Question and Ponder (1)
Question： Matthew 13:52 – He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
How to understand this verse? Teachers of the law are often with the Pharisees, but here Jesus only mentions this group of people. What is special about them? How could becoming a disciple in the kingdom of heaven have something to do with the house owner’s bringing out his new and old treasures?
Answer： The teachers of the law differ from Pharisees in that the former refers to those who copied Old Testament Scriptures. They are different from the self-righteous Pharisees. The Lord points out that for these people to be his students and disciples, they must combine the Old Testament and the New Testament teachings together, before they can understand the full meaning and thus not misunderstand or twist the essence of the Scriptures.
Question and Ponder (2)
Question： Luke 16:9 – I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
How does this verse connect with the Parable of the Shrewd Manager right before it? This verse appears to be strange – how could the Lord teach his disciples to gain friends using worldly wealth so that these friends could receive them into eternity? I am confused. Don’t we need to repent?
Answer： A parable cannot be understood solely based on its surface text. Think of it this way, if this unrighteous manager knows to take action in order to gain future benefits, how could so many Christians disregard the challenge to lay up treasures for themselves in Heaven, and be so naive in thinking that in this life, they don’t have to do anything, and still be able to enter heaven?