The Gospel Of Matthew Chapter 13 Part 12 Parable Of A Good Scribe

We are coming to the end of chapter thirteen of Matthew's gospel.

We studied seven parables of Jesus in this chapter.'

They compare heavenly realities with earthly things so that we can better grasp these truths from Jesus.

Jesus' teachings are clear and easily understood even by our children or grandchildren.

The Parable of the good householder who brings forth old and new treasures to share with others.

Matthew 13:51-52  Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. 52  Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. 

Jesus asked His disciples "Have ye understood all these things?" because He loved them and knew they needed to fully understand His teaching to prepare them for apostolic ministry.

Jesus' concern to make sure they understood reminds us that Divine truths must not be lightly passed over.  

Our Lord’s question shows His parables address matters of the utmost weight and importance. 

Thus, we should be read them again and again, until we thoroughly understand.

It is the will of Christ, that all those who read and hear the Word should understand it because this is good for us.

Understanding Jesus' parables is letting His Word dwell in our heart richly.

Colossians 3:16-17  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. 

It is therefore good for us, when we have read or heard the word, to examine ourselves, or to be examined, whether we have understood it or not. 

This connects with what the Spirit of God said about letting the word of Christ dwell in our heart richly.

Letting the "word of Christ dwell in us richly" refers to gospel as the word of Christ, which has come to us. 

It is not enough that this Word has come to us. 

It must dwell in us not as a servant in a family, who is under another's control, but as a master, who has a right to direct all things under his roof. 

We must take our instructions and directions from it, because the Word of Christ is our soul's portion of meat and strength.

It is a powerful source of grace and comfort, in due season as we need, and we receive it as from the Master of our household. 

The Word of Christ must dwell in us,  always ready permeate and guide our steps with heaven's sweet influence. 

We must be well acquainted with it, and know it for our good. 

Many have the Word of Christ dwelling in them, but it doesn't always dwell in them richly. 

Our soul prospers when the word of God dwells in us richly, when the reservoir of our heart is full of the scriptures and the grace of Christ. 

Our LORD is willing and stands ready to help us learn His Word and to guide our steps.

Psalm 25:4-5  Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. 5  Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. 

Like He did for His disciples, Christ invites us to seek Him for instruction.

God gave us His Word so that we might know Him, so that we might understand spiritual realities and seek Him each day.

Jesus will always answer this prayer of the Psalmist when we pray it.

We can ask the LORD to show us His ways, to teach us His paths, to lead us in His truth and to teach us.

This is what Jesus meant by asking His disciples if they understood all of His teaching.

A good scribe is well trained in the scriptures and ready to reveal treasure from God's Word.

Matthew 13:51-52  Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. 52  Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. 

The right understanding of one good sermon, will very much help us to understand another good sermon for good truths mutually explain and illustrate each another. 

Jesus Christ is ready to encourage willing learners in His school, though they are weak so that we can grow and He tell us one day "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

Since His disciples had a clear understanding of Jesus' parables, they were equipped to preach the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven to others. 

Jesus stirred them up by giving the Parable of the Good Householder to show them how to exercise their gifts and cheerfully share their knowledge with others.

The words "Every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven" refer to those who are acquainted with the gospel truth. 

We have observed that Jesus encountered many bad scribes who propagated Judaism instead of scripture truth.

He is comparing His disciples with good scribes who do what God wanted them to do, teaching His people the Word.

A good scribe is "instructed" in the things of God and in His scriptures.

The Greek word translated "instructed" is also the root of our word "mathematics." 

Learning math means mastering the basics like addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division before moving on to things like the order of operations and rules for fractions.

I took college Algebra as an adult student and did well by mastering the basics, learning the rules and using that knowledge to solve various equations.

Thus, the word "instructed" means an ideal scribe has been well taught in an orderly manner the things of God, such that he has mastered the material and is prepared to teach others.

This is how Christ's disciples were to going be used of God.

They walked with Jesus and learned from their Master for 3 1/2 years, which prepared them for apostolic ministry.

Since His disciples indicated that they understood the truths taught by Jesus, they were not to be slack concerning their gospel knowledge. 

Jesus wanted them to bring it forth in due time, like a householder bringing out of his treasury, or place of deposit, what had been laid up there at any time, as it was needed.

What does this householder do? 

He brings forth out of his Masters supply treasures of new things and old things.

He is responsible to distribute these treasures to his Master's family.

This certainly pictures the apostolic ministry recorded for us in the book of Acts and their epistles. 

It also anticipates pastoral ministry in local churches that continues on today in each church.

Gospel preaching was central in the early church and should be central in each church today, although in many places gospel preaching has been marginalized or watered down.

The words "bringing forth" come from a strong verb connected with casting, throwing or expelling something with strong force.

Thus, the good householder's work is to bring forth his Master's treasure to share with others in the family.

Like an ideal scribe, a good householder's work connects with Jesus' parables about sowing gospel seed, planting wheat in a field, finding treasure hidden in a field, and finding a pearl of great value.

A preacher whose mind is filled with Divine truth will prepare his preaching for the circumstances and state of his hearers. 

One who preaches the same sermon to every congregation, proves that though he may be a good speaker, he is not is instructed in the kingdom of heaven.

The Word of God will meet our needs in all circumstances of life. 

Our needs are diverse and our circumstances are always changing as we make our pilgrimage through this life.

Yet, the eternal scriptures of God will speak to us at all stages of life, and in all circumstances we face. 

This is why a good scribe brings forth treasures from the scripture both old and new.

What are the treasures that he brings out to share with others?

It must be Jesus Christ, for He is the treasure in a field and the valuable pearl of great price.

Therefore, Jesus is that treasure to be brought out and shared with all members of the Master's family.

Again, this pictures a pastor preaching to his church family or parents teaching the gospel to their children.

It has been said that the Old Testament truth is fully revealed in the New Testament and this is very true.

This is why the gospels constantly tell us about Old Testament prophecies literally fulfilled during the life and ministry of Christ.

This is why there are more than fourteen hundred direct quotes or allusions to the Old Testament contained in the New Testament scriptures. 

It has also been said that the New Testament is concealed within the Old Testament scriptures and this too, is very true.

Each part of the Tabernacle and all the ceremonies of the law picture for us some aspect of the ministry of Christ or of His person.

Therefore, the good scribe brings out treasure from the Old Testament that contain types or pictures that foreshadow or point to Christ. 

He also brings out treasure from the New Testament that reveals Christ in His full glory that was hidden in the Old Testament.

Ezra was a model scribe and priest and Jesus compared His disciples to good scribes.

Ezra 7:6  This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him. 

Ezra 7:10-11  For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. 11  Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel. 

Notice what scripture says about Ezra the scribe.

He was a "ready scribe" meaning he devoted his time and energy into the study of God's Word. 

He knew that the Jews returning to Jerusalem from Babylon would need to hear from God's Word.

Ezra was a priest and a scribe whose duty was to teach the scriptures to the Jewish people.

Without the Word of God flowing into our heart, soul and mind, we will be walking in darkness.

Ezra knew this and he prepared himself for a robust teaching ministry.

The example of Ezra as a ready scribe teaching others the Word of God as a model for us.

Nehemiah 8:1-6  And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel. 2  And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. 3  And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. 4  And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5  And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: 6  And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 

This text is a look into that wonderful day when Ezra stood on a pulpit to preach and teach the Word of God to the Jewish people.

Ezra preached the Word for about 4 hours that day as the people stood and listened with attentiveness.

It was a day of rejoicing and worship and singing and praising God because His Word was clearly communicated.

This is the pattern for gospel ministry that Jesus gave to His disciples.

What does this mean for us?

Pastors must preach from all the Bible, using the Old Testament types to show Christ hidden in those beautiful pictures.

He must also preach the New Testament fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies in the words, works and Person of Jesus Christ.

One cannot rightly understand the Old Testament without looking back through the lens of the New Testament.

One cannot rightly understand the New Testament without having the foundation of the Old Testament in their minds.

As this year draws to a close, let us resolve to vigorously study the whole Bible, so that we gain a fuller and more complete grasp of all that God has done, is presently doing and has promised to do in the future.

Let us be ready scribes who teach others about Jesus and His mighty salvation.

Let us be a householder and share treasures of Christ from the scriptures with our family.

Bob