NOTES for Мф 13:47-58
The example from fishing practice given by Jesus is simple and could not have caused difficulty in understanding the parable for His listeners, many of whom were fishermen themselves and were used to sorting a catch. No wonder the listeners all confirm together that they understood what He was talking about. But after the parable there followed, at first glance, a mention unrelated to it: a scribe trained for the Kingdom of Heaven. Let us try, however, to see what connects these sayings.
First of all, let us think: where does the master bring out the new and the old from his treasure? And why? A treasury is a storehouse where valuables are kept in reserve. But there they can not only be preserved; they can also gather dust without moving and without bringing benefit. Meanwhile, the Lord wants the gifts received from Him to find constant application, to act, and not only to be reverently guarded. Both the old wisdom of the Old Testament, tested by the centuries, and what the Lord revealed in the New Testament age that had just begun and had not yet become familiar, must become our life. Scribes who had memorized priceless texts often found it hard to take in what came from Christ. But because of this He does not deny learning itself; He invites the scribes to put into life what they preserve. And not only to scribes, but also to all of us, the Lord gives this opportunity. For He does not want us to be among the discarded fish.
And for now our familiar earthly life continues, and it is Jesus Himself who is rejected. It is characteristic that His countrymen do not deny that He has wisdom and powers, but the fact that these belong to a neighbor living among them turns out to be decisive. Indeed, questionable arrivals from exotic lands often gather more followers than the person who lives nearby. Well, often this says that we do not understand what is right under our nose.
In His not performing miracles because of His countrymen's unbelief, one sees not weakness, but delicacy, an unwillingness to force Himself on anyone. Even toward those who reject Him, Christ continues to act with respect.