Q&A Part II

Question #1

What is the proper interpretation of the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price? I came across two views – 1. Pearl is Christ and we are the merchant man and we must give all whatever we have to follow Him. 2. Christ is the Merchant Man and the church is the pearl, Christ bought us with the cost of His blood.

Answer #1

The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price is found in Matthew 13:45-46. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

The context provides us with some points that help us understand the parable:

  1. Jesus had just taught and explained the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23). This parable deals with various responses to hearing God’s Word. There is only one acceptable way of hearing God’s Word – a hearing that results in obedience and a transformed life which bears much fruit to Christ. This is the type of hearing that all Christians should possess.

  2. Jesus also taught and explained the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares (Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43). There are only two groups of people on the Day of Judgment – the children of the devil and the children of the kingdom of heaven. They will be separated at the end of the world. The parable ends with the contrasting ends of the two groups of people. The children of the devil will end up in the furnace of fire, while the children of the kingdom of heaven (i.e., the righteous) shall shine forth in their Father’s kingdom.

  3. Lastly, Jesus taught the Parable of the Hidden Treasure just before the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price. These two parables are meant to be considered together. An object of magnificent value came into the hands of an individual. That individual recognised the priceless value of the object and subsequently took steps to make sure that the object was his.

Putting all these together, we see that the parable deals with the priceless value of the kingdom of heaven. Those who recognise the value of the kingdom of heaven will do all it takes to possess the kingdom. Such will be the response of those who are born again (i.e. those who are the children of the kingdom, those who are the wheat in contrast to the tares). They value Christ and His Word and will do all it takes to follow Him.

Question #2

Does the parable of the mustard seed typify the growth of Christendom and the entrance of demonic influence into the professing church (ie fowls of the air typify Satan and his demons)? What about the parable of the leaven hidden in the dough (ie leaven = sin, false doctrine puffs up the church)?

Answer #2

Parable of the Mustard Seed – “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.” (Matthew 13:31-32)

Parable of the Leaven – “Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.”

These two parables follow the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares (Matthew 13:24-30). In that parable, the field represents the world (see Christ’s explanation in Matthew 13:38). Thus, the field in the Parable of the Mustard Seed represents the world too.

The parable deals with the influence of the Gospel and the growth of the local church witness in the world. It starts small, like the size of a typical mustard seed (about 1-2mm in diameter). However, after some time the plant grows to be a tree of up to 6m tall, becoming the tallest of plants in the planter’s field. The tree will have sufficient room for the fowls of the air to find lodging. So will be the case of the growth of the gospel witness as depicted in the Book of Acts. The local church witness began at Pentecost in Jerusalem and soon spread to Judea, Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth (c.f. Acts 1:8). Jews, Samaritans and all manner of Gentiles found salvation in Christ from that time since the worldwide proclamation of the gospel, and were ushered into the kingdom of heaven.

There are two major views concerning the Parable of the Leaven. The first view takes the leaven to refer to sin or false doctrine. However, this view does not fit the immediate context, for it would make Christ teach that the kingdom of heaven is one which is filled with sin. It is the kingdom of Satan that is filled with sin and not the kingdom of heaven.

The right way to understand the Parable of Leaven is to understand the leaven as the influence of the gospel, just like in the case of the mustard seed in the previous parable. The way the gospel works is just like leaven which is used to cause flour to rise. How the leaven works is often invisible to the naked eye, but with time we witness the marvellous transformation caused by the leaven. So is the case of the working of the gospel which may seem invisible to men, but with time we see the global reach of the gospel with many souls added to the kingdom of heaven. The principle of the parables is this – while believers and unbelievers may co-exist in the world, the progress of the gospel will be unhindered. The gospel work may start small, and may appear invisible for a time, but the growth will be sure and marvellous. There is nothing anyone can do to stop the progress of the gospel.

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EVANGELISING FOR THE LORD

We thank God for the 19 brethren who participated in last week’s church evangelism session. They came from all the fellowship groups – Ebenezer, Shomerim, ABS and the FEBC Students. As we evangelised, we drew strength to know that the Lord is with us, and how our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ were also labouring for the gospel. Many hands made the work light, and we soon found a spring in the steps as we handed out the church tracts and the VBS handbills.

A few of the residents were brethren from Holy Grace Presbyterian Church. One elderly lady confessed that she was so encouraged to see us evangelising the area. From this, I learnt one lesson – that evangelism can also provoke other Christians to press on in the Great Commission.

Why not come and join us next month as we seek to sow the gospel seed?

Yours affectionately,
Pastor Clement Chew