The Parable Tares of the Field

Introduction:

Last week we took at look at the parable of the Sower and discovered how the Lord Jesus Christ has given us understanding concerning the reception of God’s Word according to the soil of the heart. It is there that we discover and see all that is taking place around us in the hearts of men as the Word of God is sown.

This week we will discover the state of this age in which we live. This parable explains what has taken place and is taking place between the time the Lord Jesus taught this parable up until this very day.

The purpose of the Lord giving these seven parables was to outline for those that have “ears to hear” God’s continuing plan. These disciples and us today as His children, need to have a good understanding of what we are facing in this world.

We need to understand where our attention needs to be.

With that background lets read starting in Matthew 13:24-30.

Read Matthew 13:24-30

Let’s Pray

Once again with this second parable that Lord put forth in this series of parables, we find ourselves being told of simple story that would be easy to understand to anyone that had planted seed expecting to grow some sort of crops. The introduction is given to us, that what is being discussed in this parable is the “Kingdom of Heaven.” So what is being given here is a parable that will describe of show us what will transpire concerning the work that the Lord is accomplishing in this World.

Notice with me first of all the:

I. Declaration of the Parable

This is found in our text starting in verse 24 down through verse number 30.

The parabolic teaching is again simple enough the understand.

We have a man that goes forth to sow. He intends on sowing for a harvest. Out to the field he goes, with his good seed in hand.

He accomplishes the work, “while it is yet day...” And accomplishes what he sets out to do. Apparently the seed that is sown is wheat and so he goes his way.

But the Bible says in verse 25, An enemy sows ‘tares’ in the same field among the wheat under the cover of darkness. This of course is not discovered by the servants until the springing up of the crop.

The servants are shocked by this discovery and do not know what to do. So they question the owner.

The owner knows who is responsible. He gives specific instructions concerning the tares. His solution, (which is the best solution) is to let them grow together. He states, “the reapers” will handle the separating of the tares and the wheat.

Of course, this parable is marketably different from the first and the disciples are puzzled by it. So it is we have the declaration of the parable of the tares of the field.

While the story is easily enough understood the Disciples are wanting to know what does it actually mean. And so they ask Him in verse 36. The Bible says, “Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.”

II. Explanation of the Parable

The Lord Himself explains this parable in verses 36-43, just as He had for the disciples in verses 18-23 with the parable of the sower.

I do want you to make note of something in passing though, that both times the Lord took the time to explain the parables, the disciples had come to Him to ask for an explanation.

You and I need to follow their example and ask the Lord for Godly wisdom.

We have enough worldly wisdom trying to press in on us constantly. What we need is godly wisdom. We need heavenly wisdom. We need spiritual wisdom. This is promised to those who ask according to James 1:5,6 which states, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”

So let’s look at the elements of this parable:

A. The Sower Sowing the Good Seed

This sower according to verse 37 is Jesus Christ.

B. The Field

We have the field identified as the world in verse 38.

C. The Good Seed

Are identified as the children of the kingdom. Or we would say, those who are saved.

And starting in verse 39 we have:

D. The Enemy

Identified as the Devil.

E. The Tares

As the children of the Wicked One.

F. The Harvest

As the end of the world.

G. The Reapers

Are identified as the Lord’s angels.

So, What exactly are we to understand by this parable? Its obvious that Jesus Christ was explaining to the disciples what they would face. Its obvious the Lord is explaining what you and I would face in this world today. But what is the application for you and I?

I believe there are several lines of application you and I need to know. As we come to the Word of God we must understand that everything the Lord has taught is of upmost importance. Further there is a reason that we have been given this instruction.

Lets note a few items by way of application:

III. Application of the Parable

The main truth or thrust of the parable is the existence of both the wheat and the tares.

Sometimes we would like to exclude ourselves from this world. Sometimes we would like to imagine our world being tare free, but this is the main truth Jesus Christ was awakening His disciples to.

They were going to be in the midst of a world where there were both wheat and tares.

I am reminded of the verse in the Bible the Lord Jesus says in Luke 10:2,3 “The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.”

The Disciples needed to understand the facts concerning this age.

There is a New Testament term that we ought to make note of as we look at this parable and that is the term “reckon.”

In the New Testament it is used as a financial term to settle or to count. We would say we are reconciling the financial books. In other words we are settling everything so that all the money is accounted for. Reckoning on something is a matter of fact. It is a settling on truth. In the Old Testament, the word reckon oftentimes had to do with a families registration or genealogy. This was so important, the records indicated which family you we a part of.

As we look at this parable I want us this morning to reckon what we are reading to be true. This is the first point of application: The Existence of Tares and Wheat

It does us well to note that from the moment the Lord Jesus Christ spoke until our present day and moving forward till the harvest at the end of the world there will be tares and there will be wheat.

A. The Tares

The tares the Bible says are the Children of the Wicked One. Jesus explains, “The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;”

But who exactly are these tares?

When we search the Scriptures we will find that the Bible explains to us who they are. The Wicked One is identified as the Devil and so the children of the Devil are identified as well.

In John Chapter 8 the Lord Himself had a very pointed conversation with the Jews which contended with Him in the temple. They contested with the Lord that they were part of God’s family because they were of Abraham’s physical seed. But Jesus answered them, that they lacked faith in Him and therefore were not children of God, but rather children of the Devil.

He stated in John 8:42 “If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.”

These were the tares, the children of disobedience as described also in Ephesians 2:2; 5:6; Colossians 3:6.

We all were by nature the “children of wrath” before we received Jesus Chris as our Savior according to Ephesians 2:3 and further the Bible says we were “dead in trespasses and sins;”