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The Wheat and the Tares
During his public
ministry, Jesus frequently travelled through the countryside of his native
land. He became acquainted with those natural sequences of `seedtime and
harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter,' [Genesis 8.22] which had
been part of God's promise to Noah centuries previously. With his
spiritually enhanced intellect he perceived in these natural phenomena the
basis for many powerful spiritual lessons for his followers in every age.
Following on from the parable of the sower and his seed, the next parable or
story, was told to the `great multitudes' who were gathered there. Jesus
related how the kingdom of heaven was like to a man sowing good seed in his
field, but while men slept his enemy came and sowed tares or weeds among the
wheat and went his way. Subsequently it became clear that whilst the wheat
was growing to bring forth fruit, so also were the tares appearing. The
householder's servants inquired of the useless growth and should they go and
eliminate the tares? `No' came the reply, `lest while you gather up the
tares, you root up also the wheat with them.' Both were to remain and grow
until the harvest, then first the tares were to be gathered, bundled and
burnt, and afterwards the wheat was to be gathered into his barn.
[Paraphrase Matthew 13.24-30]
THE DISCIPLES' QUESTION
Later on in the house the
disciples asked Jesus for an explanation of the parable and this is
contained in Matthew chapter 13. With his guidance we too can learn much in
terms of spiritual values and teaching when we reflect upon the Master's
words. The parables set out in unmistakable terms, the respective identity,
experiences and destinies of two classes of individuals during the period
prior to the establishment of the kingdom of God.
`THE WHEAT' CLASS
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Wheat |
Jesus himself was the
sower of the good seed. This seed represented the glorious knowledge
concerning the Gospel (Good News) of the Kingdom of which he was preaching,
and which truth was being implanted into the hearts and minds of `the
children of the kingdom.' [verse 38] Safely lodged there, that seed of
knowledge and joyous anticipation (of the Kingdom) could grow and prosper,
and finally bring forth the desired fruit. The seed was being sown
bountifully by the testimony of Jesus and later the process was to be
continued by the apostles who went out into all the world (`The field') and
proclaimed the same Gospel message of the coming Kingdom. Indeed, there were
to be signs following [Mark 16.17] in support of their preaching. The
growing period for `the children of the kingdom' was elsewhere described by
the Apostle Peter when he wrote `As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk
of the word, that ye may grow thereby' [1 Peter 2.2] or again
`grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ.' [2 Peter 3.18] The children of the Kingdom were to be in the world
but not of it. Their manner of life and growth, was to be based on
`...whatsoever things are true...honest...just...pure...lovely...of good
report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these
things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard,
and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.' [Philippians
4.8,9]
What desirable
characteristics these are, for they can bring forth `...fruit unto holiness,
and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of
God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.' [Romans 6.22,23] What a
destiny indeed!
`THE TARES' CLASS
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Tares |
This plant, this weed, is
of a very different natural species. As Jesus said of that class represented
by the tares, they `are the children of the wicked (one).' [Matthew 13.38]
That seed is sown by the devil [verse 39] which refers to all those evil
propensities which are so latent in the human heart. These can lead on to so
many of the grosser sins such as blasphemy, lust, greed, envy and many other
forms of wickedness as defined in the Scriptures. Whilst figuratively
speaking, this class as seeds have shared in the good things that God has
provided such as rain, sunshine, food and many other blessings, yet in the
majority of cases they are:
`...lovers of their
own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, un-thankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers,
false accusers, incontinent, (without self-control) fierce, despisers of
those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures
more than lovers of God.' [2 Timothy 3.2-4]
But, as the parable
indicated, this evil class of mankind was to `grow' alongside and often in
the midst of the righteous `children of the kingdom.' Indeed, as opportunity
has permitted over the succeeding centuries, some of these evil ones have
risen to great political, religious and military power and persecuted and
even hated `the children of the kingdom.'
ENMITY BETWEEN THE TWO CLASSES
Through the ages
subsequent to the utterance of the parable the righteous class have so often
come into moral and spiritual conflict with the evil class. The growth and
wicked influence of the latter has greatly affected the righteous ones. The
persecution, the cruel taunts etc., have played their part in sometimes
eroding or destroying their faith, their steadfastness and their obedience
to the Gospel call. In the intervening years of man's dominion even the very
source of nutriment for their faith, the Bible, has been criticised,
challenged and even copies of this precious Book have been destroyed by the
`wicked (one).' [Matthew 13.38]
The `children of the
kingdom' have therefore been subjected to this enmity, this hindrance to
growth, this diminution of faith, this barrage of scepticism and this attack
on their spiritual values. This situation is designed by God to test their
spiritual stamina, their resistance to evil and their recognition that as
the Apostle Paul put it `in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good
thing' [Romans 7.18] yet in God they could place their trust.
For them, spiritual life,
survival and obedience to Divine commands and precepts has resulted in
frequent encounters with wickedness. Yet curiously this is designed to
improve and strengthen their growth, their resistance to evil and the
bringing forth of `the fruit of righteousness,' [James 3.18] so desired by
the sower of the seed.
The Apostle Paul found:
`...a law, that, when
I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of
God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring
against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of
sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver
me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our
Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the
flesh the law of sin.' [Romans 7.21-25]
As Jesus also found in his
experiences, the suffering and the cross must come before the crown. He too
`was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.' [Hebrews 4.15]
He triumphed over all the sinful weaknesses to which mortal nature is so
prone and so we read: `God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a
name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory
of God the Father.' [Philippians 2.9-11]
The faithful children of
the kingdom have recognised the outworking of the principles of endurance,
faithfulness and submission in their lives, and have accepted the words of
Paul when he wrote: `Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous,
but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of
righteousness (N.I.V. `harvest of righteousness') unto them which are
exercised thereby.' [Hebrews 12.11]
`WHILE MEN SLEPT'
This phrase introduces a
new element into the teaching of the parable, for it was during this
situation that the seeds of the tares or weeds had been planted. Surely this
idea is designed to indicate that there have been and still are those men,
or ministers who could have been and indeed should have been the guardians
of the principles of truth expressed in the Gospel message. Since the days
of Jesus, these groups have instead been spiritually either `asleep' or
`unaware' of the growth of error, false doctrine or practice in the field of
Christianity. Could these `men who slept' be identified with the various
leaders, teachers, cults and other religious authorities that have allowed,
if not directly taught, much teaching and practice in the Christian world
which is so contrary to the clear teaching and doctrine of the Holy
Scriptures? Thanks be to God who has preserved a small minority to proclaim
`The Truth' of the Gospel of salvation and of the Kingdom so soon to
be established on the earth.
WHAT IS TO BE DONE WITH THE TARES?
In the parable, the
householder's servants had asked him if they should gather up the tares.
[verse 28] This they were not to do, for both wheat and tares were to grow
until the harvest. The roots of both were in the field (the world) and were
unavoidably and inextricably intertwined. To remove the tares might hinder
or destroy the tender wheat growth. The offer of the servants spoke of their
anxiety for the tender wheat plants, surrounded as they were by the strongly
growing tares. But the time of segregation was not yet; the presence of the
wicked ones (the tares class) at this point in the development of the wheat
class, was necessary in order to test the ability of the latter class to
survive. Prospective saints have to resist the overtures and advances of
present sinners.
THE TIME OF HARVEST
By this time, as Jesus
told the parable, the minds of the many listeners would be able to visualise
fields of wheat stretching far away into the distance, a beautiful golden
hue and with all the prospect of a bountiful harvest. Despite the curse
imposed from the beginning, and the ever present `Thorns and thistles',
[Genesis 3.18] the divinely promised harvest had arrived. The householder
studied the bountiful scene and considered the `time' was ripe for the
harvest. Perhaps, if he was a spiritually minded man, he might recall the
words of Jeremiah: `we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley,
and of oil, and of honey.' [Jeremiah 41.8] Then again, as he looked across
the golden field, he may well have reflected on the damaging work of his
enemies in the words of Job who had declared `Let thistles grow instead of
wheat, and cockle (original Hebrew means noisome weeds) instead of barley.'
[Job 31.40] But the time had come, the matter could be delayed no longer and
the harvest was ready. The great witness to the existence and controlling
power of God was evidenced as the Apostle Paul was later to declare:
`Nevertheless he left
not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from
heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and
gladness.' [Acts 14.17]
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TARES
Confident of the ability
of his reapers to discern the difference, the word came forth `Gather ye
together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them.' [Matthew
13.30] To whom was the instruction issued? To the disciples afterwards,
Jesus indicated the identity of the divinely appointed reapers, `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...' [Matthew 13.41,42] The parabolic teaching was reaching
its climax. Jesus now took to himself a new role, he is both sower
and reaper, and his angelic messengers were now to go forth at the time of
harvest and remove and destroy all the human elements that make up the tares
class of every age.
This divinely appointed
work of cleansing and destruction is one of the necessary stages in the
great harvest of the earth and in the preparation of its people for the
Kingdom which is to be established.
THE ROLE OF THE ANGELS
Concerning the part to be
executed by the angels in the great work ahead, we recall the Psalmist's
words:
`Bless the LORD, ye
his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening
unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye
ministers of his, that do his pleasure.' [Psalm 103.20,21] Their
punitive role is further described `Who maketh his angels spirits; his
ministers a flaming fire:' [Psalm 104.4]
The goodness of God in His
daily provision for mankind will change where necessary, to His severity
upon all that `offend' – the original Greek is `skandalon' or
`a stumbling block'. The figure has changed but the implication is obvious
and far-reaching. Elsewhere, Jesus said:
`whoso shall offend
one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him
that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in
the depth of the sea.' [Matthew 18.6]
It will be with unerring
divinely controlled precision that the members of the tares class will be
rooted out and destroyed when Christ comes to establish his Kingdom. Their
figurative end is fittingly described as a `furnace of fire' and `wailing
and gnashing of teeth.' [Matthew 13.42] For them, the pastoral scene so
beautifully depicted in the parable turns to fiery indignation and
destruction at the hands of the angelic agents.
This aspect of their work
completed, then the role of these mighty beings dramatically changes.
THE WHEAT GATHERED IN
It was the Psalmist who
declared with the utmost confidence in God's purpose: `Our God shall
come...a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous
round about him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth,
that he may judge his people. Gather my saints together unto me; those that
have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.' [Psalm 50.3-5]
Yes, their individual
sacrifice of praise, worship, obedience and faithfulness every day of their
life of opportunity, will commend the saints elect to Jesus and his Father.
For the righteous of every age, by their gaining of the great reward that
has been offered, there will stretch forward the endless ages of immortal
existence. Jesus promised:
`Then shall the
righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.'
[Matthew 13.43]
The prophetic pictures of
the blessed state of those who will be chosen to be with Jesus in his
Kingdom are numerous indeed, and are the subject of frequent articles in
this magazine. For their faithfulness amidst error, their steadfastness in
times of trial and temptation, their uprightness in times of doubt and
dispute, `the children of the kingdom' will receive their great reward. If
they have died, the fundamental Bible doctrine of the resurrection from the
dead will be theirs to experience. For those who are living at the time when
the great harvest is gathered, there will be the joy and satisfaction of
seeing Jesus, the one they have loved, served and obeyed all their lives.
Together, the great illustrious immortalised throng of the redeemed from
amongst men and women will live to serve the great Creator and His Son Jesus
throughout the ages of eternity.
Such is the wondrous
destiny that awaits the `children of the kingdom'. [Matthew 13.38]
Will it be yours as well?
Jesus said `Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.' [Matthew
13.43] |
