The householder in Matthew 13:52 brings out of his treasure things new and old, and the treasure means a storeroom, not the gems of verse 44. It is where a master of the house keeps food, clothing, supplies, and valuables for his family. The new and old refers to food stored there. A prudent householder balances serving his oldest store with the freshest, mixing them so that neither is wasted. In the same way, a minister of God draws on everything he has stored from studying God's truth and living God's way, and feeds his spiritual family by carefully balancing the teaching of the Old and New Testaments (Matthew 5:17-19; Acts 26:22-23). The old is never thrown away or counted wrong. Jesus Himself did this in the parables, taking the old understanding of God's Kingdom and focusing new light on it, so that people's grasp of its character and future course expanded. Ministers may not grasp all of God's wisdom, but having been taught by Christ and understanding His message sufficiently, they are commissioned to use this rich treasure to enrich others (Galatians 6:10). The minister must keep learning so that he can keep teaching, and so keep his storehouse supplied with everything the household needs.

The church constitutes Christ's treasure, hidden in the world, purchased and redeemed with Christ's blood. The Pearl of Great Price depicts a rich merchant (Christ), the only one who had the means to redeem His church. The Dragnet symbolizes the scope of God's calling while the separation process indicates God's high standards of selection, indicating a time of righteous and impartial judgment. The Householder parable shows the responsibility of the ministry to be authoritative interpreters of scripture, using what they have learned and experienced to instruct the people.