“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.” Matthew 13:52
My Summary & Reflection
In this parable, Jesus calls the disciples scribes that are being instructed about the kingdom of heaven. In this way, Jesus lets them know that he shared these parables about the nature of the kingdom so that they would write them down and share them with others. These stories then, are like treasures that can be brought out and shared.
As written by the disciples, there are twelve parables that describe the nature of the kingdom of heaven. These parables paint a picture of heaven as not just a place, but as:
- An ingredient that makes everything it touches rise. – Leaven in the Meal
- A man who sowed good seeds into his field, that must then be separated at harvest from the weeds that had been sown by his enemy. – Separating the Tares from the Wheat
- A treasure hidden in a field, that when found, a man sold all that he had in order to buy that field. – Treasure in a Field
- A merchant who found a pearl of great price and sold all that he had in order to buy that pearl. – A Merchant with One Pearl of Great Price
- A king who forgave his servant a great debt, until that same servant refused to forgive a debt owed to him. – A King Forgiving Debts
- A net cast into the sea from which the good from the bad are separated. – A Net Cast into the Sea
- A man who hired workers for his vineyards who paid each the promised same, regardless of the time worked. – A Householder Hiring Workers
- A man who left his goods under the charge of servants, rewarding those who were bold and productive and punishing one that fearfully hid what had been placed under his supervision. – A Man Distributing Talents
- A king who is rejected by the invited guests to a wedding for his son, so he opens up the wedding so that all are now welcome. – A King Hosts a Wedding for His Son
- Ten young women, five of whom were prepared to meet the bridegroom and five who arrived unprepared and were not allowed entry. – Ten Virgins
- A man who casts seed into the ground and harvests the fruit thereof in due time. – A Man Casting Seed into the Ground
- A grain of mustard seed, that is the smallest of all seeds, but from which a giant tree grows providing shelter for the birds of the air. – A Grain of Mustard Seed
Your Reflection
- Now that these parables are a part of your treasure, with whom will you share them?
- How does understanding the nature of the kingdom of heaven, change what you do?