The Wheat and the Tares

I’m not going to take this parable apart and get into every detail, but I do want to show what is the main and evident point that Jesus was making with this sobering and powerful parable. Like the two parables that we’ve looked at the past two days, this one starts out with the same, very integral words: “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" (Mat. 13:24-30). So once again Jesus says that "the kingdom of heaven (or God) is likened unto” something. And once again the kingdom of God, or kingdom of heaven, whichever way you prefer to say it; is made up of those who have received God’s Spirit into their lives: meaning those who have “by one Spirit [been] baptized into one body" (I Cor. 12:13). Reason being that the kingdom of God is defined in the Bible as "righteousness, and peace, and joy, in the holy Ghost" (Rom. 14:17).

So like the other two parables we’ve looked at, this one is also referring to the people who are in the kingdom of God by means of the new birth experience, which new birth is irrefutably the Spirit baptism with the evidence of speaking with other tongues (Jn. 3:5; II Cor. 5:17; I Cor. 12:13; Acts 10:44-46). Okay, there’s nothing complicated about this parable so far, so let’s hear the meaning of it from Jesus himself: "He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children 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; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 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; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear" (Mat. 13:37-43). The point of this parable is that some people with the Spirit are going to “walk in the Spirit” in true holiness, and others are going to walk after the flesh instead; and "offend… and do iniquity.” Some will undoubtedly say, “He said the tares are the children of the devil, not the children of God.” That is correct. Let’s hear John the apostle on this: “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous" (I Jn. 3:7). And he follows up with this: "In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother" (I Jn. 3:10).

Some will still want to see the tares as being just ‘the world’ that is apart from the kingdom of God. In that case why did Jesus say, ”The kingdom of God is likened unto a man who sowed… ?“ Remember? This parable is only about those who are in the kingdom of God. Otherwise how is it that the tares are in the end "cast out of the kingdom of God?” One would have to be in the kingdom of God in order to be cast out of it. And no one is in the kingdom of God unless they have been born again into it (Jn. 3:5). In like manner with the tone of this parable, Jesus told those who were at that time in covenant with God, and who were “the seed of Abraham” [to whom the promises peratined]; that their father was the devil (Jn. 8:37,44). The truth is, we are the children of whoever we choose to follow after, whether it be God by means of being led by his Spirit; or whether it be Satan by means of being in opposition to the leading of the Spirit (Rom. 8:5-7,12-14). More pointedly to the scriptures: “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" (Rom. 6:16) So once again with this parable, it is manifest that the only people who will be saved in the end are those who ”endure unto the end [following after God’s love]” (Mat. 24:12,13). So in these things we can understand these fearsome words of Jesus more clearly: “But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear : Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him" (Lk. 12:5). So friend, on this day of supposed scares, that is the only scare that any of us should heed. Amen.

Originally posted on Halloween 2011. Just a note to understand the mention of 'this day of supposed scares.'