The Scribe’s Treasure
In talking about the Kingdom of God, Jesus compared a Kingdom-trained scribe to a master of a house that took from his treasure what was old and what was new, (Mat. 13.52). The scribes, of Jesus’ day, spent much of their time citing venerated rabbis in their teaching of the Scriptures in the synagogues. They knew how to draw from the Torah and back it up with the commentaries of the Talmud, yet they could not grasp the Truth of the New Covenant that Jesus taught. He called them the blind that were leading the blind. They could not see the forest for the trees. The new was before them, but they were only looking to the past.
One day my father was sitting in our living room where I have my library and without anything else to do he began to count the books on my shelf. When I returned home he asked me if I knew how many books I had. I responded that I had no idea. He answered: You have 2655 books. Those books represent 8 years of higher education, and 38 years of ministry. They are the tools of my trade. Other than these books I have over 20 binders of sermon outlines, and seminar materials that I have compiled over the years. These are my “old” that I draw from time and again, yet when I sit down to prepare a sermon or write a book, I need the “new” revelation that comes from the Holy Spirit.
There are two words in the Greek language in referring to the Word of God; Logos and Rhema. Logos speaks of the general or complete revelation of God. Jesus is the personification, or rather incarnation, of this word, Logos, (John 1.1). Rhema is more specific. It is the spoken Word. It is the Logos, (old), breathed on by the Holy Spirit, which brings revelation knowledge to our understanding. Faith comes from hearing the Rhema of God, (Rom. 10.17). Information puffs up, but revelation builds up. The God who spoke in times past through the prophets is now speaking through His Son, (Heb.1.1).
Jesus’ parable points to the New Covenant that he came to establish, through the shedding of his blood on the cross. He was saying that He did not come to abolish the previous covenant, but to fulfill it. We are not to throw out the old, just because we now have the new, but we are to treasure all the commandments, promises, precepts and teachings. If we had an old pair of shoes that were worn beyond repair, I am sure we would want to throw them away. But, if we had some old gold coins or some dusty and tarnished, precious jewels, we wouldn’t discard them so easily. Some things just don’t lose their value with age. The Holy Spirit takes the old truths and enlightens them in new forms and illustrations. He shows how the old points to the new and how they fit together, rather than contradict.
We need to remember what God has said and done in the past. We are to guard them in our hearts. It is from what we have guarded in our hearts that springs forth what is new. The Holy Spirit was sent to lead us into all truth. As we devote ourselves to the study of the Word of God, we will receive revelation and wisdom for our daily lives. Jesus said that a good person out of his good treasure brings forth what is good, (Mat. 12.35). What have you stored up? What are you storing up now?
Scriptures to meditate on:
Mat. 13.52; 12.35; Joshua 1.1-8; Psalm 119:14, 72, 127, 162; Prov. 4.23