Parable of the Tares (Matthew 13:24-30, 37-43)
A brief background about the use of parables, sepcifically for this chapter:
Jesus spoke in parables to the general public (v34) to fulfil the Word of God (v35)
However, Jesus elaborated on the meaning of the parables only to His disciples (v36)
In this specific parable (v24-30), (desirable) wheat and (unwanted) tares are hard to differentiate at first, but their difference becomes clearer near the matured state. Our Lord explains what the elements in His parable represent in v37-43:
Hence, He means to say that in this world:
While Jesus sows His people, Satan sows counterfeits
While the Kingdom grows, the counterfeits grow alongside
During harvest (judgement) time, He gathers His people eternally into His presence; He casts the counterfeits into eternal hell
God’s message to His people:
Know that there will be counterfeits to the Church as the Church grows
While it is hard to distinguish, we can let God settle this in His time instead of focusing on it and/or waging war against them
We should know that this phenomenon will happen
Trust in His sovereignty and justice to execute righteous judgment in His own time
Focus on sowing the Gospel seed, proclaim the Gospel in word and deed, and watch Him grow His Kingdom
Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father..
(Matt 13:43)
Comments