Matthew 13:51-52 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Teacher Uses New and Old

Matthew 13:51-52 – Teacher Uses New and Old

MT13:51 “Did you [disciples] understand everything?”[1] [The Disciples] answered, “Yes.” MT13:52 So Jesus told them, “Therefore, every teacher[2] who has become a student[3] of the Realm of Heaven can be compared to a person, like a householder,[4] who throws out[5] of his treasure-chest[6] new things and old things.”[7]

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[1] Understand everything: Or, KNX: have you grasped all this; NWT: comprehend.

Jean Miélot, a European author and scribe at work

[2] Teacher: The Greek is GRAMMATEUS and is generally rendered “scribe” though some rendered it: TCNT: Teacher; PME: every one who knows the Law. The scribe was considered a teacher as well as a student sometimes. Search the word scribe or scribes.

[3] Become a student: The Greek is MATHETEUTHEIS. Or, TCNT: received instruction; PME: becomes a disciple; NEB: a learner. The perfect teacher is one who is also a life-long student.

[4] Householder: Or, KNX: rich man; NOR: master of a house. See notes on Matthew 13:27.

[5] Throws out: The Greek is BALOUSIN and is also rendered: NJB: brings out. But, there seems more enthusiasm in the word.

[6] His treasure-chest: The treasure are his own goods, the things he has saved. Jesus has used the word “treasure” in relation to the heart. See the notes on treasure at Matthew 6:21 and Matthew 12:35. As a student or learner (a disciple of Christ) each of these apostles has had truths stored up from the Jewish religion – laws, principles, doctrines, prophecies. Now each ones has new truths and news ways of expressing these from the Master teacher, Jesus.

[7] New things and old things: The New Jerusalem Bible footnote here reads: “The Jewish teacher who becomes a disciple of Christ has at his disposal all the wealth of the Old Testament as well as its completion in the New.” William Barclay writes: “There is something suggestive here. For it means that Jesus never desired or intended that any man [or, woman – editor] should forget all he knew when he came to him; but that he should see his knowledge in a new light and use it in a new service.” (Page 90) No person embarking on discipleship to the Nazarene can refuse to “throw out” in personal witnessing to others truths old and new.

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Preceding

Matthew 2:1-6 – Astrologers and Priests in a Satanic Plot

Matthew 7:13-23 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Disciple #5 Matthew 7:28-29 – The Crowd’s Reaction

Matthew 8:18-22 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Two Would-be Followers

Matthew 12:38-42 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Signs in Jonah and the Queen of the South

Matthew 13 – Parables on Kingdom mysteries

Matthew 13:1-9 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable: the Soil and the Seed

Matthew 13:10-15 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Why Speak in Parables?

Matthew 13:16-17 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Happy Eyes and Ears

Matthew 13:18-23 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of the Seed and Soil

Matthew 13:24-30 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of the Field and the Harvest

Matthew 13:31-32 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of the Mustard Seed

Matthew 13:33 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of the Fermented Whole

Matthew 13:34-35 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Manner of Teaching Foretold

Matthew 13:36-43 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of the Zizania in the Field Explained

Matthew 13:44 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of the Treasure

Matthew 13:45-46 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of the Valuable Pearl

Matthew 13:47-50 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of the Dragnet

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Additional reading

1. Priest, scribes and others with authority
2. Looking for True Spirituality 4 Getting to Know the Mind of Christ

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Related

1. Ic eom Bocere….scribe: translation of scribe in Portuguese
2. scribe: translation of scribe in Spanish
3. #Scribe (Helping Visually Challenged in writing exams)- Srikanth, Deepa & Team
4. ScribesFocus on Scribes
5. We should all be writing
6. How to Decode an Ancient Roman’s Handwriting
7. In search of the last word
8. Building the Library
9. A Mouthpiece for Jesus
10. #Scribelife
11. A Scribe’s Life (1): William of Malmesbury
12. A Scribe’s Life (2): John of Worcester
13. Jesus asks the Pharisees a question (Mt 22:41-22:41)
14. The summon of praying scribes
15. The Danger in Disciple Making
16. Today’s Scripture – May 1, 2018
17. Whitened Tombs
18. The Disciples Understood
19. Don’t Be Leafy, Be Fruitful

Matthew 8:18-22 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Two Would-be Followers

Matthew 8:18-22 – Two Would-be Followers

|| Luke 9:57-60

MT8:18 But when Jesus observed the crowd surrounding him he commanded [his disciples] to leave for the other side of [Lake Galilee]. MT8:19 And a scribe[1] approached Jesus, and said: “I will follow you anywhere you go.” MT8:20 Jesus told him, “Foxes[2] have dens and birds of the sky roasts,[3] but the Son of Humankind[4] has nowhere[5] to lay his head.” MT8:21 Then a different one of the disciples[6] said to Jesus, “Sir, permit me first to go and bury my father.”[7] MT8:22 But, Jesus told him, “Be following me[8] and let the dead bury their own dead.”[9]

[1] Scribe: The Greek is GRAMMATEUS, a grammarian, writer or copyist. The word occurs about 75 times in the Bible, beginning with Judges 5:14 (Compare 1 Chronicles 2:55; Ezra 4:8, 9, 17, 23). The group occur in Matthew, 22; Mark, 21; Luke, 14; John, 1; Acts, 3; 1 Corinthians, 1. The scribe may be learning or educated. The Hebrew sopherim were very dedicated to the precise hand-copying of the Scriptures. They counted not only the words but also the letters of the entire Hebrew Bible. They were associated with teachers of the Law and particularly the sect of the Pharisees. They could be called “Rabbi.” We would suspect their fingers blackened from much use of pen and ink. The older scribes much hunched over from labors and the penmanship table.

[2] Foxes: The animal lives in burrows underground which may be substantial. They are mentioned nine times in the Bible.

[3] Roasts: Note not “nests” but temporary places to spend the night.

[4] Son of Humankind: The Greek is HUIOS TOU ANTHROPOU and is most often rendered “Son of man.” There are several words for “man” and so we prefer to widen this word to mean “human” which may or may not include women as in “humankind” according to the context. The phrase is taken directly from Daniel 7:13 which was understood by the Jewish teachers to refer to the Messiah or even the Son of God (Compare Philo Judaea). The designation occurs about 180 times and is applied to Daniel and Ezekiel, most often in the Hebrew Bible to the latter prophet. The title occurs in Matthew, 31; Mark, 14; Luke, 25; John, 13; Acts, 1 and rarely elsewhere.

[5] Nowhere: Jesus has no permanent residence but is like Paul, “homeless.” (1 Corinthians 4:11) It is interesting to note when we see Jesus next sleeping: in the fishing boat during the storm. He is often seen spending the night outdoors even up to his final week. Such a person today would be considered a homeless street-person and shunned by genteel Christians.

[6] A different one of the disciples: Possibly one other than the twelve. It is interesting to note that this “disciples” wishes to “follow” Jesus. One might assume that is what being a disciple meant. It is possible the account means by this that the disciple wanted to become part of Jesus personal entourage which followed him everywhere.

[7] Bury my father: Many understand this to mean the disciple wished to return to his living father and wait until his death and burial and thereafter begin his following Jesus.

[8] Following me: Jesus does not include him among his closest disciples but encourages the man to continue to follow on this course.

[9] Dead bury their own dead: Those who are spiritually dead as children of Adam and have not taken up Nazarene discipleship. There were others who could bear this burden leaving the man free to follow if he so chose. Discipleship, particularly apostleship, were serious matters worthy of total commitment by a man. It is possibly the reason women were not invited to make this sacrifice, given their obligations as mothers.

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Preceding

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:23-25 – Kingdom Preaching and Healing Draws Crowds

Matthew 8:1-4 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Jesus a Miracle-working Son of God

Matthew 8:5-13 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Servant of Army Officer Healed

Matthew 8:14-17 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Jesus Heals Peter’s Mother-in-law

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Additional reading

1. A call easy to understand
2. Discipleship to look at
3. Discipleship way of life on the narrow way to everlasting life
4. Breathing and growing with no heir
5. Fellowship
6. Salvation, trust and action in Jesus #3 as a Christian

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Further related

1. Matthew 8:18-22
2. Matthew 8:18-22 … burying the dead
3. The decision moment with Jesus (Matthew 8:18-22)
4. Following Jesus…
5. Discipleship
6. the cost of discipleship
7. The Cost of (Non) Discipleship
8. Discipleship is a Life-long Process
9. Discipleship Essentials
10. Diligence in discipleship
11. On Method Acting And The Call of Discipleship
12. The cost of discipleship, peace, and division
13. Beginning Discipleship From the Apostles and Elders
14. Deepen your Faith through Discipleship
15. Why (good) discipleship matters