Matthew 13:52

‘And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been made a disciple to the kingly rule of heaven is like to a man who is a householder, who brings forth out of his treasure things new and old.” '

The word ‘scribe' here is used in a general way and simply indicates a teacher. In this case the teacher has been made a disciple to the Kingly Rule of Heaven. This is the first mention of a type of appointment that will grow in importance as we go through the remainder of the Gospel. In Matthew 16:18 Peter is specifically appointed to this position. In Matthew 18:18 all the disciples are involved. And in Matthew 28:20 their future activity in this regard is clearly outlined.

Once a man has become a teacher in the Kingly Rule of Heaven he is like a man who has a treasure in his house (compare Matthew 13:44. The treasure has now been moved to his house). His house is now a treasure house. He can say, ‘I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies as much as in all riches' (Psalms 119:14). ‘The Law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver' (Psalms 119:72). And from that treasure he distributes both new and old, just as Jesus did in Matthew 5, for the new is built on the old. Not all the old has been cast away, for there was much that was good in it. Much of it was indeed from God. But it must be supplemented and expanded by the new. The Old Testament prophecies (Psalms 78), the things revealed from of old, must now be seen in the new light of the Kingly Rule of Heaven as revealed by Jesus (Matthew 5:17). Note that in the chiasmus of the passage these verses are paralleled by Matthew 13:34.