Parable of the Tares Matthew 13 24 30

Parable of the Tares Matthew 13: 24 -30, 36 -43

Parables (Matt 13) • Kingdom teaching, Matt 13: 10 -12, 34 -35 – Hard hearts do not understand (13: 13 -15) – Open hearts do understand (13: 9, 16) • Parable of the Tares, Matt 13: 24 -30 – Sons of the kingdom are surrounded by evil in this world – A separation will occur – Explanation is given, Matt 13: 36 -43 2

Parables of Tares • Misunderstood and misused • About kingdom of heaven on earth – Kingdom of heaven is the church, Matt 16: 18 -19 (Col 1: 13) – Christians are unique in this world (cf. Jno 17: 11, 15) – This parable presents the problem of evil and our victory over it in Christ 3

Explanation (36 -43) • The field is the world, 13: 38 –“His” field (Christ’s), 13: 24, 27 –He has ownership of this world, 1 Cor 10: 26 (Psa 24: 1) –Called “His kingdom”, 13: 41 4

Explanation (36 -43) • Two Sowers –Son of Man (Christ), 13: 37 –The Devil (enemy), 13: 39, 28 (“His enemy”, 13: 25) – Nature of the enemy: • Cunning: “While men slept” • Cowardly: Not openly, but under cover of darkness 5

Explanation (36 -43) • Clash of good vs. evil in this world: –Father vs. World (1 Jno 2: 15 -16) –Spirit vs. the Flesh (Gal 5: 17) –Son vs. Satan (Gen 3: 15) 6

Explanation (36 -43) • Two Products –Wheat (29): Sons of Kingdom (38) • “Good seed” growing in the world –Tares (25): Sons of Satan (38) Jno 8: 44; Eph 2: 2 -3; 5: 6 • Darnel: Weed grass that looks very much like wheat until it is mature, when a great difference is revealed • Used for chicken feed or burned 7

Explanation (36 -43) • Two Questions –“Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares? ” 13: 27 • Problem of evil in the world (its origin and its continuance) • Enemy introduced the evil; not God • Be concerned about victory over evil rather than full explanation of it (Matt 5: 13 -16) 8

Explanation (36 -43) • Two Questions –“Do you want us then to go and gather them up? ” 13: 28 • Such would be beyond the wisdom and ability of His servants (29) • Separation will happen at the time of harvest (30) 9

Explanation (36 -43) • The Harvest, 13: 30, 39 – End of the age, Matt 13: 49 (25: 31 -32) – Reapers: Angels (Matt 25: 31) • All that offend and those who practice lawlessness, 13: 41 – Two results: • Wheat (sons of the kingdom): Gathered to heaven, 13: 30, 43 • Tares (sons of the wicked one): in hell, 13: 30, 40 -42 Punished 10

Lessons • God did not introduce evil into the world, Gen 1: 26 -27; Eccl 7: 29 • Christians live in a world of sin (evil is not going away), Jno 17: 15 -17; 1 Cor 5: 10 • God expects us to be different from the world, 1 Pet 2: 9 -12; Phil 2: 15 -16; Titus 2: 11 -13 11

Lessons • Parable does not forbid withdrawing from unrepentant brethren, cf. 1 Cor 5: 10 -13 (4 -5, 6 -7); 2 Ths 3: 6, 14 -15 • Satan is subtle; Always trying to deceive, 2 Cor 11: 13 -15 • The Lord will execute righteous judgment, 2 Ths 1: 4 -10; Rom 2: 1 -2, 6 12

Lessons • Sons of the kingdom keep growing and patiently wait for the Lord’s harvest, Jas 5: 7 -9; Heb 12: 1 -2 • We live in the age of grace (Tit 2: 11) – Sons of the wicked one still have time to become sons of the kingdom! 13: 43 (13: 23) 13

Parable of the Tares Sons of Kingdom • Alive and growing • Genuine Sons of Wicked One • Living, yet dead in sin • Counterfeit Matthew 28: 19 (Rev 1: 5 -6) Colossians 1: 13 14