes Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount, "Set your hearts on (God's) Kingdom first, and on God's saving justice, and all these other
things will be given you as well." (Matthew 6.33)
These two parables challenge us at two levels: understanding and action. Understanding
without action is sterile; action without understanding is exhausting and useless. It’s a simple fact: a fabulous hoard of treasure, yours for the taking – if you will spend all you have to buy the field where it’s hidden. It's like the biggest, finest, purest pearl that any jeweller ever imagined, and it's yours for the taking – if you are prepared to sell everything else, including all the other pearls you've ever owned, to purchase it.
How do you respond to Jesus' challenge in the Parable of the Pearl?
Is being a citizen in God's Kingdom truly your greatest treasure? What about membership in your local Christian church/community?
What are you prepared to give up, contribute or hold on lightly for joy?
Reflections by
Reginald Venter
