Restless Wonderer

  And He said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” What a verse to start a new series with!  This is one of those verses that PhD theses could be based on, such are the debates about its exact meaning.  Leaving aside the finer nuances of meaning, however, the basic thrust of the verse is quite clear.  Encountering, discovering and entering God’s kingdom changes everything and opens up a new world of understanding that must be shared with others. The scribes were a distinct group within the Jewish community of Jesus time who were experts in the Old Testament Law and specialised in teaching it to others.  Jesus taught many things to His disciples and in Matthew 13:51 He asks them whether they have understood His parables.  They respond simply “Yes” and this verse is Jesus’ response to their confident...

And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” When Jesus began His public ministry it didn’t take long for people to figure out that something new was happening.  He boldly declared that God’s kingdom had come near.  The reign of God over all that He had created, which all devout Jews believed to be real and unchanging, was no longer going to be hidden – it would be revealed for all to see.  The prophets had spoken of the day when a new king in David’s line, God’s anointed One (the Messiah), would establish a kingdom in which God’s true purpose for creation would be fulfilled.  In that kingdom all that was wrong would be put right.  The glory of God, so evident in the Law they prized would emanate from Jerusalem to the nations. Jesus came declaring the kingdom and He called people to repent and believe the good news...

I think this series was inspired by thinking about the New Year, although I realise that by the time the first instalment is posted more than half of January 2016 will have passed.  Still, I hope my reflections on New Testament references to new things will be helpful.  In Matthew 19:28, Jesus refers to the “renewal of all things”, a future time of judgement when those who have followed Him will be rewarded for the sacrifices they have made in the present.  The Greek word here translated as “renewal” could also be translated “regeneration”, a word that theologians more commonly associate with the salvation of individuals, as it is used in Titus 3:5.  The amazing truth Jesus presents here is that the whole universe will be born again at the future time when He returns in glory, just as individuals who believe in Him are born again in this present age. The renewal of all things is a future hope for the Christian – we know that it cannot occur until Christ retu...