It’s quite a leap to go from being a pearl to being an earthen vessel, a common clay jar. But here again, it’s simply metaphor.

“We are like common clay jars that carry this glorious treasure [the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, vs.6] within, so that the extraordinary overflow of power will be seen as God’s, not ours.” (2 Cor. 4:7)

Although formed from the dust of the earth, Holy Spirit treasurized us with an overflowing brilliance of living water that gives us the power to model the life of Jesus. With such spiritual treasure within us, the vessel receives transformation to pull it off. “We consider living to mean that we are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake so that the life of Jesus will be revealed through our humanity.”

Dying to the earthen vessel (self) brings me to life in him (being a pearl). To embrace his life, seeing the treasure that he is and making him mine gives me access to redemption’s treasure.