52 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.
And it will not, then, be, in the eyes of the apostle, the differentiating principle-distinguishing (as he is doing) "things new and old" -which will be ridiculous; but (in this case too) it will be your own unfairness, while you taunt us with the form of antiquity all the while you are laying against us the charge of novelty.
One who is truly such a householder is both free and rich. He is rich because from the office of the scribe he has been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven, in every word of the Old Testament and in all knowledge concerning the new teaching of Christ Jesus. He has these riches laid up in his own treasure house—in heaven, in which he stores his treasure as one who has been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven. There neither moth consumes nor thieves break through and steal. For the one who has such treasures laid up in heaven, not one moth of the inordinate passions can touch his spiritual and heavenly possessions.
Speaking to His disciples, He calls them Scribes on account of their knowledge, because they understood the things that He brought forward, both new and old, that is from the Law and from the Gospels; both being of the same householder, and both treasures of the same owner. He compares them to Himself under the figure of a householder, because they had received doctrine of things both new and old out of His treasury of the Holy Spirit.
Then He praises them because they had understood; He saith unto them; Therefore every Scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like unto an householder who bringeth out of his treasure things new and old.
Having then uttered all this, and concluded His discourse in a tone to cause fear, and signified that these are the majority of cases (for He dwelt more on them), He saith,
"Have ye understood all these things? They say unto Him, Yea, Lord."
Then because they understood, He again praises them, saying,
"Therefore every Scribe, which is instructed in the Kingdom of Heaven, is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old."
Wherefore elsewhere also He saith, "I will send you wise men and scribes." Seest thou how so far from excluding the Old Testament, He even commends it, and speaks publicly in favor of it, calling it "a treasure"?
So that as many as are ignorant of the divine Scriptures cannot be "householders;" such as neither have of themselves, nor receive of others, but neglect their own case, perishing with famine. And not these only, but the heretics too, are excluded from this blessing. For they bring not forth things new and old. For they have not the old things, wherefore neither have they the new; even as they who have not the new, neither have they the old, but are deprived of both. For these are bound up and interwoven one with another.
Let us then hear, as many of us as neglect the reading of the Scriptures, to what harm we are subjecting ourselves, to what poverty. For when are we to apply ourselves to the real practice of virtue, who do not so much as know the very laws according to which our practice should be guided? But while the rich, those who are mad about wealth, are constantly shaking out their garments, that they may not become moth-eaten; dost thou, seeing forgetfulness worse than any moth wasting thy soul, neglect conversing with books? dost thou not thrust away from thee the pest, adorn thy soul, look continually upon the image of virtue, and acquaint thyself with her members and her head? For she too hath a head and members more seemly than any graceful and beautiful body.
(Verse 52.) Therefore, every learned scribe in the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a household who brings forth from his treasure new and old things. The apostles were instructed, the scribes and notaries of the Savior, who recorded his words and precepts on the tablets of the fleshly heart, in the sacraments of the heavenly kingdoms, and they possessed the wealth of the household, casting forth from their treasure new and old teachings: so that whatever they preached in the Gospel, they would confirm with the voices of the law and the prophets. Wherefore the Bride also in the Canticles saith: 'I have kept for thee my brother, both New and Old.' (Cant. VII, 13)
For when the end of the world shall be come, then shall be shown the true test of separating the fishes, and as in a sheltered harbour the good shall be sent into the vessels of heavenly abodes, but the flame of hell shall seize the wicked to be dried up and withered.
For this is spoken especially to the Apostles, whom He would have not to hear only as the multitude, but to understand as having to teach others.
Or the Apostles are called Scribes instructed, as being the Saviour's notaries who wrote His words and precepts on fleshly tables of the heart with the sacraments of the heavenly kingdom, and abounded in the wealth of a householder, bringing forth out of the stores of their doctrine things new and old; whatsoever they preached in the Gospels, that they proved by the words of the Law and the Prophets. Whence the Bride speaks in the Song of Songs; I have kept for thee my beloved the new with the old. (c. 7:13.)
And now the voice of Christ speaks to the Jews through the voice of the old Scriptures. They hear the voice of those Scriptures but do not see the face of the One who speaks. Do they want the veil to be lifted? Let them come to the Lord. Thus the old things are not taken away but are hidden in a storeroom. The learned scribe is now in the kingdom of God, bringing forth from his storeroom not new things only and not old things only. For if he should bring forth new things only or old things only, he is not a learned scribe in the kingdom of God presenting from his storeroom things new and old. If he says these things and does not do them, he brings them forth from his teaching office, not from the storeroom of his heart. We then say, Those things which are brought forth from the old are enlightened through the new. We therefore come to the Lord that the veil may be removed.
(De Civ. Dei, xx. 4.) He said not 'old and new,' as He surely would have said had He not preferred to preserve the order of value rather than of time. But the Manichæans while they think they should keep only the new promises of God, remain in the old man of the flesh, and put on newness of error.
(Quæst. in Matt. q. 16.) By this conclusion, whether did He desire to show whom He intended by the treasure hid in the field—in which case we might understand the Holy Scriptures to be here meant, the two Testaments by the things new and old—or did He intend that he should be held learned in the Church who understood that the Old Scriptures were expounded in parables, taking rules from these new Scriptures, seeing that in them also the Lord proclaimed many things in parables. If He then, in whom all those old Scriptures have their fulfilment and manifestation, yet speaks in parables until His passion shall rend the vail, when there is nothing hid that shall not be revealed; much more those things which were written of Him so long time before we see to have been clothed in parables; which the Jews took literally, being unwilling to be learned in the kingdom of heaven.
A scribe is one who, through continual reading of the Old and New Testaments, has laid up for himself a storehouse of knowledge. Thus Christ blesses those who have gathered in themselves the education both of the law and of the gospel, so as to “bring forth from their treasure things both new and old.” And Christ compares such people with a scribe, just as in another place he says, “I will send you wise men and scribes.”
And in the conclusion it is added: Therefore every scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a householder bringing forth from his treasure things new and old. If by the new and old that is spoken of we understand both Testaments, we deny that Abraham was instructed, who although he knew the deeds of the New and Old Testament, by no means proclaimed their words. Nor can we compare Moses to the instructed householder, who although he taught the Old Testament, nevertheless did not bring forth the sayings of the New. Since therefore we are excluded from this interpretation, we are called to another. But in what the Truth says: Every scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a householder, it can be understood that He was speaking not of those who had existed, but of those who could exist in the Church. They bring forth new and old things when they speak the proclamations of both Testaments by their words and their conduct. Yet this can also be understood in another way. For it was ancient for the human race to descend to the prison of hell, to endure eternal punishments for their sins. To this, through the coming of the Mediator, something new was added, so that if one rightly strives to live here, he may be able to enter the kingdom of heaven: and man, born on earth, may die from a corruptible life, to be placed in heaven. And so it is old that the human race should perish in eternal punishment for its guilt; and it is new that, being converted, it should live in the kingdom. What therefore the Lord added in the conclusion of His discourse is certainly what He had stated beforehand. For first He brought forth the treasure found and the good pearl concerning the likeness of the kingdom, but afterward He narrated the punishments of hell concerning the burning of the wicked, and in conclusion He adds: Therefore every scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a householder bringing forth from his treasure things new and old. As if it were openly said: That preacher is instructed in the holy Church who knows both how to bring forth new things concerning the sweetness of the kingdom, and to speak old things concerning the terror of punishment, so that at least punishments may terrify those whom rewards do not attract. Let each one hear of the kingdom that he may love, let him hear of punishment that he may fear, so that if love does not draw the sluggish soul clinging vehemently to the earth toward the kingdom, at least fear may drive it.
(ubi sup.) But if by things new and old in this passage we understand the two Testaments, we deny Abraham to have been learned, who although he knew indeed some deeds of the Old Testament, yet had not read the words. Neither Moses may we compare to a learned householder, for although he composed the Old Testament, yet had he not the words of the New. But what is here said may be understood as meant not of those who had been, but of such as might hereafter be in the Church, who then bring forth things new and old when they speak the preachings of both Testaments, in their words and in their lives.
(ubi sup.) Otherwise; The things old are, that the human race for its sin should suffer in eternal punishment; the things new, that they should be converted and live in the kingdom. First, He brought forward a comparison of the kingdom to a treasure found and a pearl of price; and after that, narrated the punishment of hell in the burning of the wicked, and then concluded with Therefore every Scribe, &c. as if He had said, He is a learned preacher in the Church who knows to bring forth things new concerning the sweetness of the kingdom, and to speak things old concerning the terror of punishment; that at least punishment may deter those whom rewards do not excite.
. Do you see how the parables have made them more attentive? For behold, they who before were unthinking and unlearned have understood these difficult things that were spoken. Therefore the Saviour praises them and says "every scribe." He calls them scribes, students of the law, but though they were students of the law, they did not remain within the law, but were instructed in the kingdom, that is, in the knowledge of Christ, and they are able to speak of both the old and the new. The householder, then, is Christ, the rich man. For in Him are the treasures of wisdom. He taught new things and then brought forward testimony from the old. For example, He said, "You will be called to account for every idle word" (Mt. 12:36) — this is new. Then He brought forward testimony, "By your words you will be judged and condemned" (Mt. 12:37; cf. Lk. 19:22, Job 15:6) — this is the old. In this the apostles were similar, for Paul says, "Be ye imitators of me, as I am of Christ" (I Cor. 4:16).
(non occ.) When the multitude had departed, the Lord spoke to His disciples in parables, by which they were instructed only so far as they understood them; wherefore He asks them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
[AD 220] Tertullian on Matthew 13:52