The Pearl

sheep
The “Pearl of Great Price” is one of the parables given by Jesus. What does it have to do with a present? This article will attempt to give a study on the idea of the “Approach Present” that God established in scriptures. Perhaps you will then understand a bit more about that “Pearl of Great Price.” The “person” in the parable was said to have sold ALL that he had in order to purchase that Pearl. What a huge price to pay!
In the book of Genesis, Jacob (whose name means something like a thief or a clutcher,) brought a huge amount of items, an “approach present,” to his brother Esau, almost 60 years after stealing his birthright away from Esau. He had met God, and wrestled with him all night long, through an “angel,” and now Jacob wanted to appeal to his brother in the best possible way to win back his favor. He brought almost a 1/4 million dollars’ worth of livestock, etc. by today’s standards to his brother Esau. It cost him a whole lot.
Solomon had all kinds of kings bring him “approach presents”. …very expensive gifts, too!
Jesus, soon after his birth, had the Magi bring him gifts of “Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh, all 3 prescribed in the Old Testament scriptures. The Magi wanted to impress and be friends with this new “King of the Jews.” These were “approach presents.” …very costly by the standards of those days!
Now if we look closer at the verse in Ephesians 2:8, it takes on even more powerful meaning when we realize that the “gift” of this verse is an “approach present” from God, seeking to win our favor.
“For it is in grace, (an undeserved favor) though faith, that you are saved (made a whole person, saved from perishing), and this is not out of you; it is God’s Approach Present. (Concordant Version with my comments inserted.)
This idea is so powerful to me… that God would collect the most extravagent gift collection ever (His only begotten Son) and then seek and seek and seek and seek the “little lost sheep” that has gone astray…. until he finds it and give that gift freely to that lost sheep. “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” We/You are His treasure… His Joy! And he gave the best he had to give, his only begotten Son! He served us!
We are his Pearl of Great Price. So, who was it that was seeking for the Pearl? … Us or God?