Matthew 13:51-52 ESV “Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes.” And He said to them, “Therefore, every scribe who has been trained for the Kingdom of Heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
Jesus had just finished teaching on the Kingdom of Heaven using a series of parables. Each parable illuminated a different aspect of God’s kingdom. Then Jesus asks His disciples if they now understood what the Kingdom of Heaven is like and they confirm that they do.
The truth is, they really didn’t, but they would. The Kingdom of Heaven cannot be understood by human reasoning. It takes the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. In due time, these men would be filled with the Holy Spirit and then they would understand what Jesus had been teaching them.
The disciples were basically blue collar workers but Jesus called them scribes. Scribes were highly training religious scholars. Well, the disciples were learning from God incarnate and later would have the Spirit of God indwelling them, reminding them of what Jesus told them, and interpreting the Old Testament scriptures in light of Jesus’ revelation.
When we study the Bible, we too are learning from directly from God. If one is a Christian, then the Holy Spirit is there bringing God’s Word to life. When we read the Bible we are reading ancient words that hold timeless truth. When we listen to the Holy Spirit we have the author of the book explaining how those ancient manuscripts hold the answers for modern issues and personal trials. We are exactly like the master of a house that has both old and new treasures.
Almighty God, Your word is true. It is a firm foundation on which we can build upon. Thank you for the Holy Spirit who counsels us intimately on how your word is as alive and meaningful to us as it was for the original audience.