Representing the PHILADELPHIA Period (Matthew 13:45, 46)

The sixth parable of this series corresponds to the Philadelphia period of Church history. Before seeing any Scriptural connections between the parable and Church, an examination of the parable will reveal much.

13:45. We have already remarked on similarities and differences between The Treasure and The Pearl parables. They are both connected to Jesus’ ransoming efforts. He sells “all that he has” and buys “the field” and “the pearl.” The Treasure in the field was mankind; and Jesus bought the field (the world, the dominion) with mankind in it. But here he buys only the pearl.

The man here is specified to be “a merchant.” In the former parable he was a “man” because the topic was the Ransom, and ransoming required a “man.” But in The Parable of The Pearl, we have a man specifically SEEKING a special commodity. This is not about the race of mankind; this is about a very select class. This is about Jesus’ seeking his Bride class — the Church.

The pearl, itself, is a gem perfected out of difficulty. Its smooth character was produced in order to overcome the extreme discomfort experienced by the oyster due to a scratchy grain of sand or pebble. The pearl is specific to this parable because the Church gains its character by overcoming trials.

The man is a merchant because his purchase in this parable is not so practical as in the preceding parable. As with all merchants, this one purchases because of BEAUTY and VALUE for a specific use. The Church is a purchased gift “FOR GOD” (Revelation 5:9). See also I Corinthians 6:20; Revelation 14:3, 4. These purchased ones (the twelve antitypical tribes of Israel) will form the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem in that their pearl-making efforts will form the standard for all who enter. (Revelation 21:21) All of mankind will find the need to consecrate themselves to righteousness in order to overcome the faults within them.

The “fine pearl” is the true Church. How is it connected to Philadelphia? In one sense, of course, it is the product of the entire age. But it is in Philadelphia that individual consecration, “justification by faith,” becomes the standard and the rallying cry for all true saints. It is during Philadelphia, when the early truth is restored, that the individual saint and his personal relationship to God supercedes any institutional religion. Philadelphia is called “Brotherly Love” because the true saints in this period began to have restored to them on a large scale the respect for the Christian walks of their brethren. This brings us to a second — a just-as-valid — interpretation of this parable.

The Second Interpretation

In this interpretation, the merchant becomes individual Christians seeking the fine gems of truth — pearls, because they are truths which have made beauty out of adversity and controversy. These truths have endured and formed beauty through trial of their validity.

The one “pearl of great value” is the faith-justification truth of the Philadelphia period — the INDIVIDUAL standing before, and acceptance by God — due to FAITH; the real doctrine of God’s grace so hidden in the rubbish of The Dark Ages. It is the opportunity to gain, through individual consecration, the great prize of joint-heirship with Jesus.

Thus the merchant (we) SELLS ALL HE HAS — he gives his all in total consecration — in order to possess this finest of all pearls — his individual relationship with God.

Both interpretations are true. Perhaps this is one of the great wonders of the Philadelphia period. The blossoming and proliferation of truths as Protestantism expanded allowed great insight into the depths of Scripture — the understanding that a single text could sometimes have multiple valid meanings. This was one of the hallmarks of the period.

Connections to Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Church is outlined in Revelation 3:7-13. While verses 7 and 8 might not seem connected to the parable, there is a connection. The “open door” has many implications. “The Time of the End” is a part of this Church, and Daniel was promised that the messages of his book would be revealed beginning at that point. Martin Luther learned with great joy, and trumpeted his findings from his understanding of Scripture, that the individual Christian stood before God justified by his faith. This was the great pearl — our consecrated sonship.

Under the sixth seal (Revelation 7:1-8) we have the great pearl again specified — the great truth that 144,000 will be in the Body of Christ.

Even in the description of the sixth trumpet (Revelation 9:13), we perceive the secret of the great pearl’s being linked to the “horns (power) of the golden altar” (our personal prayer-sacrifice relationship with God).

Also (Revelation 11:1, 2), the great pearl’s being found by the saints is symbolized by their being able rightly to measure consecration — to interpret it — and to ignore the “tare” condition of “the court.”