Parables of Jesus – On the Kingdom of Heaven

Bible Passage:  Matt 13:24-52, 9:16-17; Mk 2:21-22, 4:26-32; Lk 5:36-39, 13:18-21

We have been reading about many parables of the Kingdom of Heaven in last week’s reading and today’s reading.  We read about the Parable of the Soils, which concerned the condition of the human heart.

In today’s passage, we read about another seven parables concerning the Kingdom of Heaven.  I will not go through them as most of them are quite familiar, but I would like to ask you the same question Jesus asked His disciples towards the end of this chapter …

“Have you understood these things?” (v.51).

The disciples readily answered “Yes, Lord.” (v.51)

Wow!  The disciples were certain that they understood the meaning of the parables.  And perhaps they were certain that they could act according to the teachings as expounded by Jesus.

Are we like them?  We have followed Jesus for some time – we attend services regularly and we know all about the teachings of Jesus.  But do we truly understand them?

In answer to His disciples, Jesus told them the last parable in Matt 13 (an oft neglected one)….

“Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.” (Matt 13:52)

The message of the kingdom of Heaven has been declared to us.  And we who hear about this are compared to scribes here.  The role of a scribe is to faithfully copy and record down the word of God.  And in this case, we are not just scribes who copy and print, but scribes who are instructed concerning the kingdom of God.

Now, not all scribes in the Bible are bad (we tend to think that because of the New Testament scribes).  In the Old Testament, there is a scribe by the name of Ezra and he is my role model.  I have mentioned in the past that one of my favourite verses is Ezra 7:10:

“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.”

Basically – Ezra said, “I will first study the word of God, then I will do it.  Finally only after I have actually put the word of God into action, will I teach it.”

This is very much like what Jesus is saying here when He now compares a faithful scribe to that of a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.

The treasure is the Word of God.  And the old things are the foundational truths and basic doctrines that we have learned in church.  And when we apply these teachings into our lives, we basically gain new insight, new appreciation and even new application to the Word of God.  And these new things can also edify, encourage and empower all Christians.

So when we have learned the word of God for ourselves and put it into practice, we can now be this “scribe” that also instruct others on the matters concerning the kingdom of heaven.

The question for us today is this:  are we this faithful scribe?  Can we be this scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven?

We need many of such scribes today.  Are you willing to be one?