The parables are not over. Here comes a final one and it is only one sentence.
“Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked. “Yes,” they replied. He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” (Matthew 13 v 51-52)
They understood his parables (needed some explaining but they got there in a fashion) so they replied ‘Yes’. He didn’t disagree. He then calls them scribes, teachers of the law. This is quite surprising for the teachers of the law were the enemies of Jesus. What is he saying?
Maybe it is this: discipleship involves being able to use Scripture to help others; discipleship is the ability to understand and apply new discoveries as well as drawing out the old ones too; discipleship is making disciples.
The new discovery for the disciples was and still is Jesus. The old was their Jewish history which was not to be discarded.
Jesus seems to be saying:
- Keep on balancing the old with the new. Don’t let go of the old for there is life still there but do embrace the new.
- Keep on learning. Keep digging into the storeroom of the Bible, of the Spirit, of your experiences.
- Keep on sharing. This is not so you can store up for yourself. These discoveries are for telling others in whatever way you can. The whole house was blessed.
Missions Paul 