Scribes of the Kingdom

Introduction

Jessica and I both love to visit museums of history. A few years ago, we went to the military museum in Ottawa and we saw the coat that General Brock was wearing when he was shot and killed at the Battle of Queenston Hights during the War of 1812. Here in Toronto there is a private museum which Jess took me to on my birthday a few years ago. It has the wreckage of the WW1 fighter plane whose pilot was known in German as Rote Kampfflieger, or in English, the Red Baron. He was the most dangerous fighter pilot of WW1, shooting down 80 allied planes before he himself was gunned down by a Canadian pilot.

But in these same museums, you quickly move from the relics of yesteryear to the modern advancements in technology. At the end of the military museum, you are soon no longer in the midst of muskets and artifacts from long ago, but are soon surrounded by advanced tanks, planes, and the military uniforms of the modern day.

A good and large museum like this tells a story, taking you back to a time which seems like a different world to us, and connecting the dots from age to age, era to era, until we arrive at where we are today.

Studying the Scriptures and growing in our faith and knowledge of Christ is very much the same. The Bible is a story, taking us back to the creation of the world by our powerful God, showing us the beautiful relationship between God and man which was destroyed by the fall, and the story of a nation called Israel through which the promise of redemption and eternal life would come to fruition in the appearance of Jesus Christ. Though reading many parts of the OT may seem as relevant as a musket from the War of 1812 is to modern warfare, this history and those relics are an important part of our story, and the OT Scriptures give us the context and significance of the coming of Christ. Just as the latest models of Tesla’s cars could not have been made without the historic production of the Model T Ford, the Gospel has nothing to stand on without the history of God’s redemptive plan in the OT.

As such, those who know the Gospel must know the full story of Scripture. A mechanic would be very unhelpful if he only knew how to work on newer vehicle models, and a scribe of the Kingdom, a representative of Christ, is extremely limited in their usefulness to Christ if they do not know the whole story of the Bible. Moreover, as a mechanic is useless if he knows the theory of fixing cars but has no experience actually doing those repairs, a believer is of little use for Christ’s Kingdom without the experience of living and growing in Christ.

Today we see an important perspective of the reality of what Christians are called to be. In short, believers are called to know the things of the Kingdom; we are the scholars of the things of God with knowledge both of theology and practice. In this way, we become the tools through which God makes himself known to the world. As the Apostle Peter says in 1 Peter 2:9

1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

“Have You Understood?”

Up to this point, Jesus has been teaching about the nature of the Kingdom of Heaven. This brings a logical progress to Jesus’ teachings in the book of Matthew. On the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told the people what a citizen of the Kingdom looks like, summarized by the eight Beatitudes and expounded on in terms of what these attitudes would produce in the life of members of the Kingdom: namely, holiness which stems from the heart. In these parables, Jesus has been teaching about the nature of the Kingdom of God itself, and the way in which it manifests itself in the world. In these parables, he has made these points:

Not everyone who hears of the Kingdom or even accepts the message of the Kingdom is truly part of it. Rather, it is those who are fruitful and endure that receive it.

The Kingdom does not come in immediate and outward display of power, but rather begins in lowliness and weakness to undermine the power of the world.

The Kingdom exists alongside those who are of the kingdom of darkness, and yet this is all in God plan and will be resolved in the end.

The Kingdom’s value will be seen by those whose eyes have been opened, and they will be willing to give up all in order to obtain it.

The Kingdom will show itself in a final day of judgement when the righteous ones inherit it while the wicked are destroyed.

It is not only that these points are understood intellectually, but they must be received with faith. Such a person who understands these with genuine belief and is willing to act on them is one who has understood what Jesus is saying.

Jesus’ question: “have you understood all these things?” Again, here Jesus is not speaking publicly to the crowds, but in the privacy of a house with his disciples (vs 36). Again, we are reminded of the twofold ministry of Jesus on earth: a ministry to the disciples and a ministry to the lost people of Israel. Jesus was both an evangelist and a mentor, spreading the Gospel to the lost and engaging in discipleship with his followers.

The Church, as Christ’s body, keeps these two ministries as well. A balance of the two is important. We should never become so outwardly focused that there is no means for believers to grow, and we must not become so focused on ourselves that we miss the vital work of evangelizing and missions. We see both these elements in the Great Commission, which tells us to “make disciples of all nations” by evangelism which leads to baptism, and by “teaching them to observe all that (Christ has) commanded (us).” If we were to summarize the mission of the Church in this age, it is these two important ministries, and all of us are called to participate in them in one way or another so we may be useful members of Christ in the ways he has gifted us.

The answer of the disciples is “yes”. There is a precious confident ignorance here, and Jesus does not discourage it. The disciples do not understand everything. There are still many things that they are in the dark in, otherwise they would not have been in so much doubt after Jesus’ death. In Acts 1:6, they ask Jesus if then, right after his resurrection, he would “restore the Kingdom to Israel”. This question shows a lingering ignorance in their understanding of the parable of the wheat and the weeds. Jesus simple reply there is Acts 1:7

Acts 1:7 ESV

He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.

Nevertheless, the disciples are not completely ignorant. This is leading up to 16:16 where Peter gives his confession of the Lord: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Is Peter’s understanding of that truth fully developed at this point in Jesus’ ministry? It’s perhaps still growing in his mind. Did Peter understand the full implications of his confession of Christ when he said that? Certainly not. And yet there is no discouragement of this confession. Jesus does not contradict them when they say, “yes, we do understand these things.” Jesus is very aware of their ignorance and lack of understanding. And yet, Jesus is uplifting and encouraging in this text, and in 16:16 when Peter makes his confession, Matt 16:17

Matthew 16:17 ESV

And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

To follow Christ, it is not necessary that you know about everything. In fact, it is not possible for you to have a full understanding of the Kingdom of God any more than a 7th grade science student knows everything about nuclear physics. There is growth, learning, discipline, and direction by the Spirit and the Word as we live our daily lives. You will, over and over again, come across biblical passages that previously made no sense to you and suddenly it becomes perfectly clear. You will have lessons the Spirit will teach you where you will come out of that season saying, “oh, that is what it means to have faith.” Yeah, you understood it in a basic sense before, but now it is so much clearer to you and to such a degree that its like you never understood it in the first place.

The disciples don’t have a full understanding of the significant truths in these parables, and neither do we. As we study them and continue to draw nearer to Christ by faith, the reality of these things grows. We see how they apply to us and to our world. Through the process of sanctification, living the Christian life in more and more holiness by faith, we see the mysteries of the Kingdom pieced together.

So, do not be discouraged if you feel like you cannot truthfully say that you do understand the things of the Kingdom fully. If you know that you are a sinner, deserving of nothing but God’s judgement. If you believe that God is a God of love and mercy, and in mercy God took on human flesh, lived the sinless life you could never live, and died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sin. If you believe that the Father raised Jesus from the dead and that the Son is now seated with all authority in heaven and on earth. If you believe that anyone who places their faith in what Jesus did on the cross and the victory of the empty tomb and cries out to Christ Jesus for mercy will have it and be united to him and his Church forever, obtaining eternal life through his death, you may be saved! You can say, “yes, I do understand” along with the disciples, though with the humility to know that there’s so much more for you to learn in the Christian life. But you must become a disciple. You must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ with all your trust, though doubt may still linger. You must have a faith that turns you away from sin, submits you to the waters of baptism, and joins you to the church as you walk in loving obedience. Your faith is not perfect, nor is your knowledge. That is okay. The question is, are you willing to devote yourself to a life of seeing more and more of the reality of the Kingdom as you embrace Christ by faith until that faith becomes sight in the last day?

New and Old Treasures

Jesus then brings another, very short parable that should catch our interest. He gives us this parable after the disciples have affirmed that they do, at least to some extent, understand the points Jesus is making in his parables, and I summarized these points earlier.

This parable uses mixed metaphors, that is it mixes a metaphor of a scribe with the metaphor of a wealthy master whose house is filled with treasure.

First, Jesus talks about every ‘scribe’ who is trained for the kingdom of heaven. Ironically, Jesus did not have a good relationship with the scribes of his day, and here Jesus speaks of a different kind of scribe.

A scribe was someone who read and studied the law. They were the Bible scholars of the day, seeking to grow in their knowledge and understanding of the OT Scriptures and the various interpretations people had of them.

Here, Jesus speaks of his disciples, who claim to understand these things, as scribes trained for the kingdom of heaven. Although Jesus doesn’t elaborate, we can understand that Jesus expects careful study of his teachings. Jesus has not come as another rabbi to add more theories and interpretations, he has come as new revelation from God and a scribe of the Kingdom is one who has set themselves to carefully study the things Jesus has revealed, specifically here in his parables, but more broadly in all his teachings and the meaning of his life, death and resurrection.

RC Sproul wrote a book titled, “Everyone’s a Theologian.” Although I’ve never read it, I know that the title is right. Although not every Christian has the time or resources to learn Greek and Hebrew, or to dive into linguistics, textual analysis, grammatical and literary structures, or cultural studies related to deep study of the Scriptures, every Christian is called to be one who grows in their knowledge of the Kingdom, both by study of the Scriptures and through the experience of an active life of faith. Mature Christians turn into scribes of the Kingdom, learning more and more each day, not simply for the sake of learning and knowledge, but for the sake of understanding the Gospel in a deeper way for the sake of their own walk and to instruct those younger in the faith.

This knowledge that the scribe of the Kingdom obtains isn’t, however, so that they may hoard it in ivory towers of Christian intellectualism. No, it is to be shared and taught so that the ministry of Christ may continue to advance on the earth. Jesus now turns to the metaphor of the rich master whose house is filled with treasures. Some of these treasures are antiques, hundreds of years old which bring awe and wonder as a material proof of the living past. Others are newer, more advanced and less worn or decayed, showing the progress of human craftsmanship and the latest in innovation.

The “old” here represents the law and beyond that all the writing of the OT. The scribe of the Kingdom of Heaven does not toss out what is old simply because it is out of date, rather these relics are collected with a reverence because they came from God. But beyond that, the OT and the prophets tell the story of the gospel. They are the background of the coming of Christ, and to do away with the OT is like cutting out the first half of a book just because you like the ending better than the beginning. The whole story matters, and the OT is able to teach us of Christ in great ways, especially when we see the things therein interpreted and fulfilled in Christ.

Leon Morris writes:

The Gospel according to Matthew 9. The Householder, 13:51–52

the new teachings his followers are embracing do not do away with the old teachings (those in the Old Testament), but are the key to understanding them

Do not exclude the OT from your reading, study, and meditation. It is valuable so long as we use the NT to interpret it, since it is clear that Christ considered himself the fulfillment of all the OT Scriptures. Matt 5:17

Matthew 5:17 ESV

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

And yet, it is likely that Matthew puts the word order intentionally here, putting “things new” before “things old”. In the coming of Christ, we have the full light of what before was shown in types and shadows. In the NT, we understand that the serpent on the rod represented Christ on the cross, that whoever looks to him shall live despite the venom of sin. In the NT, we understand that the sacrifices of bulls and goats never took away sin, but rather pointed forward to a promise of the Lamb of God who would bring true atonement and salvation. In the NT, we understand how the Messiah could be both a conquering king and one who would suffer to take away our sins. Take care that you do not read the OT without considering how these things are fulfilled in Christ. Some mistakenly teach that we must continue to keep food laws, observe the Sabbath Day, or support an effort to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. These are all gross misunderstandings of what the OT was actually saying. You need what is bright to light up what is dark, we need the new to establish the old, we need Christ and the way he has revealed the gospel in the NT in order to understand what God was saying to Moses in the OT.

So the scribe of the Kingdom, that is, one who has heard the good news of the gospel, understands that what Jesus has brought to us in his life and teachings is mixture of both old and new. It is 100% founded on the prophecies, types, and pictures of the OT but also breathes a fresh dose of new revelation. Although the Gospel is in the OT, you will not be able to find it fully without the message of Jesus Christ. And yet, without the OT, the NT has very little credibility. To see how the prophecies of old find their fulfillment perfectly in the NT is what gives us certainty that Jesus is the Christ, the King of the Heavenly Kingdom.

You, Christian, if you claim to know and believe the gospel, although you still have so much to learn you are a scribe of the kingdom. You don’t have to get a degree from Toronto Baptist Seminary. I took just about every course you can take there and I’m far from knowing everything there is to no. A true scholar is not one who has obtained all knowledge, but one who is humble enough to know he needs to know more. Again, this isn’t just head knowledge, although that is part of it, but it is also experience in the Christian life. Experience in prayer and fasting, in serving the Church, in sacrificing yourself every day, in conforming into the image of Jesus. Like the scribes of Jesus day, you are called to be an incarnation of the Word revealed in the coming of Jesus Christ. This is not limited to the NT, but rather the good scribe is able to understand the entire story of redemption from Adam to Christ and beyond.

Conclusion

So the question for you is: have you understood these things?

If you have, rejoice but do not slumber. You know the gospel of the Kingdom, you have heard these parables and read the teachings of Christ and you get it. You see it as true and it leads you to faithfully rely on the Lord Jesus for your salvation. You know the road you are to walk, and you, though stumbling in weakness, are making progress on that straight and narrow path. Remember the treasure that you possess. It is not your doing, it is the gift of God. Such treasure is meant to be displayed and shared so that the glory of Christ may increase, both in the Church through discipleship, and in the world through evangelism. 2 Cor 4:5-10

2 Corinthians 4:5–10 ESV

For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.

Make it your goal to become ever more a faithful and wise scribe of the kingdom, for that is your calling. Make it your life’s ambition to know more of Christ in intellectual study, spiritual discipline, and faithful service. In this way you will have the adventure of your life discovering the true and living God.

And if you have not understood these things, or rather, you know what they say but the truth of them has not drawn you to trust in the one sent by God to be your Saviour and King, all I can say to you is this: here are the treasures. Look around you and see the scribes of the Kingdom of Heaven. Each member of this Church, we trust and believe, has this treasure, both old and new. Some have more, some less, but all are scholars in the things of Christ. Here (hold up Bible) is the treasure store, and there are your scholars. Just as we look to scientists to teach us about the natural world, or doctors to teach us about health, and they like us are imperfect in their knowledge, so here are your scholars in the things of God. Search the riches of these treasures, the mysteries of Christ. Pursue them. Seek and you will find. Jer 29:13

Jeremiah 29:13 ESV

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Look into this greatest of mysteries, study this greatest of sciences, learn true wisdom. Come behold the things of the Kingdom and of it’s King, our crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ.