The Pearl of Great Price
Matthew
Chapter 13 verses 44-52
Jesus used the idea of finding a pearl "of great price"
as an illustration for The
Kingdom of Heaven .
I found this screen saver at Cheltenham
and Gloucester
and converted to an animated Gif.
Matthew,
writing for Jews, used the phrase Kingdom of Heaven rather than
Kingdom
of God since, by tradition, Jews do not write the name God.
The Kingdom is not a place but a recognition of God's sovereignty,
a discipleship and one so important, so superior that it is worth giving
up everything else for it. That is straighforwardly acceptable to modern
thought, but Jesus speaks also of those who belong to the Evil One.
And for some reason that is not a very acceptable idea. Modern preachers
are keen to blame trouble and suffering on human sin rather than the devil.
But Jesus does not associate sinners with those who belong to the
Devil but those who cause others to sin. (verse 41). It is they,
who as the harvest hymn says will be gathered up and burnt:
Give
His angels charge at last, in the fire the tares to cast.