Jesus set pearls of wisdom in parables; drawing from prevailing customs and beliefs the material for wonderfully picturesque illustrations of truth. As the abacus is placed in childish hands, that the first ideas of mathematics may be gained, Jesus placed before the infant (spiritual) understanding of his time the abacus of spiritual things, the parables, that through them some idea of absolute Science might be gained. Material, or mortal, mind must be instructed by object lessons appreciable to its sense of materiality.
In the parable of the pearl of great price is traced in outline the great lesson of the destruction of material selfhood.
"The kingdom of Heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls; who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it."
