MATTHEW 13:24-3024Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27So 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? 28He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30Let 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. (Matthew 13:24‑30).
Verse 24. Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, " The kingdom of heaven [the heavens] is likened unto a man who sowed good seed in his field:
Verse 25. But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
Verse 26. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
Verse 27. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?'
Verse 28. He saith unto them, ' An enemy hath done this.' The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?'
Verse 29. But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Verse 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 is the second of a series of seven, in which the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven—or rather of the kingdom of the heavens—are given; wherein is shown the character which the kingdom of the Son of Man takes whilst He, being rejected by Israel, is seated at the right hand of God.
These parables, like the addresses to the seven Churches in Asia, in Rev. 2, 3, are arranged in chronological order; they mark certain epochs in the history of the Church during the present dispensation.
There is this distinction between the seven parables in Matthew 13 and the addresses to the seven Churches in Asia in Rev. 2, 3,—in the parable the KINGDOM aspect of the dispensation is given, hence notice is taken of outward nominal profession; in the seven addresses in Revelation 2, 3 the CHURCH character of the dispensation is contemplated.
The seven Churches are represented by seven golden lampstands; gold being the emblem of that which is divine.
It is the Church of God which is addressed, composed of those who are regenerated and partakers of the divine nature.
The parable of the SOWER and the SEED applies to the first proclamation of the word of the kingdom by Christ, and those sent by Him; just as the epistle to the Church at Ephesus (Rev. 2:1-71Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. 4Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (Revelation 2:1‑7)) applies to the Apostolic age of the Church, and corresponds with the historical type in the reign of Solomon.
The parable of the WHEAT and TARES foretells the entrance of mere professors into the Church of God, which began at so early a period of its history, accompanied, indeed, by fierce persecution, as indicated by the address to the Church in Smyrna (Revelation 8-11), and foreshadowed by the reign of Rehoboam.
Four of these parables Jesus delivered in the presence of the multitude (verse 34); the three remaining were spoken to the disciples in the house. That of the SOWER and the SEED was explained to the multitude; this of the WHEAT and TARES He expounded to the disciples when alone with them (verse 36).
This second parable gives us our Lord's estimate of Christendom, from the first entrance of mere professors into the outward church up to the time of the Lord's return; while the explanation continues the prediction to the end of the age.
Verses 38, 39. "The field is the world; the good seed are the children [or sons] 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 [age], and the reapers are the angels.”
Strict discipline is to be maintained in the CHURCH, and the wicked person put away (1 Cor. 5.), but persecution is not to be resorted to in the WORLD: human reason may be utterly at fault here, for a persecuting Saul may in due time become a nursing father to the Church. "The harvest is the end of the age." This harvest extends over a certain period; it is not confined to one specific action. There are three things noticed in connection with it at.
1st. The collecting of the tares in bundles.
2nd. The gathering of the wheat into the barn.
3rd. After a time, the burning of the tares.
1st. The time of harvest is the time of ripening, both of the wheat and tares alike. As the end of the age draws nigh, before the removal of the Church, false profession will have ripened, and false systems of theology will have become matured; human combinations, on fundamentally false principles, will unite mere outward professors of Christianity in bonds too strong to be broken. God will overrule all this for the accomplishment of His own purposes, and angels are the instrumentalities which He employs. The tares are not at once burnt; they are collected together, but left on the field, preparatory to the final action.
2nd. But the wheat are gathered into the barn: the real believers in Christ, sealed and indwelt by the Spirit of God, changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall be forever with the Lord.
3rd With this the parable, as delivered in public, ends. This action closes the present dispensation, which commenced at Pentecost, and will terminate with the Lord's return to receive His Church to Himself.
The interpretation of the parable not only explains what goes before, but supplements what follows after. This principle of interpretation is of the utmost importance to be observed, otherwise, in some instances, the interpretation will appear to contradict the parable. This principle will apply to the interpretation of the prophecies of Daniel, and also to the concluding parable of the NET (verses 47-50).
The same remark is applicable to the first and second epistles to the Thessalonians. The first epistle is occupied entirely with the coming of the Lord Jesus to receive His Church—that is, "The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together unto Him.”
The second epistle supplies the details of these things which will follow after—Babylon the great, the Man of Sin, and the manifestation of the Lord in flaming fire.
Verses 40-42. "As therefore the tares are gathered [collected] and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world [age]. The Son of Man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather [collect] out of His kingdom all things that offend [stumble], and them which do iniquity [practice lawlessness]; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
“The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together unto Him," represented in the parable by the wheat gathered into the barn, closes the present dispensation; but the times of the Gentiles run on till the end or completion of the age. During the interval between the gathering of the wheat and the burning of the tares, the last week of Daniel's prophecy of the seventy weeks of years will be accomplished. 3rd. In these seven years, and especially in the last three and a half years, the tares previously collected in bundles will become fully dried, and ready for the burning.
The great apostasy of Christendom, culminating in Babylon the great, and the rebellion of man, headed up in the Lawless One, the Man of Sin, will call for the execution of speedy and signal judgment.
Before Messiah establishes His kingdom of peace and righteousness on the earth, the transgressors will be removed out of it. The Son of Man "shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity," and the angels of His power will be the accomplishers of His will; while the temporal judgment will be succeeded by the eternal judgment and unavailing woe: for, according to the prophecy of John the Baptist, He will not only "thoroughly purge His floor, and gather his wheat into the garner, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire" (Matt. 3:1212Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. (Matthew 3:12)).
When the peaceful reign of the Son of Man shall be established on the earth—all Israel saved and righteous—the nations blessed in association with them the knowledge of Jehovah covering the earth as the waters cover the sea—"Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father" (verse 43). The dead in Christ who rise first and the living ones caught up at the Lord's coming-represented by the wheat gathered into His garner will then shine forth in resurrection glory, with the brightness of the firmament.
Then the kingdom of the heavens will no longer be in mystery, but in full manifestation—the kingdom of the Son of Man established on the earth, and the saints of the heavenlies taking the kingdom and shining forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father above.
Well may the Lord add, "Who hath ears to hear, let him hear" (verse 43). For in the consideration of subjects so great, so glorious, and so full, we need not only to mark well, and rightly divide the Scriptures of truth, but we need to hear the voice of that Divine Spirit, under Whose inspiration these Scriptures were written, and Who alone can interpret them, that He may not only bring to our remembrance the very words which Jesus uttered, but give us to know the mind of Christ in them.