The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds (Matthew 13:36-43)

People today have many questions. In the world, they will ask why people continue to do wrong, no matter the attempts to improve things. In the church, they ask if the gospel will be successful and will converts become numerous. Of course, those questions are not new. People have asked them or ones similar to them for a long time. Does this parable answer those questions? Could such a short story answer those profound questions. No doubt, the possibility depends on the capability of the speaker. Could Jesus deal with such questions in a short story? Maybe you would like to look at the parable again and see what it says about why people continue to do wrong and what it says about whether the gospel will be successful. The parable says that both outcomes will happen throughout human history.

What were the weeds?

There are many kinds of weeds, as we know from our gardens. The particular type of weed in this parable is called darnel and it often grows alongside wheat. Initially, darnel looks very like the wheat which means it is difficult to identify it until later on, by which times its roots have twisted round the roots of the wheat. When Jesus says in the parable that the servants should wait until the harvest before dealing with the presence of the weed, he was referring to common practice that his listeners would not have regarded as unusual. It may have been also the case that hostile competitors would sow darnel in a neighbour’s field in an attempt to spoil the harvest. Whether that happened or not, it is important to remember the point that, to begin with, the wheat and the darnel looked similar.

The good example (v. 36)

We can see from the response of the disciples what we should do when listening to or reading God’s Word. They asked Jesus to explain the contents of the parable, which he did. Of course, they could do this in a manner that we cannot. Still, we can imitate their method. We can see that they chose an appropriate place – the house, which was a location away from distractions. That is a basic requirement when wanting to have serious dealings with Jesus.

Second, their request was specific, not vague. They identified what they wanted to know.  We can do that as well. Take a familiar verse, ‘The Lord is my shepherd.’ We can say to God, ‘Teach me what the definite article signifies.’ It tells us that he is the true God. Then we can say to him, ‘Teach me what your name signifies?’ He is the eternal God, in covenant with his people. After that reminder, we can say to him, ‘Why did David say “is” in his petition?’ Because the Lord is the God of the moment, of every moment. Then we can ask the Lord to show us what the word ‘my’ indicates. The answer to that petition is the enjoyment of strong assurance. And then there is the significance of the word ‘shepherd’? Why did David use that illustration? Because God led him and fed him continually.

We can make that kind of response to all verses in the Bible. In case a person thinks that is unnecessary, just recall that James tells us that we have not because we ask not. If we want the Bible to be real in our lives, we need to pray specifically about what it says. We need help to understand its commandments and help to enjoy its promises. The disciples give us a good example by asking Jesus to teach them what his word meant.

Who are the sowers?

In this story, there are two sowers. Jesus informed them that one of the sowers is himself. He called himself the Son of Man. This was the most common way in which Jesus referred to himself when speaking to people about himself, which means that we should ask why he did so.

It is often said by scholars that Jesus used this title to try and hide who he was from the people in case they made wrong responses to him and his message. I would suggest that would be unusual since anyone who read the Old Testament would know what the title signified. It pointed to a royal person, as we can see from Psalm 80 and Daniel 7. So when Jesus used it of himself, he was claiming to be a king.

And not just an ordinary king ruling over one area or larger empire. Instead, the Son of Man in the prophecy recorded in the Book of Daniel receives from the Ancient of Days the nations to rule over, so when Jesus used this title of himself he was claiming to have the promise of universal authority from God. So he would have been marked by great optimism as he related the parable and its meaning.

The other sower is the devil, the enemy of God, and he arranges for his weeds to be sown. His aim is to bring confusion because there is very little difference between tares and wheat as far as looking at them is concerned.

What does Jesus do?

Where does Jesus sow the seed? He informs the disciples that he does so throughout the world. Of course, this is a statement of intent, of what he would do in the future, but it is in line with him being the Son of Man who will rule the nations. He is informing his disciples of something that will be global in its effects, that eventually he will reach all places on the earth and bring about change everywhere.

What kind of seed does Jesus sow? We should observe a difference here between this parable and the parable of the sower. In the parable of the sower, the seed represented the message, but in the parable of the wheat and the weeds, the good seed and crop represents people. Jesus likens the good seed to his people. We should also note that the devil is described as sowing people, whom Jesus says are like weeds that spoil the kingdom.

Where did Jesus find the good seed? The answer to this question is that they once were weeds like everyone else. A parable is meant to be startling, and there are many startling features in this parable. And to say that weeds can become good wheat is startling. But then is that not what conversion is? There are many images indicating that change mentioned in the Bible. Those who were spiritually dead become spiritually alive. Those who walked on the broad start to walk on the narrow way.

How does Jesus bring about this change? He does it through the gospel in which he tells people who they are, he tells them what he has done for sinners when he died on the cross, and he informs them that their response should be one of repentance and faith, that they should leave their sins and trust in him and receive forgiveness from God.

What does Jesus give to the good seed? He gives to all of them a new dignity in that they become ‘the sons of the kingdom’. They become citizens of the kingdom of God; and they confess that Jesus is their king and that they are his subjects. As such, they share the blessings of the kingdom. They have moved from the realm of spiritual death in which everything fades into the realm of spiritual life in which there is abundance of inner peace and joy.

What about the weeds who are not changed? Jesus describes them as those who are ‘the sons of the evil one’, who practice what he wants them to do. He blinds them to the world of reality so that they cannot see the wonders of the kingdom of God. He keeps them focussed on the things of this world. Paul describes them in Ephesians 2:2-3: ‘…following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience – among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.’

The harvest

Jesus informs his disciples that eventually the day of reaping the harvest will come. It will happen at the end of the age. Jesus the king will come to deal with those who resisted his message and opposed his reign. He will send his angels to gather them for judgement. We can note a couple of things about this description.

First, we should note how Jesus describes those whom the angels will gather. He says two things about them. One is that they are the causes of sin, and the other is that they are law-breakers. That twofold description is quite startling. All we need to do is ask ourselves these questions: have I caused someone to sin, and have I broken God’s laws? We know the answer to such questions. Is Jesus describing us?

Second, we should note how Jesus describes what will happen to them. They will be removed from his kingdom and will not experience any of its blessings. Instead they will be in a place of indescribable sorrow and regret. A parable is designed to grip our imagination. What effect does such a description have on us? A place where sorrow and regret, and distress and dread, never end.

The coming kingdom

No doubt, the disciples would have been affected by what they had been told about those who oppose the reign of Jesus. But imagine how surprised they would have been when they heard Jesus describe what would happen to those who followed him. His description is recorded in verse 43 and in contains at least three great truths for their encouragement: Then (1) the righteous will (2) shine like the sun (3) in the kingdom of their Father.

As we consider that description, we can see three great doctrines: justification, glorification and adoption. Justification is the basis of how those people became righteous, although here they are described as those who are also righteous in heart and life as well as in status. They became the righteous when they ceased to be weeds, if we wish to put in that way. On believing in Jesus, they were clothed in his righteousness and accepted in him.

And here they are glorified. It is an extraordinary description for us to take in because we know nothing brighter than the sun. Brightness points to glory and purity and the Bible highlights that will be the blessing given to the redeemed on the resurrection day. All his people will like him, says the apostle John, because they will see him as he is.

Further, if the kingdom belongs to the Father, then since they are his children, then they are the heirs of it. And that is what Paul reminds the Romans when he says to them that they are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus. The kingdom in all its fullness will be theirs forever. It is good for us to think about those three great doctrines together, not only because one day there will be a full revealing of what they contain, but also because even now they are relevant to us. After all, since we believe in Jesus, we are the righteous and we are the children of God, and even although we cannot see it, we are told by Paul that believers are even now being changed from glory to glory. 

Lessons

There are some lessons that we can highlight from this parable. The first is that it is enough to know that Jesus knows. At the start of the service we mentioned two questions that people often have: will evil always be here, and will the church be successful in winning souls? What is the answer to those questions, or rather, who is the answer to those questions? Jesus knows those who are his and the fact that there are weeds alongside the wheat does not mean that the wheat is in danger of missing out on the glory to come. Jesus knows those who are genuine disciples, and he will preserve them through whatever ploys the devil uses.

Second, there is a Day of Separation coming. It may be the case that people don’t like this aspect of the teaching of Jesus, and may imagine that he did not say it. But he taught it very clearly and revealed that he would be in charge when the time for  separation comes. The distinction will come down to their relation to him. Have they trusted in him for salvation or have they not?

Third, sometimes those who are not Christians will look like Christians. They will behave outwardly in a manner that seems close to how believers should live. Such people will have many good works. They may even join churches and true believers will not notice that those people are not genuine. The solemn thing is, the people themselves may not realise that they are not the real thing. This is why it is important to preach the gospel regularly to everyone in a service. If we think that the gospel is not for us, we are marked by presumption.