Matthew 13:51-58

Introduction

English Standard Version Chapter 13

New and Old Treasures

51 “Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” 52 And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

As Jesus wraps up his kingdom parables he concludes with verses 51-52, so, if you would, read there with me again starting in verse 51,

English Standard Version Chapter 13

51 “Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” 52 And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

Jesus asks his disciples if they’ve understood these parables or not, and he asks them because he intends for them to understand. It’s why Jesus often takes time to explain his parables to his disciples, and it’s also why, we’ll see later, that he sometimes rebukes his disciples when they do not understand. He wants them to see that it’s vital that they grasp what it is he’s teaching.

Importance of Understanding

Then Jesus goes on in verse 52 to tell them why it’s so important that they understand. He tells them that they should be like a scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven, like a master of a house, who brings out of his storeroom what is new and what is old. Jesus intends for his disciples to become like scribes (interpreters and teachers of the law), able to understand and teach what Jesus has taught them. He also intends for his disciples to understand and teach how his ministry fits into broader story of the OT Scriptures, how Jesus fulfills both the law and the prophets.

And in a sense the disciples are to be like hosts, or guides, trained to bring out both the old and the new from the storeroom. The disciples are to be able show others how the Scriptures point to Jesus, and how the Scriptures find their fulfillment in him.

Example: Interpretive Park Ranger

As I read over this analogy which Jesus gives here of a master of a house and its storeroom I couldn’t help but think of someone like an interpretive park ranger, because their job is to provide meaningful connections to a park’s natural and cultural resources to those who are visiting. They have to be able to describe the historical context of what people are seeing, provide them with trail maps for things like hiking and fishing. They specifically plan and lead guided walks pointing out what’s most important along the way, whether it’s the history, geology or wildlife of the park. They may teach at a school or in a classroom educating others on the importance of the parks and how they’re connected to everyone.

Example: My Home

Jesus’ analogy also reminds me of my own home, where I frequently take great delight in showing guests and friends all sorts of things that I typically keep in my office. It’s where I keep books, maps, fossils, pictures, timelines, videos, and all sorts of things that I use to share with others about what I’ve learned, what I’m learning, what I’m interested in, trips we’ve gone on and trips we’re planning. And often when fellow believers, and even unbelievers, come by I find myself running to my office to bring out all sorts of materials to share the gospel with them or materials that I believe will help fellow Christians grow in their knowledge and love for God.

Jesus Our Interpretive Guide

So in a similar fashion Jesus’ disciples are to be able to understand and teach, not only the OT Scriptures, but more importantly how those Scriptures all point to Jesus. They’re to advance this kingdom of heaven by carrying forward everything Jesus has taught them, so that other’s might hear and know the good news of salvation, that others might learn to obey everything that Jesus has commanded them.

You see, in chapter 13, Jesus is like an interpretive guide for his disciples of this new kingdom. He teaches them what this kingdom looks like and how certain people will respond to its inauguration, how people will respond to its coming. In chapters 5-7, in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, he taught his disciples concerning the ethics of this kingdom. And in chapter 10 he taught them about the cost following him.

Sending Out

Therefore, Jesus intends that his disciples will ultimately do the same, that they too will make disciples, teaching them also to obey all that Jesus has commanded them (). So when we read these Gospel accounts we have the privilege of following Jesus and his disciples, as he teaches and interprets for his disciples the things concerning the kingdom of heaven, we get to be a fly on the wall. And this is why the Gospels are so central to our own faith and life today. They are where we observe how Jesus lived and what he taught, so that we might follow him also.

Sending Them Out

In fact, in chapter 23, during Jesus most scathing rebuke to the scribes and Pharisees of his day, he tells them that he will “send [them] prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom [they] will kill and crucify, and some [they] will flog in [their] synagogues and persecute from town to town.” This group of prophets, wise men and scribes describe his disciples in their mission to herald the good news of God’s kingdom. Jesus intends for his disciples to understand these things as a scribes would so that he can send them out.

And so it is today, it’s the job of every preacher to explain and apply the text of Scripture to his hearers, and its also the job of every believer to explain and apply the text of Scripture to whoever God’s has put in their way. We’re all called to make disciples, whether that’s through preaching, bible study, personal evangelism, the raising of our children, we’re all commanded go and make disciples.

Returning to Nazareth

Now, just as Jesus wraps up his parables here in chapter 13, Matthew appears to pickup where here left off in chapter 12, here in verse 53. As we look back at chapters 11-12, leading up to the kingdom parables, we see a lot of reactions to Jesus’ ministry, and as I’ve argued up to this point, the parables of chapter 13 seem to go a long way to help explain why some respond positively to Jesus and why others respond negatively to him. Chapter 13 appears to be a point in time where Jesus pauses to explain to his disciples what they’re witnessing (like an interpretive guide to their present situation). Therefore, as we progress through Matthew’s Gospel, especially chapters 14-16, we’ll be able to apply what we’ve learned from these kingdom parables every step of the way. To take what we’ve learned from them and read the next couple of chapters through that new interpretive lens.

However, that being said, its probably wise for us to hold our theories lightly of how Matthew has organized his book, because frankly it’s sometime difficult to tell why he orders certain stories the way he does. So I’ll say this with some caution.

As we look back over the Matthew’s Gospel we see

So if you would, read with me again, starting in verse 53,

English Standard Version Chapter 13

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

Jesus

Up to this point Jesus has spent the entirety of his ministry in the area around Capernaum (along the Sea of Galilee). In fact, he’s been there now for about a year, and he hasn’t been to Nazareth (his hometown) since the beginning of his ministry. This is where Jesus grew up, where his family lives, and Jesus has decided to go back.

And when he arrives in Nazareth he begins to teach them at their local synagogue. Now, for a frame of reference, the worship practices within a synagogue aren’t radically different from how many local churches worship today, the Scriptures are typically read aloud to the congregation and then a teacher spends the rest of the time explaining the meaning of the text to the people, much like what we’re doing here today.

And it was also common for the local synagogue to welcome any guest teachers to speak while they were in town, so it’s no surprise that Jesus would have been asked to teach. Now what’s interesting is that when Jesus begins to teach, the people are immediately astonished by his wisdom, and they’re captivated by his miracles. As Matthew puts it, “they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?”

Now, it’s generally believed that is a detailed account of this return, however, when you’r reading Luke it seems to sound like the event took place at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. I’m not going to spend any time today fleshing out the arguments for or against either interpretation, but I will proceed with the assumption that is in fact a detailed account of what we read here in Matthew. So if you would turn with me to ,

Hostility in Nazareth

But notice where the story goes from there, the congregation goes from astonishment to hostility. In fact, in Luke’s Gospel we read that they eventually try to throw him off of a cliff. But their hostility begins with dismissive comments, they begin reminding each other that this Jesus can’t be anybody, because he’s the carpenter’s son, and we know who his mother is, and who his siblings are. Where did this man get all of this wisdom and these mighty works? In we read,

English Standard Version Chapter 4

22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”

You can almost hear the scoffing tone of their voices. In Jesus replies, “Undoubtedly you will say, what we heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.” They’re challenging him, and like the Devil and the Pharisees, they’re putting him to the test. So Jesus says in Luke 4:24,

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’ ”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

And Jesus said,

English Standard Version Chapter 4

“Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.

So Jesus confronts their scoffing and tells them that because of their unbelief that he will not perform any miracles in their town, that he will not throw his pearls before swine.

Hard Hearts

It’s incredible that they acknowledged Jesus’ miracles yet remained in their unbelief, they even acknowledged that Jesus possessed incredible wisdom yet they remained in their unbelief. Why? Because for them this wasn’t an issue of evidence, this was an issue of hardness of heart. It didn’t matter what Jesus did, it would never be enough for them, just like it would have never been enough for the Pharisee when they demanded a sign amidst Jesus’ countless miracles. This was hard ground, this is the parable of the soils all over again.

I sometimes see this when sharing the Gospel with friends, they keep asking for more and more evidence, as if their appetite is insatiable, there never seems to be enough evidence, and the minute you give them more they ask again. In moments like that evidence isn’t the problem, it’s their hearts that are the problem. Jesus was rejected by those in his hometown not for a lack of evidence but because of a hardness of heart.

Loved Darkness

I suspect most of us are familiar , and maybe even verse 17,

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

English Standard Version Chapter 3

For God So Loved the World

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

But I think too many of us don’t realize what comes after it. For what comes after it tells us why so many do not believe. Starting in verse 18 we read,

But I think too many of us don’t realize what comes after it. For what comes after it tells us why so many do not believe. Starting in verse 18 we read,

English Standard Version Chapter 3

18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.”

The reason Jesus is so offensive to all of us by nature is because we love the darkness, and the reason we love the darkness is because our deeds are evil. Therefore, when the light comes we hide, lest we be exposed. The reason we don’t come to the light isn’t because we can’t see the light, it’s because we, by nature, love darkness, and hate the light, and we’ll make up every excuse in the book to avoid it.

He Bore our Condemnation

also says,

English Standard Version Chapter 3

21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

So we must also remember, that Jesus did not come into the world to condemn it, for it already stood condemned, but he came into the world to save sinners. That whoever who turns from their sin and believes on the Lord Jesus will be saved, they will be saved from that condemnation. This is why Jesus was condemned on the cross, so that those who believe on him would not be condemned, but have everlasting life. When we get baptized it’s symbolic of our passing from death to life with Christ, symbolic of our being buried with him and raised with him. And it isn’t merely because Jesus was put to death that we’re not condemned, but because he conquered death, he was raised from the dead because death could not hold him. It’s Jesus’ resurrection that gives us assurance that one day we too will be raised unto everlasting life.

Prayer