2/5/2011 Devotional Thoughts from Matthew... Parable of the Wheat and Tares (Matthew 13:24-30)

Text: Matthew 13:24-30 (NKJV)

24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who 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 grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 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?’ 28 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?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 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.”’”

Devotional Thoughts and Commentary:

We can look just a few verses forward (verses 36-43) for Jesus to give us the interpretation of the parable. Let me summarize the characters and items in this parable and their given meanings:

• Sower- Son of Man (Jesus)
• Enemy- Satan
• The Field- The world
• Good Seed / Wheat- True followers of Jesus
• Tares- False followers of Jesus who are actually allies of Satan
• Harvest- The end of time as we know it when Jesus returns to judge the world
• Reapers- Angels
• Fire- Hell
• Barn- The Kingdom of God; Heaven

Ok, so these "tares" are basically weeds, and more specifically, darnel. At first, this type of weed is not noticeably different from wheat, allowing it to blend in well. The key idea of this parable is that within the collection of Jesus's true followers, there will be many false followers. These false followers will be virtually indistinguishable from true followers during their time on Earth in the church (some may be Popes, pastors, televangelists, deacons, Sunday School teachers, etc.), but they will be supernaturally divided through the wisdom of God by angels and labeled for eternal, spiritual destruction.

There really isn't a whole lot for me to say on this one, since the Master gave the interpretation as preserved in the New Testament for us.

Applications:

First, consider whether you are a stalk of wheat or a weed. Have you really trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? Second, beware of the weeds within the church. Notice that there was not a question left in this parable as to whether or not there would be weeds. There are weeds everywhere in the world today, but even within the local church you worship in it is likely that there are some people who are pretending. They may not be intentionally fabricating an alias or working for Satan, but they are in fact doing so whether or not they realize it. Test all things and all people by what the Word of God says. Yes, even (and especially) your Pastor(s).