Matthew 13:52

Every scribe. [Things New and Old, Matt. 13:52. On parables see pp. 203-207.] The “scribes” were not secretaries, but the official teachers of the law (see p. 55). Here Christ does not refer to the professional scribes, or teachers, of His day, but to the disciples in their role of teachers or “apostles” (see on Mark 3:14). “Every scribe” here means every man or woman who takes part in opening the treasures of God’s Word to others. Christ here deals, not with the ability of the Twelve to understand “all these things” (Matt. 13:51), but with their ability to pass them on to others.

Which is instructed. Literally, “which has been made a disciple,” in the sense of having received a thorough training in the things a disciple should know and understand. The professional scribes of Christ’s day knew the letter of the law of Moses, but they knew nothing of its spirit. This distinction Christ set forth in the Sermon on the Mount, particularly in ch. 5:17-48 (see on ch. 5:17, 20, 21). Christianity is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets” (Eph. 2:20), which includes all that was revealed to the prophets of old and all that Christ revealed personally to His disciples (see Heb. 1:1,2).

Kingdom of heaven. See on chs. 3:2; 4:17; 5:2.

An householder. Gr. oikodespotes, that is, “lord of the house” (see on Luke 2:29). Here the disciples are referred to as possessors of the “treasures” of the gospel. They have been entrusted with these things, and God expects them to bring forth what is needed when it is needed. In a special sense every Christian teacher is the “householder” of the parable (see COL 131).

His treasure. That is, his treasure chest, or his storeroom (see on ch. 2:11).

New and old. By the “old,” Christ refers to all the will of God as revealed “in time past unto the fathers by the prophets” (Heb. 1:1; see on Deut. 31:9; Prov. 3:1). By the “new,” He refers to His own teachings (see Heb. 1:2; see on Mark 2:22; 7:1-13).

It is important to note that neither upon this occasion nor at any other time did Jesus depreciate the value of the OT Scriptures or even suggest that in the future they were to have less force (see on Matt. 5:17, 18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39). The OT is not invalidated by the NT, but amplified and given new life. Both were inspired by Christ and both are full of truth for the sincere seeker. The OT reveals the Christ who was to come; the NT reveals the Christ who had come. The OT and the NT are not mutually exclusive and opposed to each other, as the archenemy of both has persuaded some Christians to believe; they are complementary.