Mother-of-pearl, also known as nacre, is an iridescent substance forming the inner layer of the shell of some mollusks, such as oysters and abalones. It has been highly valued throughout history for its beauty and luster, often used in jewelry, decoration, and inlay work. In biblical times, mother-of-pearl was considered a precious material, akin to other valuable substances like gold and precious stones.

Biblical References and Symbolism

While the Bible does not explicitly mention mother-of-pearl, it does refer to pearls, which are closely related. Pearls are formed within the same mollusks that produce mother-of-pearl, and both share similar aesthetic qualities. In the ancient world, pearls were symbols of wealth, beauty, and rarity, and they were often associated with wisdom and divine truth.

In the New Testament, Jesus uses the imagery of pearls in His parables to convey the value of the Kingdom of Heaven. In Matthew 13:45-46 , Jesus says, "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he found one very precious pearl, he went away and sold all he had and bought it." This parable highlights the incomparable worth of the Kingdom of Heaven, suggesting that it is worth sacrificing everything to obtain.

The Book of Revelation also uses pearl imagery to describe the New Jerusalem. Revelation 21:21 states, "And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, as pure as transparent glass." Here, pearls symbolize the beauty and perfection of the heavenly city, emphasizing its divine origin and the glory of God's eternal kingdom.

Cultural and Historical Context

In the ancient Near East, mother-of-pearl was used in various decorative arts. Archaeological findings have uncovered mother-of-pearl inlays in furniture, musical instruments, and other artifacts from ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. The Israelites, during their time in Egypt and later interactions with surrounding cultures, would have been familiar with the use of mother-of-pearl in art and decoration.

The high value placed on mother-of-pearl and pearls in biblical times is reflected in their use as metaphors for spiritual truths. The rarity and beauty of these materials made them fitting symbols for the preciousness of divine wisdom and the eternal value of God's kingdom.

Theological Implications

From a theological perspective, the use of pearl imagery in Scripture serves to remind believers of the surpassing worth of spiritual treasures over earthly possessions. Just as mother-of-pearl and pearls were sought after for their beauty and rarity, so too should believers seek the eternal truths and promises found in God's Word. The imagery encourages Christians to prioritize their spiritual inheritance and to recognize the transformative power of God's kingdom in their lives.

In summary, while mother-of-pearl itself is not directly mentioned in the Bible, its close association with pearls provides rich symbolic meaning within the biblical narrative. The beauty and value of mother-of-pearl serve as a metaphor for the divine truths and eternal promises that are central to the Christian faith.(n.) The hard pearly internal layer of several kinds of shells, esp. of pearl oysters, river mussels, and the abalone shells; nacre. See Pearl.1858. dar -- perhaps pearl or mother-of-pearl
... 1857, 1858. dar. 1859 . perhaps pearl or mother-of-pearl. Transliteration:
dar Phonetic Spelling: (dar) Short Definition: mother-of-pearl. ...
/hebrew/1858.htm - 6k

Extraordinary Coincidence
... the rock in these natural vaults glitters as bright and ruddy as gold; part is a
fine sky-blue; part green; part enameled, exactly like mother-of-pearl; and a ...
/.../wesley/the journal of john wesley/extraordinary coincidence.htm

The Pearl.
... Pliny saith, Shell fish is the wonderful geniture of a pearl congealed into a
diaphanous stone, and the shell is called the mother of pearl. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/arnot/the parables of our lord/vi the pearl.htm

The Next Night Diamond was Seated by his Open Window...
... he began to see that the sky was very lovely, with mottled clouds all about the
moon, on which she threw faint colours like those of mother-of-pearl, or an opal ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 37 the next night.htm

The Death of the Blessed virgin Mary at Ephesus
... Lamps were burning above the altar. On the altar had been placed a vessel in the
shape of a cross made of a substance lustrous with mother-of-pearl. ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/xviii the death of the.htm

The Transformation of Rome from a Pagan into a Christian City.
... They believed that the glutinous substance by which the layer of marble or
mother-of-pearl was kept fast was an excellent remedy against the ague; hence every ...
/.../lanciani/pagan and christian rome/chapter i the transformation of.htm

Alexandria and Rome - the Jewish Communities in the Capitals of ...
... [265] It included gold-dust, ivory, and mother-of-pearl from the interior of Africa,
spices from Arabia, pearls from the Gulf of Persia, precious stones and ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter v alexandria and rome.htm

The Immaculate Conception
... I asked what the colored edges of these dew eddies portended, and was given as an
explanation the example of the mother-of-pearl shells in the sea which also ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/ii the immaculate conception.htm

Literary Expressions
... All the place is peopled with sweet airs. All the sky was mother-of-pearl and tender.
All the unknown of the night and of the universe was pressing upon him. ...
/.../kleiser/fifteen thousand useful phrases/section vii literary expressions.htm

The Nile and Egypt
... and bracelets. The bracelets were made of elephant ivory, mother-of-pearl,
or even flint, very cleverly perforated. The necklaces ...
/.../chapter i the nile and egypt.htm

The First Theban Empire
... Tau: these the Egyptian merchant-vessels used as victualling stations, and took
away as cargo the products of the country"mother-of-pearl, amethysts, emeralds ...
/.../chapter iiithe first theban empire.htm

Mother-of-pearl (1 Occurrence)
Mother-of-pearl. Mother-in-law, Mother-of-pearl. Mothers . Noah Webster's
Dictionary ... See Pearl. Multi-Version Concordance Mother-of-pearl (1 Occurrence). ...
/m/mother-of-pearl.htm - 7k

Pearl (5 Occurrences)
... Its shell is the "motherofpearl," which is of great value for ornamental purposes
(1 Timothy 2:9; Revelation 17:4). Each shell contains eight or ten pearls ...
/p/pearl.htm - 10k

Mother-in-law (16 Occurrences)
Mother-in-law. Motherinlaw, Mother-in-law. Mother-of-pearl . ... (WEB JPS ASV BBE
DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Motherinlaw, Mother-in-law. Mother-of-pearl . ...
/m/mother-in-law.htm - 11k

Mothers (27 Occurrences)

/m/mothers.htm - 14k

Ruby (5 Occurrences)
... The exact meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain. Some render it "red coral;" others,
"pearl" or "mother-of-pearl.". Noah Webster's Dictionary. ...
/r/ruby.htm - 9k

Smaragdus (1 Occurrence)
... purple on rings of silver, and pillars of marble, couches of gold, and of silver,
on a pavement of smaragdus, and white marble, and mother-of-pearl, and black ...
/s/smaragdus.htm - 6k

Colors (12 Occurrences)
... dazzling," is applied to asses (Judges 5:10); to human appearance (Songs 5:10);
to wool (Ezekiel 27:18); (c) dar, probably motherofpearl or alabaster (Esther ...
/c/colors.htm - 36k

Color (18 Occurrences)
... dazzling," is applied to asses (Judges 5:10); to human appearance (Songs 5:10);
to wool (Ezekiel 27:18); (c) dar, probably motherofpearl or alabaster (Esther ...
/c/color.htm - 39k

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