(Matthew 13:51-52 ESV)
Jesus is not saying that you have to go the other parts of the bible to interpret his parables. In fact, this is a parable as well, so by your own words, it's meaning is not immediately obvious. He is saying that as the disciples grow in understanding through Jesus' teaching they are like the man who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old, in that they now truly understand both the “new†revelation from Jesus and how it fulfills the “old†promises in the OT.
Abe, you admit, "I did not use the text to speak for itself".
I rest my case, and am done talking to you on this subject. I will no longer waste my time arguing with someone who doesn't want to let the text speak for itself.
Mavos,
Your own statement undermines your insistence that only the text should speak for itself.
The "new" revelations from Jesus Christ are recorded in the New Testament fulfilling or about to fulfill the scriptures in the Old Testament.
So why did Jesus Christ use many different illustrations to describe what would happen to HIS Kingdom?
If the text was able to speak for itself then he would only need to use one illustration.
The dragnet illustration clearly shows that it is only those in the dragnet that will be initially judged when he returns.
Jesus Christs kingdom is not yet the entire world.
Otherwise Jesus Christ would have said so.
Instead he said this:
Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house.
and not this:
Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of the world is like a master of a house.
Your interpretation suggests that when Jesus Christ returns he will immediately judge the entire world.
This is not the sense of what he is saying.
Jesus Christ will judge only HIS kingdom.
When he does this HIS kingdom will become firmly established in the world.
It will no longer be undermined by weeds, lawless ones and hypocrites who have profaned the Christian Temple.
When the nations see this happen it will bring glory to Jesus Christ, Jehovah and the righteous ones will shine as brightly as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.
When Jesus Christs kingdom is firmly established the people of the nations will see it.
Isaiah 2
And it must occur in the final part of the days [that] the mountain of the house of Jehovah will become firmly established above the top of the mountains, and it will certainly be lifted up above the hills; and to it all the nations must stream. 3 And many peoples will certainly go and say: “Come, YOU people, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will instruct us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths.â€
After Jesus Christ judges HIS kingdom the entire rest of the world will know who the good seed really are. The righteous ones will shine as brightly as the sun in the kingdom of their father.
Romans 8:18
Consequently I reckon that the sufferings of the present season do not amount to anything in comparison with the glory that is going to be revealed in us. 19 For the eager expectation of the creation (the world) is waiting for the revealing of the sons of God.
By the time this happens I reckon the seventh trumpet will have sounded.
Revelation 11
And the seventh angel blew his trumpet. And loud voices occurred in heaven, saying: “The kingdom of the world did become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will rule as king forever and ever.â€
Matthew 24
And he will send forth his angels with a great trumpet sound, and they will gather his chosen ones together from the four winds, from one extremity of the heavens to their other extremity.
It is the scriptural treasures from both the old and new testament that should help people get the sense of these things.
In the face of many reproaches and contentions I have brought these out of my heart.
Not for my benefit.
Its for you.
In Christ
abe