Matthew 8:19

‘And there came a scribe, and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.'

Matthew in his Jewishness takes particular note of the fact that this would-be close disciple was a Scribe. (For the fact that he was already seen as a disciple, compare ‘another' in Matthew 8:21). That he was a Scribe was not important to Luke. He wanted his Gentile readers to apply the story to themselves. But Matthew was very much aware of the Scribe's status in the eyes of the Jews, so he draws attention to what he was (although he could have been a Scribe of the Pharisees, a Scribe of the Sadducees, or a more general ‘unattached' Scribe. Matthew is stressing status rather than a particular viewpoint).

He then points out that in spite of the fact that Jesus has given the command to go over to Gentile territory, the Scribe says that he will follow Him wherever He goes. It was a promise of full commitment in the face of a choice which was probably not to the Scribe's liking, that of going into Gentile territory, but he was willing to make it. Matthew wanted his Jewish readers to realise that not all Scribes rejected Jesus.

‘Teacher.' This was an address used a umber of times to Jesus by both Scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 9:11; Matthew 12:38; Matthew 22:15; Matthew 22:35, compare the Sadducees in Matthew 22:23). The rich young man also addresses Him as ‘Teacher' (Matthew 19:16). It denoted respect, sometimes genuine and sometimes feigned, and is regularly on the lips of the critical. But there is absolutely no reason to think that it is feigned here. It was a natural address for a Scribe, and coming from a Scribe could be seen as ultra respectful. He is acknowledging that Jesus is an outstanding teacher, and worthy of being followed, even by a trained Scribe. (It should be noted that when Jesus wants to identify Himself to others in Matthew with Whom He was on friendly enough terms to use their possessions that He once uses ‘the Lord' (Matthew 21:3), and once ‘the Teacher' (Matthew 26:18). This confirms that ‘Teacher' can be used in Matthew by believers).