Parable of the Old and New Treasures
Matthew 13:52 – The Old and New Treasures
The Importance of the Old Testament
I have heard so many Christians claiming that the Old Testament Bible is not important because Jesus already fulfilled it. Not only Christians — we have the Jews who only have the Old Testament and do not recognize the New Testament. Muslims also believe in some parts of the Old Testament but claim it has been distorted.
But the truth of the matter is that all books in the Bible are very important for us to understand the Scriptures. Jesus rebuked the two disciples on the road to Emmaus for their lack of understanding of Him as the Messiah. He told them that beginning with Moses and all the prophets, all Scriptures were speaking about Him.
All Scriptures in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, speak about Jesus. The Old Testament is the shadow of Jesus Christ; it pointed out what Christ would do when He came into the world — His identity, life, lineage, ministry, atonement, death, and resurrection. When we read the Old Testament, indirectly and directly, we are supposed to see the person of Jesus. For example, when we read the story of Moses delivering the Israelites from Egypt, Moses’ life and mission parallel the life and mission of Jesus Christ. Moses is a type of Jesus Christ.
Why the Old Testament Is Important
The reason why the Old Testament is important in our studies is that it helps us understand the life and mission of Jesus Christ. The book of Leviticus helps us understand the atoning work of our Lord Jesus Christ as the Lamb without blemish and defect (2 Corinthians 5:21). He had no sin. So we can’t do away with the Old Testament because we learn the prophecies of the Messiah there, and in the New Testament, we learn how Jesus Christ fulfilled all those prophecies.
Understanding Matthew 13:52
Let’s get back to our parable in Matthew 13:52. Jesus said to them,
“Therefore, every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
The “old treasures” refer to the teachings and prophecies of the Old Testament.
The “new treasures” refer to the truths Jesus revealed about the Kingdom of Heaven.
The teachers of the law were well educated in the Torah and the Law of Moses. They taught the Law of God and the Old Testament to the people. But when Jesus came into this world from the Father, He came full of grace and truth. He taught us the truths of God and of Himself. He taught the will of God, His mission in this world, and corrected misunderstandings of the Scriptures — especially in the Sermon on the Mount. He says a wise teacher and disciple is the one who fills his storeroom with old and new treasures.
I have never gone into a museum and found new treasures only. I always see both old and new treasures — that’s why people go to museums: to see both. If the museum had only new and modern things, a lot of people wouldn’t go. In the same way, So, a faithful teacher uses both — the old foundations and the new revelation — to bring a complete understanding of God’s Word. A wise disciple or teacher draws from both old and new truths to instruct others about God’s Kingdom — showing continuity between God’s past promises and Christ’s fulfillment. a wise teacher and disciple understand both the Old and New Testaments scriptures.
The Whole Bible Is the Word of God
For us to be wise, we need to understand the whole Bible. We need to understand the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. We can’t reject one part of the Bible and accept the other. Rejecting one part is rejecting the Word of God and making it look insufficient. For instance, if we reject the Old Testament, how can we understand the prophecies of the end times in the book of Revelation? Some prophecies in the book of Daniel have not yet been fulfilled. The prophecy in Genesis 3:15 — Jesus crushing the head of the serpent — has not been fully fulfilled. From these examples, we can see how all Scriptures support one another.
Jesus’ Call to the Teachers of the Law
Jesus was urging the teachers of the law to add to their knowledge the new teaching He brought, as well as to correct their misunderstandings of the Scriptures. If they had read carefully and understood the Old Testament, they would have known that it was speaking about Him. The miracles He did were pointing to them that He was the Messiah they were waiting for. Sadly, they hardened their hearts and never believed in Jesus Christ as their Messiah because they were afraid of losing their popularity and authority.
A Call to Us Today
To us today, let’s not harden our hearts. Reading the Bible yourself is very important. How many of us read the Old Testament books? We often skip some books, say it’s hard and ignore them, to be honest how many of us skip the book of Exodus, Leviticus and genealogies,
others claim the New Testament is superior to the Old Testament. But 2 Timothy 3:15 says all Scripture is God-breathed. They come from God and all correct, train, discipline, and teach us in righteousness. Actually, the Old Testament helps us understand the atoning work, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The New Testament helps us understand how Christ fulfilled the Scriptures by His sacrificial death and resurrection. No book can survive without the other. It’s like surviving with food without water — and vice versa.
