22. The Kingdom Parables – The Sixth – The Pearl Of Greatest Price – Part 2 Of 4 Series

22. The Kingdom Parables – The Sixth – The Pearl of Greatest Price – Part 2 of 4

This most interesting Parable, most misunderstood, is a delight to study because of the deep truth that comes from it. In Part 1 we saw that the Merchant Man is Jesus Christ who gave up all He had (and ALL that was perfection). He left it behind to suffer on the cross so that now the Church is being formed, person by person, (just like the formation of a pearl, layer upon layer. The Pearl of greatest price is Christ’s Church, bone of His bone.

When the time is ready, that Pearl will be lifted from the sea of humanity in the Rapture to be forever with the Lord, its perfection shining and glowing with the brilliance of Christ.

This Part follows right on from the previous Part. In Part 2 we do a lot of summary points I hope you find interesting.

[D]. THE FLAWLESS CHURCH AS VIEWED BY CHRIST. The most precious, physical pearl on earth is a beautiful unity. Its composition is flawless, perfect, one complete unity with all its constituent molecules combined in perfect harmony. This is how Christ sees the Church, His chosen ones for whom He died. And this is why I am so strong at times on the recognition of the whole Body, and do not like sectarianism. I say, let us try to see the Church as Christ sees it, and try to appreciate each member as a perfect part of a one-day flawless Church (though the Lord sees it as flawless and perfect now, because of His sanctifying work).

{{Ephesians 5:25-27 “Husbands, love your wives, just as CHRIST ALSO LOVED THE CHURCH AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR HER, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that HE MIGHT PRESENT TO HIMSELF THE CHURCH in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and blameless.” Ephesians 5:29-30 “for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body.”}}

[E]. THE PEARL/CHURCH REFLECTS CHRIST’S GLORY. A pearl shines with a wonderful lustre, a brilliance that is a reflected glory. That is what the Church will do for Christ. It will shine His glory, reflect His attributes, tell of the greatness of the One who created it.

[F]. THE CHURCH IS CLOSE TO CHRIST’S HEART. Pearls are most often associated with strings around the neck thus placing the pearl close to the heart. That is where the Church is for Christ - close to His heart. His comparable love is supreme. 2 Thessalonians 3:5 “May the Lord direct your hearts into THE LOVE OF GOD and into the steadfastness of Christ.”}} {{Romans 8:39 “nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”}}

[4]. THE WONDERFUL POEM BY EPHRAIM OF SYRIA

In closing our thoughts on the Pearl, I want to take a small fragment from a very long poem by one of the great writers of the church who lived 306 – 373 AD. He was Ephraim of Syria who was the great poet and hymn writer of the church. He wrote over 3 million lines. Sadly much has been lost. In one of his poems called “The Pearl”, a long poem, he gives an understanding of what was understood THEN about the pearl. What is certain is that he does NOT believe the pearl means salvation. Neither did the Church back then. Ephraim sees the Pearl and Church together.

THE PEARL: SEVEN HYMNS ON THE FAITH

On a certain day a pearl did I take up, my brethren;

I saw in it mysteries pertaining to the Kingdom;

Semblances and types of the Majesty;

It became a fountain, and I drank out of it, mysteries of the Son.

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I put it, my brethren, upon the palm of my hand,

That I might examine it:

I went to look at it on one side,

And it proved faces on all sides.

I found out that the Son was incomprehensible,

Since He is wholly Light.

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In its brightness I beheld the Bright One Who cannot be clouded,

And in its purity a great mystery,

Even the Body of Our Lord which is well-refined:

In its undividedness I saw the Truth

Which is undivided.

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It was so that I saw there its pure conception,

THE CHURCH, AND THE SON WITHIN HER.

The cloud was the likeness of her that bore Him,

And her type the heaven,

Since there shone forth from her His gracious Shining.