The New Scribes

Why would a Christian want to become a scribe? Jesus was somewhat disgusted with the scribes and Pharisees of his day, and yet there is one place where he encouraged us to become a new kind of scribe. You may have missed it. In Matthew 13:52 Jesus described those scribes who become disciples of the kingdom of heaven as like a head of a household who brings out of his treasure things old and new.

What could that mean? A scribe was simply a Jewish Bible teacher. Jesus did not criticize them for their excellent education in the Scriptures, but many of them had rejected the very Messiah that those Scriptures pointed to. Now, there is a new kind of Bible teacher, one instructed in the things of the kingdom of heaven. The key is the combination of new and old things. That is also a key to understanding the parables of Jesus. Jesus constantly contrasted the law and the gospel, the new and the old. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament are vital components of a comprehensive gospel message. Jesus' parables were a mixture of old and new.

The continuity and discontinuity of the two testaments has been a 2,000 year long discussion among theologians, and the discussion is not over yet. What continues and what does not? For some Christians Saturday Sabbath continues. Some transfer that principle to Sunday. For others, only the principle of rest continues and their rest is in Christ. For some Christians, modified versions of the Old Testament tithing laws continue. For others, only the principle of generous giving to God continues. For some, clean and unclean meats continue. For most, the principle of cleanness in sanctification or being made holy by God is what is important. Few Christians actually circumcise in the flesh today for religious reasons. All Christians however, do believe in a circumcision of the heart.

Christians are in agreement that there is both continuity and discontinuity. Indeed, that is the point of Jesus' comments, that even though we Christians are under a new covenant, ratified in blood on the cross, we also learn so much from the old. Christianity is very much a New Testament religion, but incorporates both Old and New Testaments.