Verses 45-46: the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price AT 13:45-46{in the Previous Parable, the Treasure Found Has All Individual Vessels of God's Mercy in View. in This One Though, the Kingdom of Heaven Is Compared to Just One Thing, a Single Pearl of Great Price. ("Many Members, yet but One Body" [1 Cor. 12:20.]) a Certain Merchantman Is Looking for Goodly Pearls; and When He Finds This One, Its Beauty Is Such That It Ravishes His Heart. He Goes and Sells All He Has, in Order to Buy It for Himself

There is no field here, no world, but just the pearl. (Note, however, that a pearl is harvested from the seas, typical, as we have already seen, of the restless nations of the Gentiles.) Even before the foundation of the world, the assembly was in the eternal counsel of God and will continue when there is no longer any world left at all. (See Eph. 1:4; 5:25-7; and Rev. 21:2.) There is nothing more precious to the heart of Christ than His assembly, which is His body. In heaven and throughout all the ages of eternity, His bride will hold the nearest place to Him. There will be the earthly redeemed; but while near, they will not share the closeness that will be hers. What is more, even in heaven, there will be various families of angelic beings and redeemed souls; and while they will all enjoy His presence, none of them will enjoy the nearness that she will enjoy.