Pulling Weeds

Pulling Weeds Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Jesus throws the disciples, the crowds, and His enemies, into a moment of confusion by teaching only in parables. They ask him why - his response wasn't to hide that he was messiah from the wrong folks, but that it was prophesied in Isa 6:9, 10 and others. But even in the midst of that, those who seek to understand, will find Jesus. Some say this is the beginning of the Gospel going to the Gentiles.

This parable, points to the requirement of real faith. The absolute need to give your entire heart to Christ. To die to yourself. Truly, the Kingdom of God is Him.

Then, he goes into another parable to them, (same as in v3 & 13? “Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying:”, “Therefore I speak to them in parables”

It seems to fit the pattern of how he’s speaking to the disciples.

Jump to: Matthew 13:36 “ Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.””

Matthew 13:24–30 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; Matthew 13:37 “ He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.” v38: will see that The field is the world

Parable: A parable, like an illustration, makes a comparison between a known truth and an unknown truth; it throws them alongside each other.

About: the kingdom of heaven. Reminder Matt seemed to indicate that KOG is the saved, the KOH is like Israel. Both saved and not, The World. So the KOH is the field. Here is how it begins

Colossians 1:13–14 “ He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” but they didn't understand this yet

25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.

Again, a sower. Again, seed. The seed is what? In v19 was Word. Here however Jesus says seed is Sons of kingdom. Tares as sons of the wicked. This destroys universalism. And it reminds us of why we continue to present the gospel even when all of us are “saved”. Fruit is a testimony of that salvation

The enemy is already here. This is very common in the Church and another way that satan attacks the body of Christ. The corinthian church was infested by false teachers. their teaching even caused the church to ignore serious rebellion in their fellowship it brought leaven (sin) which would infect the whole loaf (bread, made from grain, wheat). There has always been spiritual warfare even in the midst of this Body of Christ! In the 1st century corinthian church we see 2 Corinthians 11:13–14 “ For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.” Should our time be any different? Jesus spoke of false teachers - Matthew 7:23 “ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

Reminder, this was the early church! Apostles like Peter and them hung out with the churches Paul planted but still! Still, there are going to be tares (false disciples).

Tare: zizanion: what we call a darnel - a particularly undesirable weed resembling wheat and possessing a seed which is poisonous

Wheat is life, tares death. Both alike, both in the same “field”. 2 Peter 2:1 “ But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.”

26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. Matthew 13:38 “ The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.”

reaping and sowing common theme, agrarian-pastoric culture. But the plant (tare) looks a lot like the wheat -

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?’

No matter how many times we are told that the devil will always corrupt and copy what God does, we forget and blame God for this.

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?’ Matthew 13:39 “ The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.”

Satan cannot uproot the plants (true Christians), so he plants counterfeit Christians in their midst The field is not human hearts; the field is the world. Christ is sowing true believers in various places that they might bear fruit (John 12:23–26). But, wherever Christ sows a true Christian, Satan comes and sows a counterfeit.

There are many examples of people abusing the teaching of Christ even while apostles were around, 2 Corinthians 2:17 “ For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.”

29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.

(Pic tares) Note, his servants, at the end, they decide. Not us. We dont separate, we plant the true. Stay true to the Word, be faithful to the Lord, keep watch! 2 Peter 2 “ But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.”

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.” ’ ”

Warren Wiersbe wrote, “We must beware of Satan’s counterfeits. He has counterfeit Christians (2 Cor. 11:26) who believe a counterfeit Gospel (Gal. 1:6–9). He encourages a counterfeit righteousness (Rom. 10:1–3), and even has a counterfeit church (Rev. 2:9). At the end of the age, he will produce a counterfeit Christ (2 Thes. 2:1–12).”

1 John 2:18–19 “ Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.”

I want to Close with the text of 40-43 as Jesus finishes explaining

Matthew 13:40–43 “ Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 (two paths, two destinies) The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

there is a real experience of those being separated and judged in the Kingdom. They are an offense to the Word and truth.

Proverbs 9:10 “ “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

When we hear truly what Jesus says, we become that good seed, the true fruit of Christ. Bear many fold His riches.

He solidifies this by reminding us there are false Christians among us.

Matthew 13:31–32 “ Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, 32 which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.””

Matthew 13:33–35 “ Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.” 34 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, 35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.””

We’ll cover these in more detail next week but if you keep vv36-43 in mind, they’ll make sense.

Now, we are here seed/wheat. Fruit. The become fruit (produce), grown from the field (world). Those that come into the church by their flesh or through the enemy, are tares. Poisonous weeds, again, almost indistinguishable (PIC) from the one that produces life giving fruit. So though we should be discerning and wise, we should also be of note that when judgement comes, the angels here indicating he will not be fooled. There are only two paths, not many. Only two results being light or burning. You better listen, because there is only one way, and He, is Jesus. You must be born again. You are fruit because He saved you.