The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares
"Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” (Matthew 13:24-30)
Jesus told a story known as the parable of the wheat and tares. In this particular story, He talked about a farmer who planted a crop of wheat. And during the night his enemy, probably a competitor, came along and sowed tares, or weeds, among the wheat.
What is a Tare?
The tare that Jesus described in this parable was also known as the darnel seed, which looks almost exactly like wheat in the beginning stages of its growth. But after it grows a little more, it becomes evident that it is a weed, and it actually uproots the wheat.
When one of the farmer's workers asked him, "Shall we pull out the weeds?" the farmer replied, "No, you'll hurt the wheat if you do. Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds and burn them and to put the wheat in the barn."
Jesus told this story to point out that there are people in the church who have infiltrated our ranks. While there is wheat, there are also tares. We don't know who is who, necessarily. You will find them sitting side by side in a pew, breathing the same air, and singing the same songs. One may be a believer, while the other may be an unbeliever. One may be wheat, and one may be a tare.
We always will have people who infiltrate our ranks, the Ananiases and Sapphiras and the Judas Iscariots—the satanic plants that undermine the Word of God. But it is not our job to weed those people out. We don't see a person's heart. Our concern should not be who the hypocrites are but whether we are hypocrites ourselves. Our job is to take care of ourselves, to take heed and make sure that we are true believers.
The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while the men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. Now when the stalk sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared.
So the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’
But he replied, ‘An enemy did this.’
Now the slaves say to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go out and gather them up?’
But he says, ‘No, for while you are gathering up the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time, I will tell the reapers, “First, gather up the weeds and tie them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.’” (Matthew 13:24-30)
God made only good things, as Genesis chapter one makes abundantly clear. But it wasn’t long before evil slithered into the story and planted a few bad seeds of his own. This was the cost of creating the possibility for genuine love. Real love must be voluntary, and volition requires freedom. Freedom must necessarily leave the door open, and evil entered the scene.
Now when we look at our world, we see both good and bad. Some like to see only one or the other: “Humanity is basically good!” Or the opposite direction: “We are a generation of spoilt narcissists!” Neither picture, I hope you’ll agree, is complete. We have plenty of both good and bad in uncomfortable and contradictory juxtaposition.
THE IMPORTANCE OF SEEING BOTH THE WHEAT AND THE TARES AT ONCE
Jesus tells us the parable of the wheat and the tares to help us understand the situation we are living in. We must accept the reality that evil is inseparably intertwined with the good. We might long to put a comfortable distance between good and bad, but this is not an option available to us. Instead, we are offered the assurance that God will sort it all out with perfect justice in the end.
I have been challenged recently by the fact that Jesus does not retreat from evil doers – neither the prostitutes and sinners we are familiar with him hanging out with, nor the “brood of vipers” of the suffocating religious establishment. He holds his ground and maintains his stance whoever he encounters. There’s no “doing away” with people. That will come later.
Now the slaves say to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go out and gather them up?’
But he says, ‘No, for while you are gathering up the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest.
Let both grow. For now.
Some focus only on the ripe fields while ignoring the devastation of the enemy on the rampage, while others become overwhelmed with evil and miss the extraordinary outpouring of revelation that is coming to so many at this time. But wisdom recognizes both simultaneously.
Also, remember that the parable of the wheat and the tares is not static – the picture is dynamic with the good and the evil growing together.
Both good and bad are increasing. We can expect as time goes on for evil to increase in seriousness and in volume. We can also expect, with the passing weeks, months and years, for good to grow. We can expect to see more of God’s glory here on this earth, more people coming to faith, more demonstrations of God’s mighty power and salvation.
The question is, are we, God’s laborers, in position and ready for harvest time?
This is one great means of increasing grace in those who love God.
Living among those who are enemies to true godliness—keeps patience, forbearance, and self-denial in constant exercise. Were all humble, loving, and forbearing—then how could patience and meekness be exercised, and thereby gain strength? We would be apt to deceive ourselves; and while we enjoyed our own wills and ways, we would be ready to think, that there is no such thing as sin within us.
But an evil world, the tares continually among us, show us what spirit we are naturally of, bring us in one way or another perpetually to the test, and prove to us what desire there is still lurking within us, of having things in our way. The obstinate stubbornness of the people of Israel was one great means, in the course of providence, of promoting meekness in Moses, of making him more watchful over his own heart, and thereby, of gaining greater victory over himself.
2. This state of things promotes faith, which alone can daily give victory over the world.
If we live a sober, righteous and godly life in this present evil world—then faith will be continually exercised and tried, and tried by all the force which worldly customs, practices, and long habits can bring against it. The fewness of real Christians leaves us often to walk, as it were, almost singly in the narrow way. The number also and prosperity of the wicked, may cause us at times to search and examine the grounds of our faith—and shaking it to its very foundation, may make it more steadfast, and render us immoveable in the midst of all storms which are raised by an evil world.
We are forced continually to the most vigorous exercise of faith, and thereby it is more strengthened and confirmed. Without being strong in faith, it is impossible to "endure as seeing him who is invisible," to esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of the world, and to choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.
The world, lying in wickedness, calls forth faith, in one way or other, into perpetual exercise. While we live differently from the world, not swayed by its customs, not led by its maxims, not influenced by its favors, not awed by its frowns—we must "live by faith". "This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the son of God." It is a perpetual warfare between the world of lost sinners on one side, and faith on the other—and victory must every day be gained, or we are enslaved.
The world gives faith no rest; and faith puts forth its strength, which is Christ, continually to oppose it. The world, with its glory, pomp, wealth, and care, on the one hand—and persecution and suffering, on the other—is an enemy that cannot be easily vanquished—nothing but the continual exercise of vigorous faith can make any stand against it.
The Psalmist felt the power of this enemy, "My feet," said he, "were almost gone, my steps had well near slipped"—and why? " For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." But when he saw them thus easy, secure, and prosperous, to what did this lead him? "I thought," said he, "to understand this; but it was too hard for me, until I went into the sanctuary of God." He betook himself to the ordinances of God; and thereby his faith was called forth into exercise, and gained strength, and he was helped over a great stumbling-block to a clearer insight into the secret mysteries of God's providence, and to a more steadfast belief of his promises.
3. The intermixture of tares and wheat, of the wicked and the godly, is, by the blessing of God, one great means of mortifying our love to this present evil world, and of engaging our affections to the world above.
How strong is the love of present things in our hearts! Though we see nothing but sin in the world—yet how unwilling we are to leave it! If, when full of sin, as it is, we are in general too fond of it—then what would be the case, were it exactly according to our wishes, and were everything around us just what we would desire? What can be more suited to mortify this love, and to engage us to the pursuit of higher things—than the very sight of the evil world itself, and a little feeling of the prickly thorns with which it abounds? The sinfulness of the world, and a continual abode among the enemies of God and of godliness, has the desirable effect upon the gracious soul, of weaning it from such a scene of sin and misery.
When the Christian reflects on the evil that is daily done under the sun, and when by peculiar circumstances it is brought home to him—he sets his desires after God, and after the new world, wherein dwells righteousness. His soul grows sick of this dungeon and sink of iniquity where he is confined, and he loathes himself for having set any value on the things of earth.
Thus we see how the intermixture of good and bad in this world, tends to our spiritual improvement. Corruptions are hereby weakened—and grace improved and strengthened. We have the wicked daily around us, as thorns in our eyes and scourges in our sides; and the best of men are full of daily infirmities, which call forth patience, forbearance, and forgiveness. The present state of things should not be left unnoticed, but made to minister to our edification and improvement.
Let us not be impatient and complain of our particular situations—but be our situation what it may, let us look up to that God, who can cause all things to work for our good—who can make even the sins of others to turn out to the spiritual and eternal good account of his servants!
O what wisdom does God display in all his proceedings! With what submission therefore should we acquiesce in his disposal of us! And what grounds have we in all things to depend on him, and to wait, with full assurance, for a blessing in everything. He can make the world's poison to be nourishing food; and what proves fatal to others—he can make beneficial to his people.
Well then, since this is the will of God—that the tares and wheat should grow together until harvest, let us never expect it to be otherwise—but let us look for something to exercise grace in everything, in every situation, and in every individual. God will have it so. What cause then for contentedness, and also for continual thanksgiving! Let us become more dead daily to the world, have our affections more steadily fixed on things above, and more diligently seek a better country!
Matthew 13:24-30: “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 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? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 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.”
1. The Saviour himself explained this parable in the same chapter upon the request of his disciples and says: “He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; and the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; and the enemy that sowed them is the devil; and the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.” [Matt. 13:37-39] These seven points of explanation comprehend and clearly set forth what Christ meant by this parable. But who could have discovered such an interpretation, seeing that in this parable he calls people the seed and the world the field; although in the parable preceding this one he defines the seed to be the Word of God and the field the people or the hearts of the people. If Christ himself had not here interpreted this parable every one would have imitated his explanation of the preceding parable and considered the seed to be the Word of God, and thus the Saviour’s object and understanding of it would have been lost.
2. Permit me to make an observation here for the benefit of the wise and learned who study the Scriptures. Imitating or guessing is not to be allowed in the explanation of Scripture; but one should and must be sure and firm. Just like Joseph in Gen. 40:12interpreted the two dreams of the butler and baker so differently, although they resembled each other, and he did not make the one a copy of the other. True, the danger would not have been great if the seed had been interpreted to be the Word of God; still had this been the case the parable would not have been thus understood correctly.
3. Now this Gospel teaches us how the kingdom of God or Christianity fares in the world, especially on account of its teaching, namely, that we are not to think that only true Christians and the pure doctrine of God are to dwell upon the earth; but that there must be also false Christians and heretics in order that the true Christians may be approved, as St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 11:19. For this parable treats not of false Christians, who are so only outwardly in their lives, but of those who are unchristian in their doctrine and faith under the name Christian, who beautifully play the hypocrite and work harm. It is a matter of the conscience and not of the hand. And they must be very spiritual servants to be able to identify the tares among the wheat. And the sum of all is that we should not marvel nor be terrified if there spring up among us many different false teachings and false faiths. Satan is constantly among the children of God (Job 1:6).
4. Again this Gospel teaches how we should conduct ourselves toward these heretics and false teachers. We are not to uproot nor destroy them. Here he says publicly let both grow together. We have to do here with God’s Word alone; for in this matter he who errs today may find the truth tomorrow. Who knows when the Word of God may touch his heart? But if he be burned at the stake, or otherwise destroyed, it is thereby assured that he can never find the truth; and thus the Word of God is snatched from him, and he must be lost, who otherwise might have been saved. Hence the Lord says here, that the wheat also will be uprooted if we weed out the tares. That is something awful in the eyes of God and never to be justified.
5. From this observe what raging and furious people we have been these many years, in that we desired to force others to believe; the Turks with the sword, heretics with fire, the Jews with death, and thus outroot the tares by our own power, as if we were the ones who could reign over hearts and spirits, and make them pious and right, which God’s Word alone must do. But by murder we separate the people from the Word, so that it cannot possibly work upon them and we bring thus, with one stroke a double murder upon ourselves, as far as it lies in our power, namely, in that we murder the body for time and the soul for eternity, and afterwards say we did God a service by our actions, and wish to merit something special in heaven.
6. Therefore this passage should in all reason terrify the grand inquisitors and murderers of the people, where they are not brazened faced, even if they have to deal with true heretics. But at present they burn the true saints and are themselves heretics. What is that but uprooting the wheat, and pretending to exterminate the tares, like insane people?
7. Today’s Gospel also teaches by this parable that our free will amounts to nothing, since the good seed is sowed only by Christ, and Satan can sow nothing but evil Seed; as we also see that the field of itself yields nothing but tares, which the cattle eat, although the field receives them and they make the field green as if they were wheat. In the same way the false Christians among the true Christians are of no use but to feed the world and be food for Satan, and they are so beautifully green and hypocritical, as if they alone were the saints, and hold the place in Christendom as if they were lords there, and the government and highest places belonged to them; and for no other reason than that they glory that they are Christians and are among Christians in the church of Christ, although they see and confess that they live unchristian lives.
8. In that the Saviour pictures here also Satan scattering his seed while the people sleep and no one sees who did it, he shows how Satan adorns and disguises himself so that he cannot be taken for Satan. As we experienced when Christianity was planted in the world Satan thrust into its midst false teachers. People securely think here God is enthroned without a rival and Satan is a thousand miles away, and no one sees anything except how they parade the Word, name and work of God. That course proves beautifully effective. But when the wheat springs up, then we see the tares, that is, if we are conscientious with Gods Word and teach faith, we see that it brings forth fruit, then they go about and antagonize it, and wish to be masters of the field and fear lest only wheat grows in the field, and their interests be overlooked.
9. Then the church and pastor marvel; but they are not allowed to pass judgment, and eagerly wish to interpret all for the best, since such persons bear the Christian name. But it is apparent they are tares and evil seed, have strayed from the faith and fallen to trust in works, and think of rooting out the tares. They lament because of it before the Lord, in the heartfelt prayer of their spirit. For the sower of the good seed says again, they should not uproot it, that is, they should have patience, and suffer such blasphemy, and commend all to God; for although the tares hinder the wheat, yet they make it the more beautiful to behold, compared with the tares, as St. Paul also says in 1 Cor. 11:19: “For there must be false factions among you, that they that are approved may be made manifest among you.” This is sufficient on today’s text.
This parable follows the one concerning the sower and the seed where Jesus is using agricultural examples to teach about the kingdom. By its proximity to the first parable (Sower and Seed), the parable of the wheat and tares may have been the second parable that Jesus spoke during His ministry.
The Parable
24 Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. 26 But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. 27 The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?' 28 And he said to them, 'An enemy has done this!' The slaves said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?' 29But he said, 'No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn."'
- Matthew 13:24-30
Vs. 24 - This parable is about the kingdom, not about the world. It takes place and describes events in the kingdom. It is important to remember this.
Vs. 25 - Tares or darnel are a weed-like grass that resemble wheat but have a firmer root system. The landowner sows good wheat and while the laborers are sleeping the darnel/tares are sown by his enemy.
Vs. 26 - The fact that tares had been sown only became evident when both began to grow.
Vs. 27 - The workers question the possibility of these being tares among the wheat. How could this be so? The owner gives them the reason why this is so.
Vs. 28-29 - The workers want to identify and remove the tares but the owner tells them to allow both to grow side by side to full maturity. In the case of the tares, their close and strong roots might damage the good plants if they were to be torn out. Also, they resemble the good crop and so good plants might be uprooted by error.
Vs. 30 - The owner instructs the workers to wait until harvest when it will be easier to separate the good from the bad and deal with each accordingly - one for keeping, the other for burning.
Explanation of the Parable
Like the parable of the sower and seed, there is a break in the story where Jesus, in this case, gives another parable and reasons why He spoke in parables.
36 Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field." 37 And He said, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, 38 and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. 40 So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, 42 and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear."
- Matthew 13:36-43
Vs. 36 - Apparently after going out into the boat He taught several parables and then returned from the shore back to His family's home. This is when the disciples come asking for an explanation of the parable of the tares and wheat. Jesus had spoken another parable about the mustard seed and they did not ask about this one. Perhaps the parable that contained a judgement stirred them to ask for an explanation.
Vs. 37-39 - Jesus gives a quick rundown of the characters in the parable and who they represent in real life. Jesus Himself is the sower and refers to Himself as the Son of Man. This expression is first seen in Daniel 7:13 where Daniel is seeing a vision that represents the end of the world where God gives to this "Son of Man" all dominion and authority and establishes his kingdom forever.
In Daniel's vision, "Son of Man" refers to the Messiah to come. Jesus rarely used the term king or Messiah for Himself because these terms were heavy with meaning for the Jews. Instead He uses this Old Testament term for Himself because it did two important things:
- It was a Scriptural term referring to the Messiah, His work and His kingdom.
- It was not a term that the Jews normally used or invested any kind of meaning (good or bad) into.
So He uses Son of Man as an obscure way to refer to Himself as the Messiah and to put into context the things He will say about the kingdom and its future. He uses a term that means Messiah but has not yet been polluted by worldly ideas.
The field is the world itself. The seed of the kingdom is planted all over the world by Jesus. The good seed are the sons of the kingdom.
Before, the seed was God's word. In this parable the seed is what the seed eventually produces - Christians, those who make up the kingdom. The tares are the sons of the devil. These are the ones who have believed Satan (whether they know it or not) and follow him. If you don't follow Jesus, you follow Satan, whether you're aware of it or not. The tares are sown in the kingdom.
They are the hypocrites who talk like Christians but don't act like Christians. They are the spies who are with the people in the kingdom but only because it suits their purposes - money, prestige, comfort. They are the backsliders and sinners who have begun to be influenced more by Satan and the world than Christ and His word. They go through the motions of Christian living, but their hearts are not in it.
The influence that produces these evil and unbelieving ones is the devil. Just as the word has the power to create a Christian and transform him into Christ likeness - Satan and his deceptive ways have the power to transform people into evil and unbelieving individuals as well. The harvest is when Jesus returns and the end of the world as we know it takes place.
The reapers (workers who separate) are angels.
Paul said that the angels will have a voice at the end of the world and will accompany the Lord (I Thess. 4:16). Also says they will come in "flaming fire" at the end (II Thess. 1:7).
Vs. 40-43 - Jesus continues to make the parallel between this parable and the end of the world.
The separation of the tares and wheat is a mirror of what happens at judgement for those who are in the kingdom, not the judgement for the entire world. At the end there will be a judgement between believers and unbelievers. Jesus says that there will also be a separation between those who believed and those who said they believed but didn't belong.
Those who belong in the kingdom will simply remain there; those who aspire to be in the kingdom but who give offense (to the brethren, to the Lord, to the world) and those who practice sin (lawlessness) will be removed and be placed in hell.
After this separation the righteous will be:
- Glorified - new bodies to enable them to exist in the heavenly realm.
- Exalted - lifted up to be with God forever.
They will be of light: pure in intention, thought and conduct, just like the heavenly Father. Jesus warns, even His disciples, to pay attention and be careful to abide by the teaching of this parable.
Summary
This parable also gives us significant insight into the kingdom, especially at the end of time. Some of the things we learn:
1. The kingdom is universal. God's kingdom is all over the world. Wherever people respond to His gospel there will grow the good wheat of the kingdom. Also, there is good soil everywhere, our job is to go plant the seed.
2. There are pretenders in the kingdom. People leave the church because there are hypocrites and sinful people who show no repentance. There are secret sinners and spies who have no business being here but remain to carry their own agenda. This must not discourage us, this is not a sign of failure of the kingdom - it's really a sign that Satan is at work.
3. No one escapes judgement. Many think that their job is to find out who belongs in the kingdom and who doesn't. Actually, our job is to sow the seed of the kingdom and bear fruit in the kingdom, not seek out those we feel don't belong there. Jesus guarantees that at the end, all those who don't belong in the kingdom will be rooted out, judged and punished. Only those who belong will remain.
This parable likens the mustard seed and plant to God's word and the church that grows from it.
We've arrived at the last chapter in this book on the parables of the kingdom. Our goal was to understand the nature and character of God's kingdom from the teachings about it found in these kingdom parables.
We are the kingdom. Every time Jesus says, "The kingdom is like…" He is also saying, "The church is like…" or "in the church this is the way things happen or this is what will take place."
Studying these parables is really about studying ourselves. What we've learned so far is that:
1. Small → Powerful. Although small in comparison to others in this world, the church has great proportional influence - even if it is unseen.
2. Great Privilege. It is a valuable privilege to be a member of the church.
3. Different Rates. People in the church grow at different rates depending on how they respond to God's word. Greater obedience = greater growth.
4. Mercy - First and Last. God's mercy is what allows entry into the church; faithfulness toward God and mercy toward others is what keeps you in the church.
5. God will Judge. God will purify His church at the coming of Jesus by removing all the hypocrites, disobedient and unfaithful from the kingdom.
In our final chapter we'll add a few more insights to make our study complete.
Parable of the Seed
26 And He was saying, "The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; 27 and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows—how, he himself does not know. 28 The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. 29 But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."
- Mark 4:26-29
This parable is one of the simplest and most ordinary of stories. Jesus simply recounts the cycle of planting and harvest. Once the seed is planted the farmer waits (sleeps) without worry for the harvest to come. The seed and soil do their work independently of the farmer's concern or lack of concern. In the end the harvest will announce itself and it will be time for the farmer to do his work of collecting the crop.
Jesus describes a natural cycle with each thing happening in order and in its own time. As a parable about the kingdom Jesus is saying: once the seed of the kingdom is sown, the cycle of reproduction and harvest has been set into motion.
Despite storms, trouble and time delay the work will come to fruition. The job of the farmer (the workers) is not to figure out how the seed grows, or worry about its rate of growth, or force its growth - but simply to plant the seed and wait for the harvest.
There will be a harvest.
In a larger sense, Jesus is saying that God's plan of sending Jesus to plant the kingdom and then returning for it will come to fruition. Nothing will stop it once it has been set into motion. In a personal sense, He promises all the workers that their planting will be rewarded with a harvest of some kind. They need not worry or become impatient.
The growth of the kingdom is imperceptible it seems, even to those within the kingdom, but the harvest (good works, changed lives, new Christians, etc.) is always visible in the end. This parable adds the idea that the church is fruitful if it follows the natural cycle of planting (the seed / word) and harvesting (good works, saved souls).
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
30 And He said, "How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it? 31It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil, 32 yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that the birds of the air can nest under its shade."
- Mark 4:30-32
It is interesting that this is the only parable about the kingdom mentioned by three of the four gospels. There are no kingdom parables in John. The story in the parable is of the mustard seed, truly a small speck of a seed compared to other types of plant seeds. However, the plant/bush could grow into a shrub of over 10 feet in just a few weeks in the proper conditions.
People of that place knew the amazing growth rate of this shrub that Jesus has described.
The point of the story was that such a small and insignificant seed could in short order provide shelter for the birds of the air. Something that took regular trees years, even decades to accomplish, was done in a relatively short time by this plant.
Again, the parallel is with the kingdom. The Bible provides a vivid description of the speed of growth the church had in the beginning. The parable speaks of rate of growth and provision for the birds. The parallel to the mustard seed is the story of the Lord's church beginning in dynamic fashion when 3,000 were converted in one day at Pentecost.
- Within a few years there were nearly 50,000 converts in the area.
- Within thirty years it had spread throughout the Roman Empire.
- After four centuries it was the official religion of the Roman world.
Judaism, or any other religion for that matter, had never grown so big or as quickly as Christianity. The birds finding shelter can be the lost finding shelter or safety in the kingdom, or can refer to the fact that the Gentiles found rest and protection within Christianity - something they never found in Judaism or paganism.
The church began with an executed leader and 12 Apostles preaching His message. Christianity overcame every religion and every political and philosophical group in its way. This parable reinforces an idea about the church already made in other kingdom parables: that the church is small and weak looking in comparison to other things, but it has great proportional influence, growth and strength.
Parable of the Workers
1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; 4and to those he said, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' And so they went. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day long?' 7 They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You go into the vineyard too.'
8 "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.' 9 When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius. 10 When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, 12 saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.' 13But he answered and said to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?' 16So the last shall be first, and the first last."
- Matthew 20:1-16
This story is an unusual one. A man hires people at different times of the day to work in his field. He pays all of them the same wage even though they worked different hours. The first crew grumbled feeling that it wasn't fair that they received the same amount for working all day as those who only worked an hour. The landowner replies that he has been fair. He's paid the first crew what they agreed upon for the work they had been contracted for (a denarius was above average for that time). He paid the other men the same amount, not because of their work but because he wanted to be generous.
He finishes by warning his audience that not all things will be as they seem. Sometimes the first end up being last and those who are last are given a better position. Unlike the parables of the harvest or the mustard seed, this parable has no easy or natural application / parallel in the everyday world.
For the kingdom however, this parable teaches us several things:
1. Being in the Kingdom is a Matter of Grace.
The workers had no jobs (any of them), the money was more than any of them (even the first crew) would normally receive. Being in the church is a matter of God's grace. He finds us through His gospel; we enter in through the blood of Christ; we remain because of His grace; we receive more than we even deserve in material and physical blessings. God initiates our entry into the church, enables us to remain and blesses us every moment of our lives forever, all because of His grace.
2. The Order in the Kingdom is not Like the Order in the World.
The first crew's attitude was indicative of a worldly attitude: I was first, I worked longest, I worked the hardest; I deserve the best, the most.
This may be logical and just in many ways, but this is not the way things work in the kingdom. In the kingdom or church:
- The prize goes to the one who believes, not the one who deserves.
- The reward is for the one who trusts God, not the one who trusts in his work.
The one who pays His workers does so based on His goodness, not the goodness or value of the work of His workers. This is why some who think they are first in God's eyes (like the Jews in the 1st century; or self-righteous people of today) may be last in His eyes; and those who seem to be last (sinners, those who struggle, those who come to Him late in life, those who have little to offer) may be first -- because of His kindness.
In the church the rules of the world are turned upside down:
- The first are last; the last first.
- The weak are strong; the strong are blind.
- The leaders are servants, etc.
Summary
So as we finish the study, we add two last ideas to the five major ones we have drawn from the parables about the kingdom:
1. The church will continue to grow until its final harvest when Jesus comes. Nothing will stop it because God is the one who began it and He will be there for the end. Don't worry about the destruction or failure of the church.
2. The church operates based on a different principle than in the world.In its best mode the world operates on a principle of justice or fairness. In the kingdom, everything operates on the principle of grace: God's grace for us, our grace towards each other.
Jesus provides the conclusion and encouragement for these kingdom parables:
51 "Have you understood all these things?" They said to Him, "Yes." 52And Jesus said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old."
- Matthew 13:51-52
If you understand these things (kingdom parables) you are now like Scribes (those who taught and copied the scriptures), able to teach not only what the Old Testament said and meant but now you can add this new knowledge concerning the fulfillment of the Old Testament in the person of Jesus and His kingdom. If someone knows these things, he knows the full gospel, the revelation of God in Christ and now is qualified to teach the Bible accurately.
I hope each person who reads this will find encouragement and security in the knowledge of these things about the kingdom / church.
THIS parable is the second of a series of seven, in which the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven—or rather of the kingdom of the heavens—are given; wherein is shown the character which the kingdom of the Son of Man takes whilst He, being rejected by Israel, is seated at the right hand of God.
These parables, like the addresses to the seven Churches in Asia, in Rev. 2, 3, are arranged in chronological order; they mark certain epochs in the history of the Church during the present dispensation.
There is this distinction between the seven parables in Matthew 13 and the addresses to the seven Churches in Asia in Rev. 2, 3,—in the parable the KINGDOM aspect of the dispensation is given, hence notice is taken of outward nominal profession; in the seven addresses in Revelation 2, 3 the CHURCH character of the dispensation is contemplated.
The seven Churches are represented by seven golden lampstands; gold being the emblem of that which is divine.
It is the Church of God which is addressed, composed of those who are regenerated and partakers of the divine nature.
The parable of the WHEAT and TARES foretells the entrance of mere professors into the Church of God, which began at so early a period of its history, accompanied, indeed, by fierce persecution, as indicated by the address to the Church in Smyrna (Revelation 8-11), and foreshadowed by the reign of Rehoboam.
Four of these parables Jesus delivered in the presence of the multitude (verse 34); the three remaining were spoken to the disciples in the house. That of the SOWER and the SEED was explained to the multitude; this of the WHEAT and TARES He expounded to the disciples when alone with them (verse 36).
This second parable gives us our Lord's estimate of Christendom, from the first entrance of mere professors into the outward church up to the time of the Lord's return; while the explanation continues the prediction to the end of the age.
Verses 38, 39. "The field is the world; the good seed are the children [or sons] of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the Devil; the harvest is the end of the world [age], and the reapers are the angels.”
Strict discipline is to be maintained in the CHURCH, and the wicked person put away (1 Cor. 5.), but persecution is not to be resorted to in the WORLD: human reason may be utterly at fault here, for a persecuting Saul may in due time become a nursing father to the Church. "The harvest is the end of the age." This harvest extends over a certain period; it is not confined to one specific action. There are three things noticed in connection with it at.
1st. The collecting of the tares in bundles.
2nd. The gathering of the wheat into the barn.
3rd. After a time, the burning of the tares.
1st. The time of harvest is the time of ripening, both of the wheat and tares alike. As the end of the age draws nigh, before the removal of the Church, false profession will have ripened, and false systems of theology will have become matured; human combinations, on fundamentally false principles, will unite mere outward professors of Christianity in bonds too strong to be broken. God will overrule all this for the accomplishment of His own purposes, and angels are the instrumentalities which He employs. The tares are not at once burnt; they are collected together, but left on the field, preparatory to the final action.
2nd. But the wheat are gathered into the barn: the real believers in Christ, sealed and indwelt by the Spirit of God, changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall be forever with the Lord.
3rd With this the parable, as delivered in public, ends. This action closes the present dispensation, which commenced at Pentecost, and will terminate with the Lord's return to receive His Church to Himself.
The interpretation of the parable not only explains what goes before, but supplements what follows after. This principle of interpretation is of the utmost importance to be observed, otherwise, in some instances, the interpretation will appear to contradict the parable. This principle will apply to the interpretation of the prophecies of Daniel, and also to the concluding parable of the NET (verses 47-50).
The same remark is applicable to the first and second epistles to the Thessalonians. The first epistle is occupied entirely with the coming of the Lord Jesus to receive His Church—that is, "The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together unto Him.”
The second epistle supplies the details of these things which will follow after—Babylon the great, the Man of Sin, and the manifestation of the Lord in flaming fire.
Verses 40-42. "As therefore the tares are gathered [collected] and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world [age]. The Son of Man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather [collect] out of His kingdom all things that offend [stumble], and them which do iniquity [practice lawlessness]; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
“The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together unto Him," represented in the parable by the wheat gathered into the barn, closes the present dispensation; but the times of the Gentiles run on till the end or completion of the age. During the interval between the gathering of the wheat and the burning of the tares, the last week of Daniel's prophecy of the seventy weeks of years will be accomplished. 3rd. In these seven years, and especially in the last three and a half years, the tares previously collected in bundles will become fully dried, and ready for the burning.
The great apostasy of Christendom, culminating in Babylon the great, and the rebellion of man, headed up in the Lawless One, the Man of Sin, will call for the execution of speedy and signal judgment.
When the peaceful reign of the Son of Man shall be established on the earth—all Israel saved and righteous—the nations blessed in association with them the knowledge of Jehovah covering the earth as the waters cover the sea—"Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father" (verse 43). The dead in Christ who rise first and the living ones caught up at the Lord's coming-represented by the wheat gathered into His garner will then shine forth in resurrection glory, with the brightness of the firmament.
Then the kingdom of the heavens will no longer be in mystery, but in full manifestation—the kingdom of the Son of Man established on the earth, and the saints of the heavenlies taking the kingdom and shining forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father above.
Well may the Lord add, "Who hath ears to hear, let him hear" (verse 43). For in the consideration of subjects so great, so glorious, and so full, we need not only to mark well, and rightly divide the Scriptures of truth, but we need to hear the voice of that Divine Spirit, under Whose inspiration these Scriptures were written, and Who alone can interpret them, that He may not only bring to our remembrance the very words which Jesus uttered, but give us to know the mind of Christ in them.
In the introduction, we see revealed important characteristics about the two groups that obviously describe two different types of attitudes. These traits make the two groups' approaches to the wedding celebration predictable, summarized by the contrasting behaviors of sincerity and superficiality. The two have some interesting similarities that cause them to appear the same outwardly.
Both groups were in the same place going to meet the bridegroom (verse 1). The spiritually unprepared Christian may sit right beside the spiritually prepared Christian in Sabbath services, similar to the state of the tares and wheat (Matthew 13:24-30). They both seem interested in the same things and seem to have the same character. Both may diligently give tithes and offerings and serve their brethren. It may only be in a crisis that the real differences show up, and then attendance may begin to wane, and their monetary support of the church may slow or even stop.
Both groups were carrying lamps (verse 1), so these vessels are not a sign of who had prepared. Similarly, a person carrying a Bible to church does not show that that person has prepared by study and prayer during the previous week to overcome sin and produce spiritual fruit. Neither does it show that the Holy Spirit exists within a person.
Both groups slumbered and slept (verse 5). Even the most dedicated and sincere saints may temporarily become spiritually lethargic. The fact that the Bridegroom delayed His coming is one of Jesus' many hints that His return may be much later than expected. From the perspective of the first-century church, Christ has delayed for almost 2,000 years! Nevertheless, we should not allow ourselves to become lethargic about His eventual return (Habakkuk 2:3). The word "slumbered" is actually nod, a transient act, whereas "slept" should be sleeping, a continuous act. Thus, we see the progression of lethargy. First, the virgins nodded their heads as if napping, and later, they slept continuously and deeply. Initial weariness is the first step to further spiritual decay. It is vital to catch temporary apathy early to prevent permanent disillusionment.
The ten virgins' service and reverence to God is done perfunctorily. It is more of a habit than a sincere zeal, and this is seen in Christians' routine attendance at Sabbath services. They obey God almost mindlessly, developing it into a routine over time. Their lack of emotional maturity and forethought carries them through life in lightheaded bliss, and so they remain with the church, just filling a seat or attending only occasionally.
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