Matthew 13:46

Matthew 13:46. One pearl of great price. Christ Himself, not religion; when this pearl becomes ours, we have true religion. The seeker finds and obtains the pearl in its purity. No mention is made of joy in this case, since this is more characteristic of those who make the discovery without seeking. This parable has a historical application to the present age of investigation and discovery. True science seeks goodly pearls, and leads to the discovery of the one pearl of great price. The pride of science is hostile to all truth, hence sometimes the ‘merchant' is too well contented with the ‘goodly pearls' already found, to look for the one pearl of great price. The two parables refer to two different classes of persons; yet both make a discovery, both strive to make the treasure their own at every cost. The seeker is perhaps the superior character, and obtains the superior treasure. We may hope for a purer Christianity as the result of intense and earnest investigation; yet the whole discourse shows that side by side with this we must expect an intense and earnest search in the interest of Satan's kingdom.