OUR FATHER WHOSE KINGDOM IS A PEARL OF GREAT PRICE TO THOSE WHO CAN DISCERN IT

After the rich young ruler had left having asked about eternal life and not getting the answer he wanted, Jesus in Matthew chapter 19 verses 23 - 30 commented on the difficulty of entering the kingdom of heaven when a person was wealthy in this world. He compared the attempt to bring a rich man into the kingdom of heaven with the effort needed to push a camel through the eye of the needle. 

Some people have suggested that the eye of a needle was a reference to a narrow gate in the city wall. The idea is that the narrow gate was like a turnstile through which people could enter the city one at a time with the cityˋs security officers being able to easily track who was accessing the city. This security gate, designed for human pedestrians in single file, would not be easily accessed by a larger creature like a camel but if it was going to be tried, the camel would have to be stripped of all its baggage and saddlery and be physically contorted before being squeezed through into the city

Whether the eye of the needle being referenced by Jesus was a narrow gate or the slot of an actual needle, the concept is that a rich man is often attached to many things that act as hinderances to entry into the kingdom of heaven. 

23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

25 When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”

26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

The disciples, having perhaps themselves perceived wealth as desirable to have, were taken aback at these words. If those who were rich and those who aspired to be rich were excluded from entry into the kingdom of heaven, who then remained as possible candidates?

The apostle Peter, realising that he and the other disciples were already were like the camels who had been stripped of their baggage when they gave up their careers and their family lives to follow Jesus, asked Him what they would be entitled to based on their sacrifice.

27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?”

 The Lord Jesus assured Peter and the other disciples that their sacrifices would not be in vain and in fact would be renumerated at a 10,000% interest rate.

At the event called the regeneration with Jesus on the throne of His glory, the disciples who followed Him would be ruling the twelve tribes of Israel alongside Him from their own thrones.

28 So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

The Lord, in His assurance, included all of the other people who gave up their lives and treasure to follow Him. 

What they gave up would be returned to them a hundred fold and they would inherit eternal life.

Sadly, had the rich young ruler surrendered his earthly wealth and followed Jesus, he would have been compensated for his exchange at a rate of 10,000% and he would have attained the eternal life he had been seeking all his life but he passed on the trade because he could not give up what he could see to gain what he could not see.

We can contrast the rich young ruler to the merchant described in the parable of the pearl of great price in Matthew chapter 13 verses 45 - 46.  In the case of the merchant, after discovering a pearl of extremely high value (representing the kingdom of heaven), he dissolved all his holdings in order to lay hold of the prize.

Amen.

8