36 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. 37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41 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; 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 13:36-43 KJV)
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
The disciples acknowledged their ignorance and asked, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds.” They likely understood its general meaning but wanted more detail. Those who are humble and eager to learn will be taught (Psalm 25:8-9). Christ had explained the previous parable without being asked, but here, they requested clarification. The grace already given should encourage us to seek more.
According to Jesus’ explanation of the parable of the weeds (Matthew 13:24-30), the sower of the good seed is the Son of man, the field is the world – the visible church scattered across the earth, the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares (weeds) are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed the weeds is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
The weeds were sown while men slept, when those in authority and ministry were unaware. Satan takes every opportunity to spread sin when people are off guard. Reason and conscience must stay awake. Darkness gives him an advantage (Psalm 104:20). Since people must sleep, it is impossible to prevent all hypocrites from entering the church, just as a farmer cannot stop an enemy from planting weeds at night.
The enemy left after sowing the weeds, keeping his involvement hidden (Matthew 13:25). Satan causes the most harm when he disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:13-14). The weeds grew unnoticed until the grain sprouted (Matthew 13:26). Many hide their wickedness under a good appearance for a time, but trials reveal true character. When the time comes to bear fruit, it becomes clear who is wheat and who is a weed.
The servants, seeing the weeds, asked the master, “Did you not sow good seed?” (Matthew 13:27). Indeed, he did. Any corruption in the church is not from Christ. The spread of false teachings and sin should grieve Christ’s servants, especially faithful ministers, who must bring these concerns to him. It is troubling to see weeds among God’s crops—good land wasted, the true crop hindered, and Christ’s name dishonored.
The master immediately recognized the work of an enemy (Matthew 13:28). He did not blame the servants, knowing they had done their best. Faithful ministers are not at fault when hypocrites enter the church; these things must happen. Christ will not judge them for others’ sins if they have done their duty.
The servants were eager to uproot the weeds right away. “Should we go and remove them?” they asked. Sometimes, Christ’s followers, in their zeal, act rashly before seeking his guidance. “Shall we call down fire from heaven?” they once asked.
But the master wisely restrained them (Matthew 13:29). Removing the weeds too hastily could destroy the wheat as well. No one can perfectly distinguish between true and false believers. Christ, in his wisdom and mercy, allows some weeds to remain rather than risk harming the wheat. While sinful offenders should face discipline, it must be done carefully to avoid hurting sincere believers. Church leaders must exercise great caution and patience. Some who seem like weeds may later become wheat.
The harvest is the end of the world (Matthew 13:39). Though this world lasts long, it will not last forever. Judgment day is like harvest time—when everything is fully grown and ready to be gathered. Both good and bad will reach their full measure (Revelation 6:11). The whole earth will be reaped (Revelation 14:15), and none will be left out (Revelation 20:12-13). Every person will harvest what they have sown (Galatians 6:7-8). Those who sowed good seed will rejoice (Psalm 126:5-6; Isaiah 9:3), while those who lived for the flesh will face sorrow (Isaiah 17:11).
The reapers are the angels: they will be employed on the great day to execute Christ’s righteous judgments, both of approval and condemnation, as ministers of his justice (Matthew 25:31). The angels are skillful, strong, swift, and obedient servants to Christ, holy enemies to the wicked, and faithful friends to all the saints, making them well-suited for this task. He who reaps receives wages, and the angels will not go unpaid for their service, for he who sows and he who reaps shall rejoice together (John 4:36); there is joy in heaven in the presence of the angels of God.
Hell-torments are the fire into which the tares will be cast and burned. At the great day, a distinction will be made, and with it a vast difference.
The tares will be gathered out: The reapers, whose primary work is to gather the grain, will first remove the tares. Though good and bad are together in this world, at the great day they will be separated; no sinners will be among the saints. Then the distinction between the righteous and the wicked will be clear (Malachi 3:18; 4:1). They will gather out of his kingdom all wicked things and all who do iniquity. All corrupt doctrines, worships, and practices that have been stumbling blocks will be condemned and consumed by the brightness of Christ’s coming (1 Corinthians 3:12).
They will be bound in bundles (Matthew 13:30). Sinners of the same kind will be bundled together: atheists, epicures, persecutors, and hypocrites. Those who were partners in sin will share in shame and sorrow, which will add to their misery, just as the company of glorified saints will increase their joy. Let us pray, as David did, “Lord, do not gather my soul with sinners” (Psalm 26:9), but let it be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord our God (1 Samuel 25:29).
They will be cast into a furnace of fire; such is the end of wicked people in the church, like tares in the field. They are fit for nothing but fire, and that is where they will go. Hell is a furnace of fire, kindled by the wrath of God, where the tares will burn forever. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth—comfortless sorrow and incurable indignation at God, themselves, and one another. Knowing these terrors of the Lord, let us be persuaded not to do iniquity.
Heaven is the barn where all God’s wheat will be gathered on harvest day. “Gather the wheat into my barn” (Matthew 13:30). In this world, good people are the wheat, the most precious grain. They will be gathered from among the tares and weeds, forming a general assembly of Old Testament and New Testament saints, with none missing (Psalm 50:5). All God’s wheat will be stored in his barn, no longer exposed to sin and sorrow. Heaven is a garner (Matthew 3:12), where the wheat will be separated not only from tares but also from its own chaff.
The righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father (Matthew 13:43). First, it is their present honor that God is their Father. “Now we are the children of God” (1 John 3:2); our Father in heaven is King there. Christ, when he went to heaven, went to his Father and our Father (John 20:17). It is our Father’s palace and throne (Revelation 3:21).
Second, their future honor is that they will shine as the sun. Now they are obscure, hidden by poverty, weakness, and disgrace, but then they will shine forth like the sun from behind a cloud. At death, they will shine forth to themselves; on the great day, they will shine publicly before the world, with bodies like Christ’s glorious body. They will shine by reflecting the light of the Fountain of Light; their sanctification will be perfected, and their justification declared. The saints’ glory was once compared to the firmament and the stars, but now to the sun, because life and immortality are made clearer by the gospel. Those who shine as lights in this world to glorify God will shine as the sun in the next world to be glorified.
Jesus concludes with a call to attention: “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” These are truths that bring happiness to hear and duty to heed.