While Christ was teaching the people, He was also educating His disciples for their future work. In all His instruction there were lessons for them. After giving the parable of the net, He asked them, "Have ye understood all these things?" They said unto Him, "Yea, Lord." Then in another parable He set before them their responsibility in regard to the truths they had received. "Therefore," He said, "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."

Samtidig med at Kristus underviste skarerne, uddannede han også sine disciple til deres fremtidige gerning. I al hans undervisning var der noget de skulle lære. Efter at have fortalt lignelsen om voddet spurgte han dem: "Har I forstået alt dette?" De svarede: "Ja, Herre." I en anden lignelse forelagde han dem deres ansvar med hensyn til de sandheder som de havde fået del i. Han sagde: "Så er da enhver skriftklog, som er oplært for Himmeriget, ligesom en husbond, der tager nyt og gammelt frem af sit forråd."