Early Christian Beliefs About The Pearl of Great Price
Early Christian writers treated the pearl of great price as a picture of the kingdom, eternal life, or Christ himself. Origen and Cyprian read Matthew 13:45-46 as a call to give up everything for what is far better. Clement of Alexandria also used the pearl as a name for Jesus the Word. The strongest evidence is for Matthew’s parable and for a symbolic reading, not for a separate doctrine about the phrase.
90 early-church witnesses · 174 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about the Pearl of Great Price?
Early Christian writings do use the pearl of great price as a real teaching image, but they do not give one single fixed meaning. Origen and Cyprian connect Matthew 13:45-46 to the costly choice of the kingdom, eternal life, and the knowledge of Christ, while Clement of Alexandria also treats the pearl as a picture of Jesus the Word. Tatian preserves the Gospel saying itself, and several writers repeat the same passage to stress that the kingdom is worth everything.
The evidence is broad for Matthew’s parable and for a symbolic reading, but thin for any later, specialized doctrine tied to the phrase itself. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Matthew 13:45-46 was read as a call to give up everything for God’s kingdom.
- Origen linked the pearl to Christ and the knowledge of Christ.
- Clement of Alexandria called Jesus the pearl and the Word of God.
- The early writers agree on the value of the pearl image, but not on one single meaning.
Questions Answered by the Sources
What did early Christians think the pearl of great price meant?
Early Christian writers most often explain the pearl of great price as a figure for the kingdom of heaven, Christ, eternal life, or the knowledge of Christ. They stress that it is so valuable that the seeker gives up everything else to obtain it.
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Origen, Commentary on Matthew Direct teaching
...g these points from discussions about stones, I say that the Savior, knowing the difference between pearls, some naturally beautiful and others worthless, said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for beautiful pearls," Matthew 13:45. For if some pearls were not worthless, it would not have been said, "looking for beautiful pearls." Now among all kinds of words that claim to announce the truth, and among those who speak them, he seeks pearls. And let the prophets be, so to speak, the mussels that receive the dew of heaven and become pregnant with the word of truth from heaven, which is the beautiful pearls that, according to the expression used here, the merchant seeks. And the chief pearl, by finding which the rest are found with it, is the pearl of very great value: the Christ of God, the Word, who is greater than the precious letters and thoughts in the Law and the Prophets. When this pearl is found, all the rest are also easily taken. And the Savior speaks with all the disciples as merchants who are not only seeking the beautiful pearls, but have found them and possess them, when He says, "Do not cast your pearls before swine," Matthew 7:6. Now it is clear that
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Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness
.... When it comes, it does away with what is in part, when a person is able to receive the surpassing value of the knowledge of Christ, Philippians 3:8, having first been trained, so to speak, in those forms of knowledge that are surpassed by the knowledge of Christ. But the crowd, not seeing the beauty of the many pearls of the law, and all the knowledge of the prophets, partial though it is, suppose that they can find the one precious pearl in its fullness, and see the surpassing value of the knowledge of Christ, without a clear explanation and understanding of these things. Compared with this knowledge, all the things that came before such great knowledge, although they were not refuse by nature, appear to be refuse. This refuse is perhaps the dung thrown beside the fig tree by the keeper of the vineyard, which causes it to bear fruit, Luke 13:8.
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Origen, Commentary on Matthew Background
7. The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price. The Formation and Difference of Pearls.
Did early Christians teach that you must give up everything for the pearl?
Several sources explicitly say the merchant sold all he had to buy the pearl, and Cyprian applies that to buying eternal life at the price of Christ’s blood. The emphasis is on the incomparable value of the kingdom and the need to leave lesser goods behind.
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Origen, Commentary on Matthew Direct teaching
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls. Matthew 13:45. There are many merchants engaged in many kinds of trade. But the kingdom of heaven is not like any one of these, but only like the one who is seeking fine pearls and has found one equal in value to many, a very costly pearl, which he bought in place of many. So then, I think it is reasonable to make some inquiry into the nature of the pearl. Be careful, however, to note that Christ did not say, "He sold all the pearls that he had." For he sold not only those pearls which one seeking fine pearls had bought, but also everything that he had, in order to buy that fine pearl. We find, then, in those who write on the subject of stones, that some pearls are found on land, and some in the sea. The land pearls are produced only among the Indians, and are suited for signet rings and collets and necklaces. And the sea pearls, which are superior, are found among the same Indians, the best being produced in the Red Sea. The next best pearls are those taken from the sea at Britain. And those of the third quality, which are inferior not only to the first but also to the second, are those found at Bosp
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Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness
Matthew 13:45 There are many merchants engaged in many forms of merchandise, but not to any one of these is the kingdom of heaven like, but only to him who is seeking goodly pearls, and has found one equal in value to many, a very costly pearl which he has bought in place of many.
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Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness
Again the kingdom of heaven is like a man that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls.
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Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
And when he found a precious pearl, he went away and sold all that he had, and bought it. Matthew 13:45-46
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Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
He says: The kingdom of heaven is like a merchantman seeking goodly pearls.
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Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
...s that a merchant of heavenly grace, and one who gains eternal salvation, ought to buy the precious pearl—that is, eternal life—at the price of Christ's blood, using his inheritance, and giving up all his wealth for it. He says: "The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls. And when he found one precious pearl, he went away and sold all that he had, and bought it." Matthew 13:45-46
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Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
and come and follow me. Matthew 19:21 Moreover, in another place He says that a merchant of the heavenly grace, and a gainer of eternal salvation, ought to purchase the precious pearl — that is, eternal life — at the price of the blood of Christ, from the amount of his patrimony, parting with all his wealth for it.
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Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
But how great is the Lord's mercy! How great is His humility and the fullness of His goodness toward us, since He has wanted us to pray before God in such a way that we call God Father, and call ourselves sons of God, just as Christ is the Son of God—a name that none of us would dare to use in prayer unless He Himself had allowed us to pray this way. Therefore, beloved brothers, we ought to remember and know that when we call God Father, we ought to act as God's children, so that as we take pleasure in thinking of God as a Father, He also may be pleased with us. Let us live as temples of God, so that it may be clear that God dwells in us. Let not our actions fall away from the Spirit, so that we who have begun to be heavenly and spiritual may think and do nothing except what is spiritual and heavenly, since the Lord God Himself has said, "Those who honor Me I will honor, and he who despises Me shall be despised." 1 Samuel 2:30 The blessed apostle also has said in his letter, "You are not your own, for you were bought with a great price. Glorify and bear God in your body." 1 Corinthians 6:20
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Arnobius, Against the Heathen Background
...their altars. For first, it is not fitting to believe that the power of the gods and the surpassing greatness of the heavenly beings keeps its favors for sale, receiving a price first and then granting them. Then, what is far more improper, they would help no one unless they first received what was demanded, and they would allow the most miserable people to suffer whatever dangers come upon them, though they could keep those dangers away and bring help. Suppose that of two men who are offering sacrifice, one is a scoundrel and rich, while the other has little money but is worthy of praise for his honesty and goodness. If the first kills a hundred oxen and just as many ewes with their little lambs, while the poor man burns a little incense and a small piece of some fragrant substance, would it not follow that, if the gods give nothing unless rewards are first offered, they will give their favor to the rich man and turn their eyes away from the poor man, whose gifts were limited not by his attitude, but by the lack of his means? For where the giver is open to payment and greedy for gain, favor must be granted according to the size of the gift by which it is bought. A favorable jud
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Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Background
...t he may buy it for a small price, or will he tell him, so that he may buy it at a high price? It clearly seems foolish to choose to buy it at a high price. By this he wanted it to be understood both that the man who is just and good is foolish, and that the man who is wise is wicked. And yet, he said, it may perhaps happen, without ruin, that men are content with poverty. So he moved on to greater matters, in which no one could be just without danger to his life. For he said: it is certainly justice not to put a man to death and not to take another man’s property. What, then, will the just man do if he suffers shipwreck and someone weaker than he is has taken hold of a plank? Will he not push that man off the plank so that he himself may get on it and, supported by it, escape—especially since there is no witness in the middle of the sea? If he is wise, he will do so, for he must die unless he acts in this way. But if he chooses rather to die than to use violence against another, then in this case he is just, but foolish, because he does not spare his own life while he spares the life of another. In the same way, if the army of his own people has been routed, and the enemy has b
Did early Christians connect the pearl with wisdom?
The Bible cards supply the main background for the theme that wisdom is worth more than pearls. Early Christian writers then use that value language to explain why the seeker gives everything for the pearl of the kingdom.
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Clement of Alexandria, Fragments Direct teaching
Matthew 13:46. Jesus is a pearl, clear and of the purest brightness, whom the Virgin bore from the lightning flash of Divinity. For just as the pearl, formed in flesh and in the oyster shell and moisture, seems to be a moist and transparent body, full of light and spirit, so also God the Word (Logos), made flesh, is intellectual light, sending out His rays through a body that is luminous and moist.
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Clement of Alexandria, Fragments Direct teaching
Matt. xiii. 46. A pearl, and that pellucid and of purest ray, is Jesus, whom of the lightning flash of Divinity the Virgin bore.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness
And the highly valued pearl has spread into women's private rooms to an excessive degree. It is produced in a kind of oyster, like mussels, and it is about the size of the eye of a large fish. And these miserable people are not ashamed that they have taken such great pains over this little oyster, when they could adorn themselves with the sacred jewel, the Word of God, whom Scripture somewhere calls a pearl: the pure and clear Jesus, the eye that watches in the flesh, the transparent Word, by whom the flesh, regenerated by water, becomes precious. For that oyster in the water covers the flesh all around, and out of it the pearl is produced.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness
And the wretched creatures are not ashamed at having bestowed the greatest pains about this little oyster, when they might adorn themselves with the sacred jewel, the Word of God, whom the Scripture has somewhere called a pearl, the pure and pellucid Jesus, the eye that watches in the flesh — the transparent Word, by whom the flesh, regenerated by water, becomes precious.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness
The precious stone, or pearl, or emerald, points out the Word Himself.
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Methodius, Oration Concerning Simeon and Anna Supporting witness
...eturn to you again. You are the beginning of our feast; you are its middle and its end. You are the pearl of great price that belongs to the kingdom. You are the richness of every sacrifice, the living altar of the bread of life. Hail, treasure of the love of God. Hail, fountain of the Son's love for man. Hail, overshadowing mountain of the Holy Spirit. You shone, sweet mother who gives gifts, with the light of the sun. You shone with the unbearable fires of a most fervent love, bringing forth at the end what was conceived in you before the beginning, making known the hidden and unspeakable mystery, the invisible Son of the Father, the Prince of Peace, who in a marvelous way showed Himself to be less than all littleness. Therefore we pray to you, most excellent among women, who glory in the confidence of your honors as a mother, that you would keep us continually in remembrance. O holy mother of God, remember us, I say, who glory in you, and who with solemn hymns celebrate your memory, which will always live and never fade away. And also, O honored and venerable Simeon, earliest host of our holy religion and teacher of the resurrection of the faithful, be our patron and advocate
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Methodius, Oration Concerning Simeon and Anna Supporting witness
the pearl of great price that belongs to the kingdom;
Common Questions
What did early Christians think the pearl of great price meant?
They usually treated it as a picture of the kingdom of heaven, eternal life, or Christ himself.
Did early Christians use Matthew 13:45-46 literally or symbolically?
They used it symbolically, as a lesson about the great value of God’s kingdom and the need to give up lesser things.
Did any early Christian writer call Jesus the pearl?
Yes. Clement of Alexandria described Jesus as the pearl and the Word of God.
Source Index for the Pearl of Great Price
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 160 ranked source links from 174 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 160 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 90
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
Bible Passages 80 shown of 84
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.