Parables of Matthew: A Personal Reflection on Matthew 13:52

Continuing the Deep dive into the parables in the Book of Matthew.

When I first lingered over the words of Matthew 13:52, something in me stirred—something equal parts curiosity and conviction. The verse reads:

“Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.” — Matthew 13:52 (KJV)

I’ve read many parables, but this one feels different. It’s short, almost easy to overlook, yet it carries a depth that keeps unfolding the more I sit with it.

Seeing Myself as the Householder

As I meditate on this verse, I imagine myself as that “householder.” Christ paints a picture of someone who has a storeroom—an inner treasury—filled with both the old and the new. And the more I think about it, the more I realize how true this is of my own walk with God.

There are the old treasures:

• Scriptures I’ve known since childhood
• Lessons learned through trials
• Moments when God proved Himself faithful

And then there are the new treasures:

• Fresh insights from passages I’ve read a hundred times
• Convictions that challenge my comfort
• Unexpected encouragements that meet me right where I am

Christ seems to be saying that a disciple—especially one who teaches or shares truth—should draw from both. Not clinging only to the familiar, nor chasing only the novel, but weaving them together into a living testimony.

Learning as a Lifelong Calling

The phrase “instructed unto the kingdom of heaven” hits me hard. It reminds me that being a follower of Christ isn’t passive. It’s a continual apprenticeship. I’m not just storing information; I’m being shaped, trained, and transformed.

Sometimes I forget that. I slip into thinking I already know enough, or that the lessons I’ve learned in the past are sufficient. But this parable nudges me—gently, firmly—to keep learning, to keep seeking, to keep letting God expand the treasury of my heart.

Bringing Forth the Treasure

What really challenges me is the action in the parable: “bringeth forth.” The householder doesn’t hoard the treasure. He shares it.

That convicts me. How often do I keep quiet when I should speak? How often do I hide what God has taught me because I’m afraid it won’t be received well, or because I underestimate its value?

This parable reminds me that the treasures God has placed in me—old and new—aren’t meant to stay locked away. They’re meant to bless others.

A Living, Growing Faith

What I love most about this verse is how it captures the dynamic nature of faith. It honors the old without letting it become stale. It welcomes the new without discarding what came before.

In my own life, I’m learning to embrace that balance. To cherish the foundational truths that have anchored me for years, while also staying open to the fresh work God is doing in me today.

And maybe that’s the heart of this parable: A disciple of Christ is someone whose faith is both rooted and growing, both grounded and expanding—someone who treasures the whole journey.

Discovering the Path of Salvation books by Stephen Luckett