Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 13:45-46

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls: and having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it." — Matthew 13:45-46 (ASV)

Observe that in this instance the precious thing was not found by accident, but discovered after an intelligent search for it.

The first parable describes the ordinary man, to whom the Gospel comes when he is following his calling and is by no means earnest after spiritual things. He turns up a crock of gold while ploughing, and having enough sense to prefer gold to clods, he buys the field and the treasure.

In the present parable, the actor is not a ploughman, but a merchant, dealing in precious things. This man is a superior person, aware of the value of jewels, and seeking them as the business of his life.

He is a thoughtful, earnest individual, anxious after the best things. Therefore, he reads, he hears, he considers, and searches, just as a jeweler would do who is seeking goodly pearls.

He discovers the Gospel and rightly judges “the kingdom of heaven” to be the pearl of pearls, and therefore sacrifices everything else that he may have it in his own possession.

In both cases, all was sold to win the prize. So, in any case, however our conversion takes place, we must give up all for Christ—not by compulsion, but willingly.

It must be a pleasure for us to make sacrifices. Indeed, we must consider them to be no sacrifices, just as those two men were eager and anxious to sell all their property to get possession of the one treasure that would make them rich for life.