The parable of the wheat and the tares

[Senior Pastor]

Matthew 13:24-30 (KJV)
24 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.

This parable Mat 13:24-30 is also interpreted by our Lord Mat 13:36-43 Here the "good seed" is not the "word," as in the first parable Mat 13:19, 23 but rather that which the word has produced. 1Pe 1:23 viz. the children of the kingdom. These are, providentially Mat 13:37 "sown," i.e. scattered, here and there in the "field" of the "world" Mat 13:38 The "world" here is both geographical and ethnic--the earth-world, and also the world of men. The wheat of God at once becomes the scene of Satan's activity. Where children of the kingdom are gathered, there "among the wheat" Mat 13:25, 38, 39 Satan "sows" "children of the wicked one," who profess to be children of the kingdom, and in outward ways are so like the true children that only the angels may, in the end, be trusted to separate them Mat 13:28-30, 40-43 So great is Satan's power of deception that the tares often really suppose themselves to be children of the kingdom Mat 7:21-23 Many other parables and exhortations have this mingled condition in view (e.g.) Mat 22:11-14; Mat 25:1-13, 14-30; Luke 18:10-14; Heb 6:4-9 Indeed, it characterizes Matthew from Chapter 13 to the end. The parable of the wheat and tares is not a description of the world, but of that which professes to be the kingdom. Mere unbelievers are never the children of the devil, but only religious unbelievers are so-called (cf) Mat 13:38; John 8:38-44; Mat 23:15

 

[B-A-C]

The soil is actually what Satan is after. The "seed" is the word of God (the Bible).

Luke 8:10; And He said, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that SEEING THEY MAY NOT SEE, AND HEARING THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND.
Luke 8:11; "Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God.
Luke 8:12; "Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved.
Luke 8:13; "Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away.
Luke 8:14; "The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
Luke 8:15; "But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.

The soil in verse 12, is never saved.

Then we have three kinds of soil where the seed started to grow.
The "rocky soil" in in verse 13 receive the word "with joy" and believe "for a while". It isn't that they never believed. They just stopped after a while.
The "thorny soil" in verse 14 got a little further, they actually started to bear a little fruit. But then they stopped and the fruit never fully matured.

Then of course we have the "good soil" in verse 15.

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There are "tares" and "bad fish" in the kingdom of God and they will be removed out of the kingdom eventually.

Matt 13:24; Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
Matt 13:25; "But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.
Matt 13:26; "But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.

Matt 13:40; "So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age.
Matt 13:41; "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,
Matt 13:42; and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

There will be people (tares) who are "in the kingdom"... but eventually they will thrown into the furnace of fire.

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Matt 13:47; "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind;
Matt 13:48; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away.
Matt 13:49; "So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous,
Matt 13:50; and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The kingdom of heaven is also a fish net with both good and bad fish in it. Just the like tares, there are "bad fish" in the kingdom.
Some of them don't believe they are bad fish, and some of them don't believe they can be removed out of the kingdom, but...
The bad fish will be taken out of the kingdom and thrown in the fire.

 

[Dave M]

Some of them don't believe they are bad fish, and some of them don't believe they can be removed out of the kingdom, but...
The bad fish will be taken out of the kingdom and thrown in the fire.

It is amazing to me that people dont realize they are not going to make the kingdom of heaven. Yet Jesus tells us exactly this, it seems these people all thought for sure they were going to Heaven they Knew Jesus by name, they even did mighty works in his name while on earth. Yet it seems they were not obedient to his word. These people must of been blinded by there own sin since they were practicing lawlessness.
Matthew 7:21-23
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’


2 Corinthians 4:4
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

 

[Senior Pastor]

I've often wondered who these tares might be? Could they be the ones my associate pastor mentioned to me? I'm not sure?

My associate pastor has a word for Christians who only follow what they "like" – "cafeteria Christians or à la carte Christians." These Christians just skim by and pick or choose what they like. Pick and choose which biblical doctrines they will and won’t be followed; which doctrines will be considered “incidental.”
Unfortunately, when we do that we would love to grab the fries and the pizza, but who takes the salad? That's the problem. If it were up to us to decide what we want to practice or not it would be all chocolate and no bread. We wouldn't need prophets, bible books, Apostles, or a Savior to tell us what we should do.

 

[Brother Paul]

I always saw this as a description of the Church. Both types are present in the church. In the world at first it is nearly impossible to tell the darnel wheat (tares) apart from the real wheat. It is later as they grow and begin to produce fruit that you can tell them apart. By then, in a local body, it is not possible to just rip them out because the roots are entwined (the crop must be harvested together and then separated (the angels have this role or job).

It is paralleled by the 10 virgins. All are part of the church. They are all in the Bridal Chamber awaiting His return. I am sure that outwardly they are doing all the correct churchianity stuff, but they do not have oil in their lamps, i.e., the Spirit of Christ in them (Romans 8:9). and they have never tried to trim their wicks (make adjustments and conform or yield to the things of the Spirit and the word. Then at the last minute they think they can go out and get or perhaps buy these things and as Jesus says "I NEVER knew you".

One of the measures for me has always been Matthew 25:31 on...Two groups within the "church" claiming, using, maybe even benefiting from the name "Christian" but alas they never really were. Perhaps they thought by saying some magic words or taking a bath that was all there was to it...they were now eternally saved children of God but we are told if we have not the Spirit of Christ in us we are not His and Matthew 25 describes key indicators of character that tell us if one really IS a child of God or not.

Just my $.02

Love Paul

 

[Sue D.]

Scripture Does say that 'by their fruits we shall know them'. If a person professes to be a born-again believer but does not produce the fruits in their lives, then there is reason to be concerned about them. That person CAN be taken aside and asked in a concerned way about their salvation. Share Your testimony about Your salvation and that will encourage them to do the same. One question Could be-- upon what do they base their Being a born-again believer. And Not in a judgemental way.

In this day and age -- do we really take the time or make the effort To get to know people? Or do 'we' assume that since they are in church that they're getting what they need and so don't pursue interaction?

Maybe some of us are actually wanting someone to take time To get to know us. There Are a lot of lonely people in this world. We All need encouragment.

 

[Senior Pastor]

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