The Gospel of Matthew

The instructed scribe and unbelief

Chapter 13:51 to 58

We have in these final verses of chapter 13 a contrast between the disciples of the Lord Jesus and the incredulity of their compatriots.

Understanding the parables

After giving varied information to His disciples about the Kingdom of Heaven through the seven previous parables, the Master asked them if they had understood all those things. It was all news to them, but personally witnessing the signs He did, they realized that the Lord Jesus was the real Son of God (John 6:69), so they also paid attention to everything He told them.

They had requested clarification of two parables, which seemed obscure, showing their interest in understanding them, so the disciples now answered that they had understood all those things. Without doubt, the Lord would have given them further clarification if they had not. It is confirmation of what the Lord had told them (v. 16): "blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear”. All those who believe in the authenticity of the Word of God, pay attention to every detail, and seek an answer to their questions about what it tells us, can understand it. It is infallible, just as God is.

The Word of God is here compared to the treasure of a family, from which the father takes things new and old. The "scribe instructed concerning the Kingdom of heaven" is like this father. Scribes at that time were Levites whose main mission was to instruct the people in the Word of God, which was then limited to the Old Testament. There were also many prophecies that dealt with Israel's future, including the Kingdom of the Messiah, the "new things" that the Lord was clarifying and fulfilling.

A good scribe instructed concerning the coming of the Messiah could identify the Lord Jesus in the prophecies. Unfortunately few did because, as Isaiah prophesied (vs. 14, 55, Isaiah 6:9-10), the hearts of those people were hardened, not wanting to understand what they heard or saw. Therefore, they did not to teach about the Kingdom of heaven, with the words that the Lord Jesus spoke.

However, those who "have ears to hear and eyes to see," like the disciples, can now learn from all the treasures of the Old and the New Testament. Who does so is enabled, like the disciples, to become a scribe instructed concerning the Kingdom of heaven, who knows how to use the entire Bible to teach those who want to hear.

The Carpenter turned into Master and Healer

Having completed this teaching revealing the Kingdom of heaven through these parables, the Lord Jesus returned to Nazareth where He had been living before starting his ministry. He was well known to all, as well as His family, after some thirty years of living together.

Now he was back, no longer as a humble carpenter, but known everywhere as an extraordinary person, with many disciples and followers, able to perform miraculous healings, who without being a Levite also taught with great authority and wisdom, and was envied by the religious leaders because of the crowds that accompanied Him wherever He went.

On the first Sabbath He went to the synagogue and began to teach there. Those people, who had known Him before, were very surprised at His wisdom, and to learn of the miracles He did. It is noticeable that they did not deny that He had wisdom, nor that He really did wonders. They did not express any doubt in this respect, but what they did not want to accept was that there could have been such a change in His person and their question was: "where did that come from?" (verse 54). The answer should be obvious: they were undeniable signs that He was the Messiah promised by the prophets, but this was something that they did not want to admit in any way.

What would be the alternative? Even if He were only a man that God had chosen to be His prophet on that occasion, they should hear the message and give Him credit. However, a prophet of God could not lie, and He proclaimed the coming of the Kingdom of heaven in His person, according to the prophecies of the coming of the Messiah (Luke 4:19). It came to the same conclusion. It seems that they dared not do the same as the religious leaders did on another occasion who, faced with the same dilemma, accused Him of expelling demons with power granted by the Prince of demons (chapter 12:24).

Therefore, they could not find a suitable answer, and preferred to believe and act as if He were no more than the carpenter they knew, and that His transformation was something unexplainable. They therefore closed their eyes and their ears to Him – exactly how Isaiah had predicted the people would do.

Rejection by family and countrymen

His fellow citizens were even offended with the Lord Jesus. He had already said: "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad” (chapter 12:30). The Lord Jesus had half-brothers and sisters in that town by their mother, Mary: they were younger sons of Mary with her husband Joseph. They only came to understand that He was truly the Son of God after His resurrection.

It seems surprising but it is not, really: sinful human nature continues in the same way denying the reality of Jesus Christ as the incarnation of the eternal expression of God to humanity. He gave ample proof of His legitimacy here on Earth, faithfully fulfilling the prophecies made centuries before about Him, and He carried out the work of redemption of all who repent and accept Him as their Lord and Saviour.

As those Nazarenes, men today have access to the Word of God, which in itself is an incontrovertible evidence of the reality of the Son of God, but close their eyes and ears to all that evidence. They come to think He was a great teacher, a great man, even a formidable person, but only the son of a carpenter. They prefer to continue in their sin, towards eternal perdition. The Lord Jesus said, then, “A prophet is not without honour except in his own country and in his own house" (verse 57). It became a proverb, because it is an accepted fact that familiarity tends to erode mutual respect between people.

Because of their unbelief and stupidity, the Nazarenes were deprived of the many blessings they could have enjoyed if they had welcomed the presence of the son of God among them.

While He performed many healings and gave precious teachings in other places, He did very little there. We read in Mark 6:5, “He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them." This is a serious revelation: the power of God in that place was limited because of unbelief. Not that God Almighty had His power somehow reduced, but He preferred by His own will not to perform miracles there. It would be like "casting pearls before swine" (chapter 7:6).

This leads us to ponder: would we be depriving ourselves of the blessings of God because of unbelief? The biggest blessing that is offered - the salvation of our souls - depends entirely on our putting our faith in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus. However, having done this ourselves, do we believe that God can also save the vilest of sinners? By wavering and showing incredulity perhaps, do we omit taking the Gospel to those who are lost, limiting in this way the grace of God towards the sinful world?

It is a subject for reflection and, if so, action! We need faith that Christ saves the lost, no matter the degree of their sin.

R David Jones

51 Jesus said to them, "Have you understood all these things?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord."

52 Then He said to them, "Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old."

53 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there.

54 When He had come to His own country, 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 this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?
56 And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?"

57 So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honour except in his own country and in his own house."

Mat 13:58 Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Gospel of Matthew, chapter 13, verses 51 to 58