Matthew 13:45-58
Matthew 13:45. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” Here we get Christ again; this time as a merchantman seeking goodly pearls. His discernment and taste for what is beautiful, is gratified in this one pearl.
Here He has found what gratifies His heart, and He is willing (it is of such attraction to Him) to sell all to possess it. He can estimate its value, He buys IT alone.
What a wonderful thing for the Father to show Him His bride, in His purposes, away back in eternity, before anything was created. And then to see this unchanging love carrying it all out. Thus “Christ loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish, (Eph. 5:25-27). In His eyes it is a pearl of great price; a thing for His affections to center upon. Of beauty and value, He found it„ and looking upon it with delight and love, went and sold all that He had to have it. And what joy it will be to Him when He claims it to His heart, as His bride, adorned for her husband. His heavenly bride, the object of His affections, the companion of His glory. What blessedness it brings to us, to think He loves us so much. What a contrast with Israel’s blessing. He will reign over them; we shall reign with Him.
Matthew 13:47. In the next parable we see that the fishermen had cast a net into the sea. All the fish in the sea did not come into the net, but it gathered of every kind; and when it was full, they drew to shore and sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. Here the spiritual mind is to see that God is gathering out of this world; it is not improving the bad, but it is gathering together the good into companies, leaving the bad on the shore. It is what the spiritual mind sees the Lord occupied with, and therefore what true, intelligent, spiritual, service will be doing. There will be judgment upon the bad, but it is not the fishermen, but the angels who carry that out.
Matthew 13:49. leads us to that. So shall it be at the end of the age: the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just. The wicked are taken away; the just are left, as in Matthew 13:41. These wicked are cast into the furnace of fire, and again the blessed Lord repeats it. “There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth,” as if to warn precious souls to flee now to Christ the Savior. “The just” on earth at this time are those converted during the interval between the Lord’s coming for His saints, and His coming, as Son of Man, with His saints, to take the kingdom by power. They were faithful to Him during the tribulation, and endured to the end, and so are brought into the reign of Christ, but are on earth; not like us, for we will be with Him in heaven: we shall reign with Him.
Matthew 13:51-52. These parables present the kingdom expected by the Jews as taught in prophecy, but in such a new way, that every scribe instructed in these truths, is like a householder that brings forth of his treasure, things new and old.
Matthew 13:53-58. The Lord then leaves His teaching with them, and departs, and coming to His own country, He resumes His teaching, but they see Him only as the son of Joseph, and refuse Him as a prophet, as before they had rejected Him as King. Their unbelief hinders them from receiving the blessing He had for them. Such is man: such were we by nature.
Faith, too, that trusts the blood, through grace,
From that same love we gain;
Else, sweetly as it suits our case,
The gift had been in vain.