“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”
Matthew 13: 44-46 NIV
There is another argument or perspective that this scripture is referring to humans. In that argument, it is not Jesus or the word or the Kingdom of God that is the pearl of great price, but humans. And the rationale behind this is that the kingdom of God cannot be purchased. There is nothing in it or related to it that we humans can buy. Even if we give what we consider to be our “all”, it can never be commensurate.
God is the only one who could make such a purchase—and He did, when Jesus hung on the cross. There and then, God gave His all to buy what He considers His pearl of great price. It is not just believers who are being referred to, but humans in general. This is because Jesus’ sacrifice was not for a group of people alone; it was open for all, free for all, and for all (Rom. 5:8). Only that some people choose to disregard it and hence are unable to partake of it.
Like a pearl, our souls have value—not because of what we are on our own, but because of what God was willing to give for us. It is Jesus who really placed the worth on it. The sacrifice He made to purchase our souls back from the devil gives it more worth. And at that moment when He made that sacrifice, it was God giving us His “all”. He came in the flesh and gave up Himself just to have us.
Jesus was evidence of how much God values us, so He was careful to remind us of this regularly. In Matthew 6:25-34, He tells us to look at the birds of the air who have no care in the world and are yet taken care of. He then tells us that we are worth much more than they are. He tells us not to worry about anything because if God can take care of birds, which are in comparison worthless, how much more us?
In Luke 12:6-7, Jesus tells us that even the very hairs on our heads are numbered. He holds us so dearly that even the number of hairs on our heads—something we never think about—is known to Him.
The parable makes us understand that this transaction was not necessarily a matter of worth, but of the finder’s joy (Matt. 13:44). Zephaniah 3:17 tells us He rejoices over us with singing. Psalm 149:4 says God takes pleasure in His people. John 3:16 reminds us how great God’s love for us is. Oh, can’t you see how much value God puts on you?!
I can confirm this through the Bible, which tells us time and again that God loves us and is constantly reaching out to us. He cares so deeply about us that He came in flesh to save us—not through any prophet or a messenger— He did the work by Himself.
As beautiful as this interpretation is, it still points us back to devotion and honor toward God. If we mean this much to Him, then the only possible way to pay it forward is to hold Him with as much esteem. If God so freely gives us Himself, seeing us as that precious to Him, then we also ought to live our lives to honor Him.
For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
1 Corinthians 6:20 NKJV
Moreover, as good as it is to remind ourselves of how precious we are to God, we must remember that ultimately, it is Jesus Christ who has put value on us by His sacrifice. He gives us our worth. Your soul is so expensive now. It took Jesus’s precious blood to redeem it. It took God’s “everything” to buy it back (Matt. 13:44). He gave you worth. Please don’t forget this and don’t give yourself freely to the devil. Don’t even give yourself to him for any price, because nothing he offers can ever match the worth of the blood that bought you.
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