“THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN”
Matthew 13:52

 I. Is Like Unto A Man Who Sowed Good Seed
II. Is Like To A Grain Of Mustard Seed
III. Is Like Unto Leaven
IV. Is Like Unto Treasure Hid In A Field
V. Is Like Unto A Merchant Man
VI. Is Like Unto A Net

 INTRODUCTION

• The reason for the introduction on this particular parable is to bring to mind how these parables are divided.
• The first three parables (The man who sowed good seed, Grain of mustard seed, and the Leaven) were given to the multitude of people.
• The last four (The treasure hid, merchant man, a net, a house holder) were given to His disciples away from the crowd.
• The first 6 parables are given explaining the role of the church, The Kingdom of heaven.
• The last parable (the householder) is aimed at the leaders of the church, preachers.

I. Is Like Unto A Man That Is A Householder

   A) Do You Understand?

• Note verse 51) Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
• Jesus is asking His disciples If they understood all the parables that He just spoke about. The man who sowed good seed, the grain of mustard seed, leaven, the treasure hid, a merchant man, and the net. This is the Kingdom of Heaven…do you understand?
• Well of course they aren’t going to let Jesus think that they don’t understand. We be men! We know it all!
• Over and over in scripture Christ asks the disciples and the Pharisees and scribes and etc… “Do you understand?” There was not one person who raised their hand and said… “Yes, it is me Lord, I don’t understand your parables.”
• Do you know what the meaning of the word “understand” is? To understand means to know the meaning of, to grasp or know what is meant by, to gather or assume from what you heard.
• Now I am going to give these disciples the benefit of the doubt, that they did understand most of what Christ was talking about because they lived it, it was their life (fishing with a net, leaven, treasure hid in the field, etc.).
• They knew what it was like to plant good seed, they knew about mustard seed, They were accustomed to leaven, They knew about hiding a treasure in the field, and they knew about merchant men, and then of course they knew about fishing with a net.
• But did they know how it was supposed to be applied to “The Kingdom Of Heaven?”
• The apostles were supposed to understand what they have been taught. WHY? Because they were to “..go into all the world and preach the gospel.”

B) Every Scribe Which Is Instructed

• Okay now… Let us go into verse 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.
• Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary explained verse 52 this way…
• Therefore – also interpreted as “Well, then”
• The word scribe in the Greek is translated..grammateús, which often refers to those who were regarded as expert interpreters and teachers of the Old Testament law and Jewish doctrine. So, Jesus  is saying here that, just as the Jewish people had their scribes, even so the Kingdom of Heaven will have its scribes.
• One very important truth you need to know…You cannot be a scribe until you are a disciple first. A disciple is one who follows Christ, continually follows Him and also who is learned of Him.
• ..every scribe – meaning Christian teacher, leader, pastor, preacher, evangelist.
• However, Matthew Henry’s Commentary said this about the word “scribe” … A skillful, faithful minister of the gospel, is a scribe, well versed in the things of the gospel, and able to teach them.
• which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven – who has learned through study and experience the mysteries of the Gospel which he must teach to others.
• I believe that it is vitally important for any preacher to be well instructed. He needs to have a good bible knowledge of the Old and New Testaments.

C) Like Unto A Man That Is An Householder

• “..is like unto a man that is an householder which bringeth forth” – bringing forth meaning “turneth” or “dealeth out, speaking what is needed to be spoken.”
• What is a “householder?” A person who oversees or supervises the affairs of his house. A homeowner, a pastor, a president, a King, Jesus Christ.
• In this verse Jesus is talking about the “scribes,” the leaders of His church.
• What did Jesus mean when he said that the householder “Bringeth forth?” He means… “brings out,” or makes it known, or preaches, teaches, etc.
• So what is it that the “householder” is “bringing forth?” God’s Truth!

• “out of his treasure” – his store of divine truth.
• Jamieson-Fausset-Brown said of “things new and old” — Old truths in ever new forms, aspects, applications, and with ever new illustrations.
• Barnes Notes said this about … “New and old”—Things lately acquired, or things that had been laid up for a long time. So, said Christ, you, my disciples, are to be.
• “his treasure” being… The truth, new or old, which he has gained, keep it not laid up and hid, but bring it forth, in due season and on proper occasions, to benefit others.
• The word treasure here is not talking about the treasure hid in the field which is Israel, but rather meaning something different. You must note that it says “his” treasure. This is possessive. This treasure belongs to the scribes.
• What is the scribe’s treasure? His bible knowledge, his experiences that God has allowed him to experience for the sake of the gospel and his teachings to influence the house of God (His people).
• God equips each person to do what He has “called” them to do. Just as Christ chose(called) his apostles, He also equipped them with the knowledge, desire, and skill to preach and teach to all nations. Mark 6:7…And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;
• It is also important to know that a preacher does not “call” himself a preacher. God does. Look at Hebrews 5:4..And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was 5) So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, today have I begotten thee.
• Men who preach should be able to understand the gospel, defend it, and communicate it to others.
• All learning that will enable a man to better understand the Bible and communicate its truths is valuable, and should, if possible, be gained.
• A minister should be like the father of a family—“feeding the flock of God” (Acts 20:28 and I Peter 5:2…Spiritually) to the church as it needs; and out of his knowledge and experiences bringing truth to confirm the feeble, to enlighten the ignorant, and to recover and guide those who are in danger of straying away.

D) Things New and Old

• Once again our text verse of Matthew 13:52…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 things old and new are the things that come out of “his treasure.”

• What was his treasure? The knowledge and experiences that he has gained over his past.
• What he now must bring to the table (to his preaching, and teaching) is the food (his knowledge gained and experiences) both old and new (history and present).
• We are not to negate the Old Testament truths but rather show where they are what set up the New Testament truths. Prophecy and examples of the New.
• The reason why God very rarely calls a man of God to do His work under the age of thirty is because they care nothing for “the old.” They are unlearned, and un experienced. They are a novice as Paul points out in I Timothy 3:5… (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 6Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.