The Parable of the Tares

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

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

But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

So 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?

He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

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.

—Matthew 13:24-30,

"The field," Christ said, "is the world." But we must understand this as signifying the church of Christ in the world. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. The parable is a description of that which pertains to the kingdom of God, His work of salvation of men; and this work is accomplished through the church. The Holy Spirit has gone out into all the world; everywhere it is moving upon the hearts of men; but it is in the church that we are to grow.    

    

"He that sowed the good seed is the Son of man. . . . The good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one." The good seed represents those who are born of the word of God, the truth. The tares represent a class who are the fruit or embodiment of error, of false principles. "The enemy that sowed them is the devil." Neither God nor His angels ever sowed a seed that would produce a tare. 

The tares are always sown by Satan, the enemy of God and man.  Satan scatters his evil seed among the good grains.  As the tares have their roots closely intertwined with those of the good grain, so false brethren in the church may be closely linked with true disciples.   

  

The teaching of this parable is illustrated in God's own dealing with men and angels. Satan is a deceiver. The world has no right to doubt the truth of Christianity. The fact that men are in the church does not prove them Christians. The tares are permitted to grow among the wheat. Christ Himself will decide who are worthy. He will judge every man according to his words and his works.

                                                                             

The Saviour does not point forward to a time when all the tares become wheat. The wheat and tares grow together until the harvest, the end of the world. Then the tares are bound in bundles to be burned, and the wheat is gathered into the garner of God. Then "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. so will it be at the end of this age. There will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

—Matthew 13:36-43,