The Wheat and the tares
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. 37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
A) This Saying
"The kingdom of heaven is likened unto "
I) The Inhabitants of the Kingdom
All of those under the umbrella of Christianity
The word heaven used here is the greek word Ouranos which is defined as: the vaulted expanse of the sky with all things visible in it the universe, the world, the aerial heavens or sky, the region where the clouds and the tempests gather, and where thunder and lightning are produced. Or: the region above the sidereal heavens, the seat of order of things eternal and consummately perfect where God dwells and other heavenly beings.
I believe that that the first definition is the one we are dealing with here. We know by Gods word there will be no evil in his heaven. John gives us a picture of heaven in Revelation 21: 23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. 25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
When the kingdom of heaven is mentioned in this parable there are both elements of good and evil present.
"The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also."
We know that there is no evil in heaven nothing imperfect shall be admitted into heaven.
The kindom of heaven in this parable is reprentative of all who fall under the umbrella of christian religions.
B) The Symbols
1) The Sowers
"The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: "
25" But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way"
a) The Identity of the Sowers
36"Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. 37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;"
39" but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil;
2) The Soil & The Seed
24" The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way."
a) The Soil (Field)
38 " The field is the world;"
again this a confirmation of the kingdom of heaven being an earthly one
b) The Incorruptible Seed
38"...the good seed are the children of the kingdom; "
The good seed produces fruit " 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit,..."
Once again we see that the children of kingdom produce fruit, a sign of true salvation.
John 15:4 Jesus tells us "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me."
John 15:8 "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."
c) The Imitation seed
"... but the tares are the children of the wicked one; "
According to Eastons Bible dictionary; Tares
The bearded darnel, mentioned only in Matthew 13:25-30. It is the Lolium temulentum, a species of rye-grass, the seeds of which are a strong soporific poison. It bears the closest resemblance to wheat till the ear appears, and only then the difference is discovered. It grows plentifully in Syria and Palestine.
The tares immitate the wheat at first but when the crop comes to fruition it is reckognized for what it truly is. This is a picture of false teachers within the bounds of christianity. Those who teach falsely outside the christian umbrella are easily spotted, not so within the kingdom of heaven.
3) The Servants
"So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?"
Unidentified by Jesus who the Servants are,
We know who they are not (angels)
(they are probably representative of the ministers of Christ)
....but their intentions are clear.
a) Their Intention
"He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?"
These servants wish to work for their Master. They are willing to seperate the wheat from the tares, They are willing to labor for their master. I wonder what Jesus’ response was to the request by the servants in this parable was.
29 " But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.30 Let both grow together until the harvest:"
Matthew 9:37,38 "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest."
It is not the duty of the servants of Christ to seperate, or reap the harvest. The servants may do harm to the fruitful crop in the process. They are just laborers they are to work the field but not reap the harvest. Just as the tares can immitate the appearance of the wheat so can the ungodly imitate the appearance of godliness.
4) The Second Coming ( The Harvest)
the harvest is the end of the world;
a) The Children of Iniquity
"As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. "
Revelation 21:8 "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
b) The Children of Inheritance
" 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."
5) The Seperators (The Reapers)
" Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers,
" the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels."
Sometimes the word angels can mean the ministers of Christ ie; writing to the seven churches in the book of the Revelation.
And some times it refers to true angelic or heavenly beings. That is the case in this parable
There are several instances is the Revelation that angelic beings thrust forth their sickle to reap upon the earth.
C) The Sovereignty of Jesus
Sovereign :one possessing the supreme power and authority
Although the "kingdom of heaven" is not the perfect kingdom of God there is still only one that rules over it, Jesus.
He alone is able to judge and seperate the saved from the unsaved. I believe once again we have a parable for the saved to understand. We who desire to serve him must understand the limit of our duties. It is not up to us to judge or condemn those around us, we may discern right from wrong but we are unable to see the condition of a mans heart. Jesus in this parable makes us aware that all is not as it would seem. He does so, that we may not be deceived and, also that we may not overstep our bounds an do damage to someone else.
"The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."
